©Blithe Spirit Productions, Ltd 2019
Residents and businesses
The Buckinghamshire Film Office is here to support not just the Film Industry but the communities film crews are operating in. Here you can find some frequently asked questions
If you have a questions, please do not hesitate to contact us
Frequently Asked Questions
The Creative Industries are a specialism within the Buckinghamshire economy. According to the BFI in 2020, 57% of the UK Film and Television production workforce were from London and the Southeast. The industry is worth approx. £12bn per year and creates around 180,000 jobs annually.
The economic benefits of location filming come in the form of jobs created for crew but also the products and services which accompany a film production such as accommodation, catering, transport and equipment hire which is sourced locally.
From the 1st December 2022, Buckinghamshire is operating a permit system for any production filming on any council owned/managed land or property. As part of this process, we require productions to carry out a residents and business consultation before they receive a permit.
If you have not been notified and suspect that the production is operating without a permit/licence, you can either ask to see a copy of their permit/licence from the council or contact the Film Office to confirm whether they have the necessary permissions. If a production is found to be operating on council managed/owned land or property without a permit, they will be removed from site.
While the Buckinghamshire Film Office may have no direct involvement with the filming you can contact the Film Officer who will contact the production provided, that they have a contact. If possible, you should contact the property owner directly.
The Buckinghamshire Film Office is unable to disclose information about productions who are currently filming due to the confidential nature of the business. We will wherever possible promote productions on their release on our social media channels or news section.
We understand that having a film crew in the area can be disruptive, the Buckinghamshire Film Office has developed a Code of Practice with the aim of improving consultation and setting out guidelines for productions to adhere to when operating in the county. We hope that this will improve your future experiences. If you have concerns that you don’t think are addressed by our Code of Practice, please contact the Film Office.
If you want to find out more about the various roles available in production companies check out ScreenSkills which as an fantastic page listing the jobs available in each department of a production and details their responsibilities and potential entry routes.
There are numerous courses available in the county from short courses to MA’s that will give you the skills to the work in the Creative Industries:
- Level 3 Film and TV
- Level 3 Backstage theatre
- Level 4 Professional Diploma in Film Production, Assistant Directing and Locations
- Level 4 Professional Diploma in Art and Design Props
- Level 4 Professional Diploma in Make Up, Prosthetics and Costume
Buckinghamshire New University at Pinewood
- 12 undergraduate courses
- 5 postgraduate courses
National Film & Television School (Beaconsfield)
- 19, 2-year, full time Masters staring in January based in Beaconsfield
- 9, 12 to 15 months Diplomas based in Beaconsfield
- 30 industry-renowned short courses each year
Other resources:
You can also register as new entrant on the Filming in England Crew database
If the production company want to hire your property, you will then need to negotiate terms with regards to their use, proposed alterations, and any fees.
Production companies will often have a standard filming agreement for you to sign, ensure you read this and happy that your property and rights as owners are fully protected. If you are uncomfortable with any terms of the agreement, you can request amendments.
Key Questions to ask:
− Main Point of Contact
− Number of Cast/Crew
− Dates for Prep, shoot and reinstatement?
− What are their intentions? What changes are they making, and will these be reinstated?
− What areas of the property are they using?
− Request a copy of their Public Liability Insurance
− Have they read the Buckinghamshire Film Office Code of Practice?
− Have they logged the project with Buckinghamshire Film Office?
We always recommend that you speak with you neighbours to make them aware of the plans, however, if the production need specific permissions from the Buckinghamshire Film Office for example street permits, traffic management, parking of vechiles outside of private property, they will be asked to carry out a consultation in line with our Code of Practice
Whilst the Buckinghamshire Film Office does not offer direct advice regarding fees and contracts, we are happy to provide ad-hoc support where there are specific concerns