SKY EXITS FILMS PRODUCTION HOUSE BANGKOK: Questions & Answers : Filming in London

Questions & Answers
1 - General information
What does Film London do?
Who works at Film London?
Are there any job opportunities at Film London?
Are there any work placement opportunities at Film London?
I would like to source information about a film commission based overseas, can you help?
I require stock footage of London, is this something you hold in your locations library?

2 - Filming in London
Can you help me find a location?
I need an interesting location, can you help?
I’m a no/low budget/student film-maker and I would like to film in a mansion, can you make any suggestions?
How do I register my property with you?
How much should I charge for the use of my property for the purposes of filming?
What is a Borough Film Officer (BFS)?
Do I need to gain borough permissions if I have a small crew and will only be using a hand held camera?
As a film-maker do I need any paperwork besides a location contract or a filming licence from the BFS?
Who is the borough contact/police contact for ……?
Can you suggest unit bases or production office space that I could use?
Will I need to contact the police if I am filming on the street?
There is disruptive film crew in my residential street, is there anything I can do about this?
I am trying to draw up a budget, can you advise me of local crew rates?
Can you help me source accommodation prior to my shoot in London?
Can you help me source crew and facilities in the London area?
3 - Funding & Sector Support
Can you give me a list of contacts for Film London's funding schemes and sector support departments?
Can you tell me about Film London funding and support for Film Festivals, Public Screenings or Education Projects?
Can you tell me more about Film London production funding schemes?
How can I receive notification of when Film London and other funding schemes / opportunities / competitions are open for applications?
4 - Finding work
I’m looking for work, can you help?
What’s in production at the moment?
I work as a freelancer, how much should I charge for my services?-->
1 - General information
1.1 - What does Film London do?Film London is the capital’s film and media agency. We sustain, promote and develop London as a major international film-making and film cultural capital. This includes all the screen industries based in London – film, television, video, commercials and new interactive media.Film London works across all facets of the sector and our activities include: locations and production services for film and TV crews; investment in film-makers through a range of low budget production schemes; training and business development activities; helping to develop audiences and the provision of a diverse programme of cinema across the whole of the capital; showcasing of London films and talent; domestic and international tourism initiatives; and promoting London on an international stage as an attractive base for film and media production.
1.2 - Who works at Film London?There are six main teams in Film London – Locations & Filming, Production, Strategy & Resources, Skills & Development, Communications and International. For a full breakdown of the staff within these departments please visit the Who's Who section of this site.
1.3 - Are there any job opportunities at Film London?Any new jobs at Film London will be advertised in the vacancies section of this site and in the local or national press (usually in the media section of The Guardian). If you are looking to work as a freelancer in the industry we recommend you register on our online Crew Directory, it is free of charge to do so.
1.4 - Are there any work placement opportunities at Film London?Twice a year Film London is offering a six month internship for enthusiastic new entrants to the moving film and moving image industry. Successful applicants will be based at our offices in Shoreditch working with and supporting all Film London departments in turn: Production, Skills & Development, Location Services, Communications and Strategy & Resources. For application details and deadlines please check the vacancies section of our site.Film London offers also placements to students in full or part-time education as long if the placement is a requirement of their course. For further details please email jobs@filmlondon.org.uk.
1.5 - I would like to source information about a film commission based overseas, can you help?Contact details for worldwide screen commissions can be found on the Association of Film Commissions International (AFCI) website, please visit: http://www.afci.org/. Simply click on the relevant section of the world map for further information.
1.6 - I require stock footage of London, is this something you hold in your locations library?Unfortunately, this is not the case. Our location library holds photographs of properties that can be used for a film shoot. We do not hold publicity material from film sets, historical photographs or any moving image footage. To source this information it is recommended you approach the international membership service called Focal International (http://www.focalint.org/) as they contribute to the protection and preservation of film and other audio and visual formats. Their website holds details of companies as well as freelancers who may be able to assist you. We also hold details of stock shot libraries on our facilities database so please feel free to email us an enquiry to info@filmlondon.org.uk.
2 - Filming in London
2.1 - Can you help me find a location?Our primary resource is a locations library - open Monday to Friday, 9am - 6pm. You do not need to make an appointment - but it advisable to ask for a library tour on arrival in order to get the best use of this resource. We also have a Locations team headed up by the Locations & Filming Manager; Locations Advisors; Locations Assistant and two Coordinators - one for Boroughs and one for Organisations & Agencies. This team are able to take telephone enquiries and assist with requests based on their knowledge and experience. For a personal consultation it is recommended to book an appointment - the direct line for Locations is 020 7613 7683. You can also search for locations online across London's 33 boroughs, where you can view pictures and written descriptions and create personal folios of locations. For privately owned locations you will need to call the office to gain the relevant contact details.
