Film-maker's Code of Practice - Cardiff Film Office

Any filming undertaken and any liability therefore, is the sole responsibility of the production company and its employees. Whenever this document refers to film, the term includes all other visual media such as television, commercials, corporate & music videos, cable, satellite, websites etc.

This code of practice is a voluntary agreement. The Cardiff Film Office asks all productions to agree to the code of practice, prior to filming.

The Cardiff Film Office will accept no liability for loss, financial or otherwise, alleged to have incurred as a result of these guidelines.

These guidelines are not exhaustive and maybe subject to change.

In certain circumstances Cardiff Council, Police, other emergency services or location owners may deem it necessary to impose additional stipulations on film-makers.

Permissions and information

No filming activity should take place until permissions have been granted by all the relevant parties.
The production company must ensure that all those affected by filming have been consulted and informed of arrangements.

1. Productions must ask the Cardiff Film Office for permission to film on any highways, land or building owned or managed by Cardiff Council, prior to the filming taking place.

2. Productions are requested to give the Cardiff Film Office notice of any filming that is taking place on private property within Cardiff.

3. Productions needing permission to film must provide the Cardiff Film Office with the following details:

the name of the production company, the type of production and a contact person and telephone number.
the scale of the production in terms of numbers of personnel and vehicles,
the removal, alteration and disguising of street furniture and carriageway markings,
the use of cranes, aircraft, cherry pickers, track, low-loaders, ‘A’ frames and other potentially hazardous equipment in a public place,
the parking of production vehicles on yellow lines, in meter bays or residents’ bays,
the use of special effects, rain or snow machines, wet downs and stunt work on public footways or carriageways,
productions which depict subjects of a controversial nature,
filming involving children or animals,
adequate public liability insurance and other relevant insurances,
a traffic management plan, where applicable,
if a drone is being used the please supply a CAA certificate, drone insurance and RAMS.

4. Local police must be informed of filming activity within their districts. The Cardiff Film Office will automatically pass on to the police information regarding the activities listed above. However special guidance should be sought with the following:

the staging of crimes, accidents or use of firearms,
the dressing of artistes in police uniforms. It is an offence to impersonate a police officer and cast should be asked to cover such uniforms in between takes.

5. Emergency Services must be notified when necessary of filming activity. Access for emergency vehicles must always be maintained during location filming. Special guidance should be sought with the following:

special effects, fires or explosions,
the impersonation of fire officers or use of pseudo fire tenders,
the impersonation of ambulance staff or use of pseudo ambulances.

6. Film-makers should ensure that location owners and adjacent property owners are:

kept fully informed of the intentions of the production company whether they are used for filming or not,
given a reasonable site rental fee in accordance with the budget of the film,
issued with an approved location contract which clearly states the terms agreed between themselves and the production company,
given details of any art department requirements including dressing and construction.

7. Proof of adequate public liability insurance and any other relevant insurance should be made available on demand to anyone affected by the location filming activities of the production company.

The Cardiff Film Office will require a copy of the company’s Public Liability Insurance document, for any filming done on any Council managed or owned building or space.

Health and safety

It is the responsibility of the production company to ensure that its employees and contractors are in compliance with current Health & Safety regulations when filming on location.

8. All locations must be assessed for risk and hazard. Where necessary, a Health & Safety professional should be consulted and a full Risk Assessment report should be compiled and circulated to all employees, contributors and contractors. Cardiff Film Office should also receive a copy.

9. A person qualified in first aid should always be present during filming.

10. Any traffic control deemed necessary should be undertaken by qualified personnel who are Chapter 8 approved.

11. Whilst on the public highway, all members of the production team must wear high visibility vests or jackets.

Respect for residents and members of the public

Film-makers on location are visitors and should be sensitive to the community in which they are working. Members of the Public should be treated with courtesy and consideration at all times.

12. Productions that the Cardiff Film Office believes will have an impact on the local community should give no less than seven days’ notice by letter to relevant residents and/or businesses. A copy of the letter needs to be sent to the Cardiff Film Office prior to the letter drop. Notice also needs to be given to any relevant resident or business associations. If the notice period is less than seven days a representative of the production company should contact, in person, any affected property owners.

13. Productions that require road closures and/or traffic control need to give additional notice periods, as described in road closure legislation and by Highways Services.

14. Noise should be kept to a minimum, especially during unsociable hours (normally 10 p.m. to 8 am). In most circumstances, silent or baffled generators should be used. The noise from walkie talkies should be minimised at night by using the relevant technology.

15. Crew members should keep access to homes and businesses clear at all times, unless otherwise negotiated with the individuals concerned.

16. Lighting and other equipment must not cause a hazard to the general public. Cables should be flown to a height of 2.6m above the footway and 5.2m above the carriageway or covered with matting when crossing pavements. Where appropriate warning cones and hazard tape should be used.

17. No danger should be caused by the dazzle of lights.

18. If filming activity blocks a footway, an alternative safe and supervised route for pedestrians must be provided. Dropped kerbs must also be available where necessary.

19. Alternative parking arrangements for residents should be provided in certain circumstances when requested by the Cardiff Film Office and Parking Services.

20. Attention should be paid to the additional needs of disabled community members to ensure adequate access and egress to homes and businesses are maintained.

Observing designated areas

Film-makers’ activities should be limited to areas and times for which permission has been granted.

21. Production vehicles should only be parked in the areas agreed to by Cardiff Council. Engines should be switched off on arrival. Cast and crew should not park in the immediate vicinity of a location unless spaces are provided. Crew vehicles should not be parked on pavements or kerbs.

22. Drinks and meals should be taken only in designated areas.

23. No smoking areas must be observed. Where smoking is allowed, cigarettes must be extinguished in the ashtrays provided by the company.

24. Crew members must not trespass on to neighbouring property or enter areas of a location which the owner has stipulated may not be used for filming.

Care of the location

Filmmakers are guests on a location and must treat both public and private property with the utmost respect.

25. Rubbish bins should be made available by the company and must be cleared regularly. It is the responsibility of the Production Company to ensure that all rubbish is cleared from the location immediately.

26. Production Companies working on location in Cardiff are requested to recycle rubbish wherever possible.

27. Protective materials or dust sheets should be provided where appropriate to cover furniture and flooring for interior filming.

28. Objects belonging to the location must not be moved or removed without the owners’ express permission.

29. All signs or property removed or disguised for filming purposes must be reinstated upon completion of filming. All signs posted to direct the Production Company to location must be removed.

30. The company must make good any damage caused by its activities immediately after filming and must notify all parties concerned.

31. Whenever necessary the Production Company must ensure that the location and its environs are protected by security staff.

32. The crew member responsible for the location should check it thoroughly before departure to ensure that the property has been restored to its original state and that any evidence of filming activity has been removed.