The FiLM Office recognises the cultural and economic importance of the Film Industry to this country and does all it can to make location filming easier. However pressure on the London streets from all who live, work and travel through has never been greater so professional behaviour and a commitment to Best Industry Practice is essential.
Film London with all London Borough Film Offices established a protocol for filming in London which includes your obligations under the law. What follows is a digest of what those obligations amount to in operation terms. These being known they can be taken into account at an early stage of planning and built into the schedule rather than added on. And since they are best practice currently applied by the Industry to minimise the effects of a film unit on location and to avoid problems arising, they will not inhibit film-making in any way.
Broadly speaking, everyone has the freedom to be on the public highway or footway provided :
they do not make a nuisance of themselves
obstruct others from going about their business
cause a disturbance
or cause a hazard
But you should always consult with the local Film Office as soon as you know that you want to shoot. We can:
Advise you of other activities and events so that your shooting is not jeopardised by them
Co-ordinate with other shoots in the area so there is no clash between you
Save you money by and time by advising you of local parking and other facilities
Help you avoid wasting effort on things that are untenable (though most of the time we will be helping you find a credible way of getting things done)
By ensuring in good time that your proposals meet the required standards and circulating that information you are not subject to last minute hitches.
