We welcome film-makers to our city and district. You will find a wide range of historic locations and beautiful countryside settings on offer. We have experience assisting with filming projects, and in the past we have provided locations for ITV News, Channel 4 and the BBC, as well as independent film and television companies. We also support student film makers and not for profit organisations.
If you wish to make arrangements to film in the District please contact us via email: amanda wilkinson@stalbans.gov.uk or ruth.boyer@stalbans.gov.uk or by telephone: 01727 819316.
We can give advice and information and inform relevant departments and external partners. We can ensure you have the relevant public liability insurance details where necessary; and see that any special licences and permission from property owners, including the District Council, are obtained. A location charge may apply as well as an administration fee for granting the licence.
Our Property and Asset Management team will liaise with the parking team should a film crew require parking bays to be reserved for a film crew's vehicles, either on street or in Council-owned car parks.
Confirmation of filming proposal.
Once we have discussed your filming proposal, we will ask you to confirm the details i.e. date/s, times, location/s, main contact name and mobile number on the day/s of filming (in case of queries), the nature and content of the film, what it will be used for etc in an email to us.
If it is likely to have an impact on local shops or residents, we will ask you to send a letter to all people in the immediate vicinity of the filming location to inform them of your intentions and giving them your contact details. We will ask you to send us a copy of this letter.
Highways
If you wish to film on the public roads or on pavements in Hertfordshire, you must get permission from the highways department at Hertfordshire County Council. They can also advise you if there are roadworks planned in the vicinity where the filming is likely to take place. Their contact details are NM.Mid@hertfordshire.gov.uk or telephone: 0300 1234 047.
Other issues to consider:
We have a vibrant market every Wednesday and Saturday in the city centre, and a farmers' market on the second Sunday of every month. This may be of interest if you want shots of this in your film, but it may also affect parking, the number of people around St Peter’s Street and the views of the shops etc.
Filming with animals, birds etc.
If anyone is filming with animals or birds, we can inform and consult the Council's Animal Warden. For example when a film crew filmed at the duck pond in Verulamium Park, they brought their own ducks with them. In this instance, in case anyone reported that someone was removing ducks from the park, we alerted the Park Rangers and the Animal Warden so that they could be there when filming took place, to deal with any queries from onlookers.
Police
To advise the police of filming in the public area, the film-maker should call the Force Communications Room on 101 or email FCREnquiries@herts.pnn.police.uk
If the filming is taking place in the city centre we can also send a copy of your confirmation email to the CCTV officers, so they are aware in advance that filming will be taking place.
Film Link
If you are looking for a place to film, or need assistance in organising a shoot, you could contact Film Link.
Film Link is an introductory and film-facilitation agency that promotes locations, crew and facilities companies registered on their database to film-makers.
Owned by Exemplas, part of the University of Hertfordshire group of companies, Film Link is supported by Hertfordshire County Council, Elstree Studios, Warner Bros. Studios, Leavesden and local authorities in Hertfordshire - all of which are especially film-friendly.
To contact Film Link or find out more visit their website: www.film-link.co.uk/contact-us.aspx or send an email: locations@film-link.co.uk or telephone: 0845 641 9892.
Images courtesy of ©Warner Bros. Entertainment. With thanks to the Stanley Kubrick Estate and University of the Arts London
The district was home to Stanley Kubrick who is probably the region’s most distinguished film maker. Based near St Albans for much of his working life, Kubrick made 12 feature films which earned him a reputation as one of the leading film directors of his generation. Follow this link for more information: The Kubrick family shares treasures for the first time - April 2010
Finally we wish you luck and success with your filming and hope to welcome you back again to our district.
Date of last review: 09 April 2013