Permits in Toronto

L

Lynos

Well-known member
I have a couple of scenes I want to shoot at High Park. These are dialogue scenes, no FX whatsoever. I have a very small crew (5-6 people), and we use a canon GL2, tripod, microphone with a boom pole and maybe some reflectors. Each scene won't take more than 2-3 hours to shoot.

I don't want to be anxious all the time of being stopped in the middle of the shoot and driven out. We are not shooting in crowded or very public areas, but you never know.

So should I get a permit? Or let me rephrase that: do I need a permit? A lot of the stuff in the Film Office forms isn't applicable to me. I don't have any production vehicles. Heck, I hardly have a production company. It feels a little like overkill. But again, I want to shoot with no added worries.

I'm hesitant of beginning that process because then I may be caught up in red tape and won't be able to shoot on the dates I want. For example - the permits themselves are free, but will they make me buy insurance?

If anyone has any experience or knowledge in the matter it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
 
When I was in film school, saying you were in film school usually worked if you got hassled. Being able to say you're only going to be another few minutes also helps.

If you're going to do it without a permit, you can try those two lines to buy you some time. A remote area of the park probably won't generate much interest from anyone in particular,anyway.

Just a heads up....the TTC will ask to see a permit if you try and do any kind of shooting that doesn't appear to be of the tourist variety on any of their property, so if you ever want to shoot in their turf, do it discreetly.
 
On the application form there's an actual slot you're supposed to mark if you're making a student film. To me, that means that at least formally they don't consider a "student film" an excuse for shooting guerilla style...
 
Right, they don't.

But if a Parks and Rec guy asks...and I know a few of these guys...it will probably buy you some time to finish some shots. They won't be out sorts over a few students doing an unobtursive shoot.

If you're running a bunch of cables, using a bunch of stands, lights, apple boxes, sandbags...running a genny...then they might insist on paperwork.

If you do have the misfortune of stumbling across a film office person who happens to be wandering in the middle of High Park on the same day you are shooting, well then it just isn't your day.
 
Thanks.

Well, if all I have to do is fill out this form, fax it, and wait for the permit, then i'll do it. But if it's not that simple, and it gets bogged down with stuff... Just for the record, I really would've loved to have a permit just so I don't have to worry about it.
I wonder how other indie filmmakers in this town approach this. Do the majority of them get permits? Especially for shorts? Anyone hear ever shot at High Park?
 
Yes, we did in High Park, for This Is Nonsense in the "Shield Your Dong" sequence. Ditto with in front of the CN Tower, by Sam the Record Man (logo not in shot), on Yonge St as well for the same sequence. No permits whatsoever, in broad daylight with DVX100, slate, and a few reflectors.

We also got away with shooting in front of Queen's Park, hassling people asking stupid questions for the "Seek and Annoy" segment, as well. Ditto when we shot the rest of the show in Ottawa.

Nobody cared.

In fact, a few passersby helped gather some of our cue cards when they blew away!
 
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