2.2 - I need an interesting location, can you help?To make recommendations on locations it helps for us to have a more detailed brief. Where you are not yet sure what you need we recommend that you come in and use the library.
2.3 - I’m a no/low budget/student film-maker and I would like to film in a mansion, can you make any suggestions? Firstly we suggest approaching friends or family for help, as they don’t usually charge as much. Most location owners are open to negotiation, but you could also think of a way that you may be able to help them, by advertising in the credits perhaps. If neither option is viable you may like to rethink the setting for your scene - it’s good to aim high, but not to work beyond your means.
2.4 - How do I register my property with you?There is a Location Registration Form that can be printed from this site in the Locations section or it can be picked up, posted or emailed from our offices. Please complete and return this form, remembering to sign the final page. We would be grateful if you could supply approximately 10 up-to-date digital images of the property to give us a good overall view of the location. Please email these to us at: locationslibrary@filmlondon.org.uk or post them with the completed Location Registration Form, together with any other photographs or promotional material. If located outside of the London area, then you may wish to register with another screen commission. Please refer to the Regional Screen Agencies (RSA) list, which is located in Lists & Forms section. If located outside of the UK, then it is recommended you register with your local screen commission, details can be found on the Association of Film Commissions International (AFCI) website, please visit: http://www.afci.org/. Simply click on the relevant section of the world map to source contact details.
2.5 - How much should I charge for the use of my property for the purposes of filming?There is no definitive breakdown of charges that apply. It will depend on the type of property that you have, the type of filming that is being proposed, the facilities they wish to utilise, the size of crew and the length of time they wish to use the property for. It is also worth considering the type of production company that has approached you, as a commercials company will probably not have the same budget as a features company. If you would like to discuss this further then please feel free to call the office (020 7613 7683) and speak to our in-house Locations & Filming Manager. It is only possible for us to give you an approximate costing, however, as negotiation takes place directly between the location owner and the production company.
2.6 - What is a Borough Film Officer (BFS)?A BFS is a council representative - the first point of call for any filming on the streets, filming on public land or in council owned properties in that borough (such as town halls and leisure centres). They will liaise on your behalf with all council departments, including parking and refuse collection. Once the terms and conditions for filming have been agreed they will issue a filming licence. It is best to make your initial enquiry by phone and then apply formally using the Filming Application Form. Charges and restrictions vary between the 33 London boroughs, so please refer to the BFS list for further details, or call the relevant officer directly for a breakdown. Please note that Westminster has the longest application process (up to 8 working days) and they also have a longer and more detailed Filming Application Form. It is recommended you download this directly from their website: www.westminster.gov.uk/filming. NB. Filming on private land does not fall under the jurisdiction of the BFS. Borough boundaries are shown in most A-Zs.
2.7 - Do I need to gain borough permissions if I have a small crew and will only be using a hand held camera?This does depend on exactly where you will be filming. However, it is important to inform the BFS that you will be filming in their local area to ensure that film crews are not attempting to use the same space at the same time. The BFS will also be aware of any ‘hot spots’ (areas where lots of film work has taken place so it has temporarily been withdrawn from use) so they can pre-warn your crew to avoid them. BFSs are normally also able to suggest good places for parking, so worthwhile calling for general information - please refer to the boroughs map or BFS list for further information.If you are planning to film in more than one borough you can apply to do so by completing a Small Crew Application Form. Please call Francesca on 020 7613 7683 or email francesca.walker@filmlondon.org.uk for further details.
2.8 - As a film-maker do I need any paperwork besides a location contract or a filming licence from the BFS?Yes, you should have Public Liability Insurance to a minimum of £2 million. If you are a student film-maker this should be covered by your college/university. We keep details of media related insurance companies on our facilities database, so please feel free to contact us by phone or email. Alternatively you can source these details from the online UK production guides, such as: http://www.theknowledgeonline.com/ / http://www.kftv.com/ / http://www.talentcircle.co.uk/.
2.9 - Who is the borough contact/police contact for ……?If requiring police assistance please contact the Met Police Service Film Unit (MPSFU) on 020 7161 1099 or refer to their website: www.met.police.uk/filmunit. There are downloadable lists available on this site, and hard copies available in the main reception of our offices in Shoreditch, that outline all current contacts for Borough Film Services and the Met Police. NB. Please bear in mind that these details tend to change, so do update your lists regularly.
2.10 - Can you suggest unit bases or production office space that I could use?We do have a selection of unit bases and production offices registered on our Directory, although it is not a definitive guide to all that are available. It is possible to search within the Directory if you are currently registered on the Film London website. Use the Facilities search to source unit bases. Select “Transport and Portable Facilities” for type of company and “Car Parks” and/or “Unit Parking” for the sub category. Use the Locations search to source production office space. Select “Commercial” for the category and “Production Space” for the sub category. Please email any general enquiries to locations@filmlondon.org.uk. If you are looking in a specific area then it is worthwhile contacting the local Borough Film Service.
