Questions & Answers

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 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.

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 and direct contact details, please visit the Who's Who section of this site.

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, free of charge.

From time to time Film London offers a six-month internship for enthusiastic new entrants to the moving image industry. Successful applicants are based at our offices in Shoreditch, working with and supporting various departments in Film London. Any future internships will be advertised in the vacancies section of our site.

Film London also offers placements to students in full or part-time education, as long as the placement is a requirement of their course. For further details please email jobs@filmlondon.org.uk.

You can search online for locations across London's 33 boroughs using our Locations Directory, where you can view pictures and written descriptions of the locations, as well as create personal folios. Please note that for privately owned locations you will need to call the office to get the relevant contact details.

Alternatively, our locations library is open Monday to Friday, 9am - 6pm. You do not need to make an appointment, however it is 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 who can  take telephone enquiries and assist with. For a personal consultation it is recommended to book an appointment - the direct line for Locations is 020 7613 7683.

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 in the first instance.

Although most location owners are open to negotiation, there is often a fee attached to filming in locations such as mansions. Alternatively, you may want to think of ways to help the location, for example, by offering free advertising of the site in the credits. If neither option is viable, you may need to rethink the setting for your scene - it’s good to aim high, but you should always be realistic and plan your work around your means.

If this is the first time you are planning a shoot in London or you would like to learn more about the process, please read these FAQs carefully and check our Guide to Filming. If you still have doubts, you can contact our Locations department for advice on 020 7613 7683.

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. You can research borough boundaries using www.streetmap.co.uk and most A-Zs.

This does depend on exactly where you will be filming. As a general rule, it is advisable 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 our Small Crews section and 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 Notification Form. Please call the locations team on 020 7613 7683 or email filming@filmlondon.org.uk for further details.

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 The Knowledge (www.theknowledgeonline.com), KFTV (www.kftv.com) or Talent Circle (www.talentcircle.co.uk).

If you require 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 which 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 visit our website regularly.

The BFS will normally inform you if this is necessary on application to film, although it is generally recommended to inform the Met Police of all exterior location filming. Contacting the police is mandatory if you are filming on the street and using firearms, marked police cars and/or actors dressed in full uniform. Police supervision may also be required if stunts are taking place or ‘traffic management’ is being implemented.

We provide useful lists for your reference - outlining a selection of production office spaces and unit bases (split between public and private for your convenience). We also have unit bases and production offices registered on our Directory, although it is not a definitive guide to all that are available. 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.

We hold crew and facilities databases in addition to our locations database and library. You can register online to use our Directory free of charge. Alternatively, you can source similar details from the online UK production guides, such as: The Knowledge ( www.theknowledgeonline.com), KFTV (www.kftv.com) or Talent Circle (www.talentcircle.co.uk). Please contact us if you have difficulties with a specific requirement and we will try to help you with your request.

The UK’s Media and Entertainment Union, BECTU, have rate cards on their website (www.bectu.co.uk) that can be used as an approximate guideline. 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 BECTU in order to work.

We have a facilities database with contact details for London hotels and serviced accommodation - it is possible to access this information through our online Directory.

We do not hold any moving image footage, publicity material from film sets or historical photographs in our library. To source footage, it is recommended you approach Focal International (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 and freelancers who may be able to assist you. Otherwise, you could utilise the resources available through London's Screen Archives - a regional network supporting organisations in London that hold collections of moving image material.

There is a Location Registration Form that can be printed from this site 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: www.afci.org. Simply click on the relevant section of the world map to source contact details.

The fee will depend on the type of property that you have, the kind of filming that is being proposed, the facilities the production wishes to utilise, the size of crew and the length of time planned for the filming.

If you would like to discuss this further then please feel free to call the office (020 7613 7683) and speak to our Locations & Filming Manager. It is only possible for us to give you an approximate costing as the fee will ultimately be agreed between yourself as the location owner and the production company.

There is normally a Location Manager on the shoot who should be able to answer any queries you have. If a Location Manager is not available to speak to, then it is recommended that you contact the Film Officer in your borough.

Film London is committed to nurturing new talent in the capital and we run several production schemes every year. To be up-to-date with news about these schemes, including key dates and deadlines, it is recommended that you visit our website regularly and/or sign up to our newsletter. 

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. PULSE is an annual scheme.

