Introduction
This document is intended to provide a guide for best filming practices for Kent’s local authorities, emergency services including Kent Police, Highways and Borough/District Councils, as well as private stakeholders. The document is intended only as a guide and is not an exhaustive list. It is intended to evolve alongside the services we provide as the Kent Filming Partnership.
The Role of the Kent Film Office
The Kent Film Office is intended to act as liaison between the film production companies and the authorities it needs to gain permission from to film whilst in the county.
The Kent Film Office will
1. hold a Kent wide database of locations, crews and facilities and will make it available to the industry through the web, newsletters and direct PR.
2. offer support and advice to district and borough councils with regards to filming.
3. in conjunction with all the districts and borough councils, develop a standardised Kent Wide electronic Application For Filming form that encompasses all the information each borough requires. This will then be distributed to the relevant districts when filming occurs in their area. This is to minimise the amount of discouraging administration a production needs to complete when engaging in cross boarder filming.
4. involve all the local authorities, where appropriate, in location requests received from production companies, but will maintain confidentiality when district specific requests are received.
5. will identify potentially problematic shoots, for example those requiring special effects or stunts, and make the relevant authority aware in a timely fashion, which will allow timely decisions regarding the possibility of the shoot and allow for any preparation time required.
6. ensure that all crews have at least £5 million Public Liability Insurance, and that the online form has been completed and risk assessments are requested. These will be held by the film office distributed to the relevant authorities and/or requested by any of the partners.
7. broker any filming requiring access to public highways through the relevant authorities. This will ensure that all crews have appropriate permissions, are aware of any particular issues with filming in their chosen location and are compliant with traffic regulations. (see Filming On The Public Highway Guidelines)
8. ensure that any productions visiting an area that is populated with either residents or traders, that those are kept informed of any proposed filming via a letter drop. These letters will include in addition to the filming details, telephone numbers of the production company, so that residents and traders may express any concerns they may have before, during or after the filming directly to the production company in the first instance.
9. collate Kent wide film location spending data form film companies and local boroughs whenever available, to demonstrate further the economic benefits of filming and assist partners with possible applications to funding streams.
10. to act as a liaison in case disputes arise between partners and film makers.
11. raise awareness of the economic and profiling benefits of filming in the County and of programmes that have been filmed here through the Kent Film Office website.
12. involve the partnership in any relevant press and tourism campaigns the Kent Film Office undertakes.
Role of the District and Borough Councils, Highways Agencies, Police and private stakeholders:
The Kent Film Office is committed to being an advisory service for filming companies and is keen to share its expertise with the Kent Filming Partnership. The above agencies will to work together by:-
1. supporting the Kent Film Office to become the first point of call for all productions wishing to locate in Kent, allowing them to co-ordinate cross boundary licences for highways and permissions from boroughs and districts and local police contact by responding timely to any requests seeking permission and requests for information regarding potential and completed filming.
2. using one uniform filming form that has been developed in conjunction with all the district and borough councils to ease the amount of administration a production company is expected to complete when engaging in cross border filming in Kent and thus encourage an increase in filming opportunities for the county.
3. recommending suitable locations in their area to be put forward as filming location.
4. appointing a contact person that the Kent Film Office and film company representatives can approach with regards to filming. This person should be familiar with the Kent Filming Codes of Practice, the Filming Partnership and Best Practice Guidelines, and be available to attend recces with production companies. They will also have good working relationships with key personnel in their council, for example empty properties representatives, parking unit, press office, highways, legal and economic development, to access their assistance when needed.
These representatives will also represent the council at Partnership meetings and/or task force meetings when necessary.
5. Keeping the Kent Film Office informed with regards to local filming policies in their area. This includes;
special dispensations for parking and their estimated cost, parking in resident bays, on single and double yellow lines, on spaces with meters, in loading bays, possible administration charges-location fees
a. charges for street works
b. charges for officer time
c. deadlines
d. sensitive areas
making the Kent Film Office aware if they are willing to undertake requests for road closures through the Town Police Clauses Act and the minimum time in which one may be actioned for the purpose of filming in their areas.
6. sharing collected filming data with the Kent Film Office regarding the number of days filmed in an area, the income generated, and the nature of the filming. This information will be collated by the Kent Film office and used to demonstrate the economic benefits of filming in Kent enabling partners to apply for various funding streams. It will also support the positive profiling of Kent as a film friendly county, both to its citizens and to the industry.
Review and development of this guide:-
The Kent Film Office, together with the Kent Filming Partners will keep this guide under review and amend it as appropriate over time, seeking the advice from location managers, producers and production co-ordinators from the industry.
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