2.11 - Will I need to contact the police if I am filming on the street?If firearms, marked police cars and/or actors dressed in full uniform are being used then it is essential. If there are stunts taking place or ‘traffic management’ is being implemented then police supervision may also be required. The BFS will normally inform you of this on application to film, although it is recommended to inform the Met Police of ALL exterior location filming.
2.12 - There is disruptive film crew in my residential street, is there anything I can do about this?There is normally a location manager on the shoot who should be able to answer any queries you have. If they are not available to speak to then it may be possible to liaise with the film officer for the borough in which you reside.
2.13 - I am trying to draw up a budget, can you advise me of local crew rates?BECTU have rate cards on their website (http://www.bectu.co.uk/) that can be used as an approximate guideline. They can be found in the ‘agreements’ section displayed in the right hand menu. There are two sets of rates: APA Production Agreements for commercial rates and PACT Production Agreements applicable to crew on larger productions such as TV dramas and feature films. These are not definitive. NB. Crew members in the UK do not have to be a member of this union in order to work.
2.14 - Can you help me source accommodation prior to my shoot in London?To help you get the very best out of what the capital has to offer, Film London has negotiated several discounts exclusive to the film and television industry. The discounted rates cover a range of facilities and services, including accommodation, in and around London. Access to this section is password protected and requires prior registration on the Film London site. We also have a facilities database with further contact details and it is possible to access this information through our online Directory.
2.15 - Can you help me source crew and facilities in the London area?If you are trying to source a make-up artist, a production assistant, a blue screen facility or a studio space, we are able to help. We hold crew and facilities databases in addition to our locations database and library. You can register online with the Film London Directory and the service is free of charge whether you are registering as a crew member or a facility or searching for crew, facilities or locations. Alternatively you can source similar details from the online UK production guides, such as: http://www.theknowledgeonline.com/ / http://www.kftv.com/ / http://www.talentcircle.co.uk/. Please contact us if you have difficulty with a specific requirement and we will try to help you with your request.
3 - Funding & Sector Support
3.1 - Can you give me a list of contacts for Film London's funding schemes and sector support departments?Contact the relevant departments by email or phone, as follows: Production enquiries - josic.cadoret@filmlondon.org.uk / 020 7613 7692; Business & Skills Development enquiries - skillsdevelopment@filmlondon.org.uk / 020 7613 7696; Exhibition and Education enquiries - skillsdevelopment@filmlondon.org.uk / 020 7613 7697.
3.2 - Can you tell me about Film London funding and support for Film Festivals, Public Screenings or Education Projects?The Film London Audience Development Fund is open to London based organisations who wish to apply for project funding to support education and audience development in film and media. This is the only Film London scheme to support film related exhibition (e.g. film festivals), participatory video and education projects.
3.3 - Can you tell me more about Film London production funding schemes?Below is a list of Film London production funding schemes: PULSE – digital shorts scheme is Film London’s digital shorts production fund for new and emerging film-makers, run in partnership with the UK Film Council’s New Cinema Fund. This is an annual scheme; The London Artists' Film & Video Awards (LAFVA) - supports artists working in contemporary moving image practice and is run in association with Arts Council England, London. This is an annual scheme;Microwave: Micro-budget Feature Film Fund - a new initiative to produce ten micro-budget feature film projects in the capital. Run in partnership with BBC television. There are a series of deadlines for this scheme;Borough Production Funding Schemes - Film London supports and works in partnership with a number of London Boroughs.
3.4 - How can I receive notification of when Film London and other funding schemes / opportunities / competitions are open for applications?If you would like advance notification of when Film London and other funding schemes / opportunities / competitions are open for applications please register for regular email updates, this is a free service.
4 - Finding work
4.1 - I’m looking for work, can you help?If you are a freelancer and would like to join our crew database, we recommend you register online with the Film London Directory. The registration process is straightforward and free of charge. NB. We are, of course, unable to guarantee you will gain work through joining this service.
4.2 - What’s in production at the moment?There are several trade magazines that hold this sort of information - Screen International, Broadcast, PCR, Filmlog - we keep a selection of these in the Film London office, or it is possible to individually subscribe to them. If you would like to come in and read these then please visit during working hours (Mon-Fri, 9am-6pm), it is not necessary to make an appointment.
4.3 - I work as a freelancer, how much should I charge for my services?BECTU have rate cards on their website (http://www.bectu.org.uk/). However, this is just a rough guideline as to what could be expected, it often varies based on the budget of a specific project.