Filming Permission Advice Needed

[purplemonkey369]

Hi, guys!

We are very new to this filming business and we wonder how easy it is to get permission to film in places like, let's say, school or commercial building interiors and all that?

Will it be easy for a new company to get to talk to the marketing communication deparments of, let's say the various local polytechnics and ITEs, and see whether they would consider granting permission?

Any good words of advice, or maybe a list of where you guys have obtained filming permissions before?

Thanks!

 

[jasonjoseph]

difficult. commercial properties and school are tough. you're more likely to get permission from small businesses. what are u intending to shoot anyway?

 

[tengo]

Very often, the property owners may want to see your script as well. Usually these are the bigger organisations which have a corporate comms department. They want to make sure you don't make "socially unacceptable" or controversial films in their compound.

Do seek help from MDA. They have someone who is in charge of helping production companies with locations.

There are also places in Singapore that are identified by MDA for filming purposes. Usually abandoned buildings, such as old schools, govt buildings, etc. Red dot traffic was previously such a location until it became the commercial building you see today.

As for MRT, SBS, airport, they all have a filming permit available for an amount. Check with their corporate communications or estate depts.

 

[purplemonkey369]

Very often, the property owners may want to see your script as well. Usually these are the bigger organisations which have a corporate comms department. They want to make sure you don't make "socially unacceptable" or controversial films in their compound.

Do seek help from MDA. They have someone who is in charge of helping production companies with locations.

There are also places in Singapore that are identified by MDA for filming purposes. Usually abandoned buildings, such as old schools, govt buildings, etc. Red dot traffic was previously such a location until it became the commercial building you see today.

As for MRT, SBS, airport, they all have a filming permit available for an amount. Check with their corporate communications or estate depts.

Wow, thanks bro for the treasure trove of information!

There are also places in Singapore that are identified by MDA for filming purposes.

Where can I find this list? On MDA's website? I shall Google it.

Yes, we have written to a few polytechnics and a few have replied that they will consider while a few have outrightly rejected. :cry:

Do share more if you happen to know.

We are intending to find a nice location to shoot an MTV for a local band.

Thanks again!

 

[purplemonkey369]

difficult. commercial properties and school are tough. you're more likely to get permission from small businesses. what are u intending to shoot anyway?

Yes, it's a bit difficult I realize but I acknowledge that these public institutions have a professional corporate image to upkeep, so they might be concerned if they are put in a so-called bad light.

We have been engaged to shoot an MTV for a local band, with a simplistic storyline that involves around youths.

 

[iunspoken]

i think with the proper proposal put forth, there's always no harm asking... if you wanna shoot in polytechnics, ITEs and unis, it'll be better if you knew some students there... i never had issues with Ngee Ann Poly.. but then i was from there so yeah...

 

[Deunamist]

all this 'bad light' and 'image' issues are just bull ****. you see Godzilla destroying the Tokyo Tower every other day or a building being blown into pieces in almost every stereotypical American or Hong Kong action film. it's things like these which prevent us from actually having a respectable and commercially viable local film industry.

i was turned away from a number of locations for wanting to shoot a crime drama about two years ago. i gave up. ;(