Borough Production Funding Schemes - Film London supports and works in partnership with London Boroughs to fund short films by local talent. The best of each year’s production is showcased at the Best of Borough Film Awards (BoBs). 

Microwave: Micro-budget Feature Film Fund -  this award-winning scheme funds micro-budget feature film projects in the capital in partnership with BBC television.

FLAMIN Productions  - part of Film London Artists' Moving Image Network (FLAMIN), FLAMIN Productions provides production finance for London-based artists working with film, as well as a professional development programme and bespoke mentoring. Register for FLAMIN’s newsletter to keep up-to-date with this and other FLAMIN schemes.

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.

Film London offers three funds in support of screen activity in the capital - the Cultural Film Exhibition Fund, the Outer Boroughs Pilot Fund and the Education 'Hubs' Fund. We also have a Digital Film Archive Fund for projects which encourage public engagement with archive and can demonstrate the public value of film archive material; this may offer funding to film festivals, venues or educational organisations for specific work.

Film London’s Film-makers’ Festival Fund (FFF) aims to support the development of film-makers and moving image artists’ careers by providing travel grants for attendance at a small number of overseas festivals where their short films have been selected for competition.

We also provide a contribution of up to £500 towards the cost of striking a first film print or production of a digital master where required by a festival for screening: e.g. digital duping / mastering for USA festivals NTSC / subtitling.
 

Film London is part of the steering group of London’s Screen Archives, an umbrella organisation which works to preserve, care for, and promote London’s rich screen heritage. For information on this organisation’s latest projects, please email screenheritage@filmlondon.org.uk. Film London also has a Digital Film Archive Fund to support innovative projects working with archive material.

A great place to start is to identify what role it is you wish to play in the industry and find out more information on the reality of the job and what it entails.

Using the Film London online Directory you can search for a range of industry facilities from casting agencies to post-production houses in and around London, as well as join our crew database free of charge. There are also several online production guides you can refer to, such as The Knowledge (www.theknowledgeonline.com), KFTV (www.kftv.com) or Kays (www.kays.co.uk),

Skillset, The Sector Skills Council for the Creative Media, produce an online directory of job profiles which you could consult. Skillset also provides a careers advice service and its Trainee Network, which matches film companies with relevant talented trainees throughout the UK.

Websites such as Mandy (www.mandy.com), Shooting People (www.shootingpeople.org), Talent Circle (www.talentcircle.co.uk), along with Broadcast (www.broadcastfreelancer.com) and ProductionBase (www.productionbase.co.uk) host job boards which often list details of entry level industry vacancies, including internships.

No qualification is mandatory or will guarantee you a place within the industry. Qualifications that may assist you in obtaining a job are dependent on the vocation you choose. For example, undertaking a course in sound editing if you wish to work within audio post-production may help you obtain a job within a post-production house. Film London is not a training provider and we cannot offer any training to individuals, however there are many organisations that do offer practical training, such as the Moving Image Training Alliance (MITA).

Unfortunately, we cannot make any recommendations for courses, however the British Film Institute hosts an online courses directory outlining the details of over 5,000 media and film courses in the UK.

For short, part time or evening classes Hot Courses and Floodlight have a comprehensive list of courses available in London and the surrounding areas.

Unfortunately, Film London cannot provide funding of grants to enable film-makers to attend professional training courses. Skillset, The Sector Skills Council for the Creative Media, offer a film skills fund of up to £800 for freelance trainees and £500 for those in full time employment. Screen Bursaries offer Training Grants to attend courses in film and TV, animation, or interactive media industries and Qualifications Bursaries to take film/TV specific qualifications.

Another option is to apply for a Government career development loan. These can cover course fees, course costs (e.g. books, filming equipment) or living costs and range from £300 - £8,000. They are similar to a student loan and must be paid back when you have completed your qualification.

UK students who have worked in the industry for at least two years may qualify for a grant towards living expenses from the Cinema and Television Benevolent Fund (CTBF). Students with relevant experience who have been offered a place on a course should apply directly to the CTBF.

Alternatively, take a trip to your local reference library and search for companies that provide course bursaries and scholarships. Ask the librarian for more details on where to look.

The Media and Entertainment Trade Union in the UK, BECTU, has rate cards on its website (www.bectu.org.uk). However, this is just a guideline as pay rates will vary based on the nature and budget of the project.