Home Filming in London Guide to Filming Indian Productions

 

Indian Productions' Guide to London

Still of the cast of Jhoom Barabar Jhoom outside the Design Museum - photo courtesy of Yash Raj Films

London is a very popular location with the Indian film industry - over 40 Indian productions filmed in London in 2006. Film London is your first point of contact for filming in the capital. 

We provide unparalleled information on London's locations and production services, as well as practical advice and on-the-ground support to crews of all sizes. All our services are free. Find out more about Film London.

This guide is designed to help any crew from South Asia. Contact Film London by email to tell us about your production and what you want to do. We can help you at the very earliest stage of your planning to make your time in London as useful as possible. Please refer to the FAQ document below for further tips and advice.

You can potentially save time and money with our recommendations, so if you are thinking of bringing a production to London then please read this section thoroughly.

We look forward to welcoming you and your production to London.


DownloadIndian Productions' Guide to London FAQs (MS Word)
DownloadIndian Productions' Guide to London FAQs (PDF)


Select the menu items below for more information:

  • Contacting Film London
  • Borough Film Services and The Met Police
    Contacting local authorities - an explanation of street filming and gaining permissions in public spaces.
  • Code of Practice
    The Code of Practice outlines the rules and regulations for location filming in London, it contains important information that is relevant to all film crews.
  • Locations
    Film London can assist you with general location enquiries. Contact the Locations Department on 020 7613 7683 or email locations@filmlondon.org.uk.
  • Location Manager / Scout
    For all filming in the UK we strongly recommend you hire an experienced UK Location Manager / Scout - failure to do so may result in a visa not being granted.
  • Insurance
    You will need to ensure that public/general liability insurance (to include loss or damage to location facilities) is in place to cover the activities of your production whilst in the UK.
  • Health & Safety
    You will need to comply with all relevant rules and regulations.
  • Visas
    The British High Commission provides information about visas, including applications for film groups.
  • Companies/Freelancers with Indian Production Experience
    There are a number of facilities companies which offer a range of services to Indian productions and freelancers who have a number of Indian credits to their name.
  • Other Useful Information
    Additional information that can be provided by Film London and the UK Film Council.


Sequences from Bride & Prejudice were shot at locations such as the London Eye, a structure that is integral to the skyline of the capital

Still of Preity Zinta inside Southwark Cathedral in Jhoom Barabar Jhoom - photo courtesy of Yash Raj Films

Bride & Prejudice was shot in iconic central London locations such as Somerset House

 


Contacting Film London

If you are bringing a production to London then please tell us about your project and what you want to do. The services of Film London are free. We can assist with locations advice, pre-production meetings, crew and facilities hire and accommodation/travel discounts - amongst other services.

Email locations@filmlondon.org.uk with as much information as possible, including details such as:

Production title
Type of production (for example, feature/TV)
Production company
Production contact(s): names, telephone and mobile numbers, email addresses
Shoot dates in the UK
Locations required (and whether you already have a Location Manager)
Description of the action/scenes

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Borough Film Services and The Met Police

London is comprised of 33 London boroughs. Each borough is independent and has a separate contact for filming. This person is responsible for coordinating all shooting in their borough - on the street and in public spaces such as parks and leisure centres.

If you are using special/visual effects and/or will be representing The Metropolitan Police in any way then you may also need to contact them - usually the Borough Film Officer will advise you if this is necessary.

The Metropolitan Police Service Film Unit (MPSFU) will be able to offer film-makers in London a single point of contact for the Metropolitan Police. A team of officers, fully trained in filming issues and associated police procedure, will be on hand to offer advice in regards to filming requests requiring police assistance.

A full list of the borough contacts and police contacts can be found below:

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DownloadBorough Film Services / BFS List: Charges (MS Excel)
DownloadBorough Film Services / BFS List: Charges (PDF)
DownloadBorough Film Services / BFS List: Contacts (MS Excel)
DownloadBorough Film Services / BFS List: Contacts (PDF)
DownloadBorough Film Services / BFS List: Lead Times (MS Excel)
DownloadBorough Film Services / BFS List: Lead Times (PDF)
DownloadPolice List (MS Excel)
DownloadPolice List (PDF)


Code of Practice

The Code of Practice outlines the rules and regulations for location filming in London, it contains important information that is relevant to all film crews, including guidance on the application process. We strongly suggest you download this document and use it for reference whilst shooting.

This Code details the principles of best practice. It has been developed by film industry professionals in consultation with Borough Film Services and representatives of key organisations to help to promote filming in London and to ultimately make the capital a more film-friendly city for all.

Further information about the Code and signatories of this document can be found here, in the London Filming Partnership section.

You can search online for key issues related to the Code of Practice (such as Health & Safety guidelines), or download the full document below:

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DownloadCode of Practice (PDF)


Locations
Still from Salaam-E-Ishq directed by Nikhil Advani - a big budget Bollywood movie that partially shot in iconic London locations. Image courtesy of Eros International Ltd

Central London is famous for numerous iconic Landmark Locations. There are many signature buildings and areas which are instantly recognizable to an international audience. We have compiled a short list of the most iconic London locations. Outside of the city's historic centre there are other outstanding locations, many of which can double for other places around the world.

Our Locations Department can assist you with any location enquiry. We do not grant permission for filming or negotiate fees, however we can tell you who you need to contact for any location in London. During your time in London we strongly recommend you hire an experienced UK Location Manager / Scout. Contact the team with your general enquiries and to find out more about hiring a Location Manager / Scout on 020 7613 7683 or email locations@filmlondon.org.uk.

It is possible to search online for over 2,000 locations or to come in and use the library facilities - our offices are based in East London, we are open from Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm.

Please note: as well as contacting the owner or manager of private locations, you may also need to contact the relevant Borough Film Service. A Location Manager will be able to help with gaining these permissions.

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Location Manager / Scout

For all filming in the UK we strongly recommend you hire an experienced UK Location Manager / Scout - failure to do so may result in a visa not being granted or location permissions not being granted.

A Location Scout will offer specific knowledge of the UK and set up recces of possible locations.

A Location Manager will offer all the above plus deal with contracts, negotiate fees and stay with your crew throughout production.

Film London runs an availability service of Location Managers, Scouts and Unit Managers - we can send suitable CVs on request. Contact the Locations Department on 020 7613 7683 or email locations@filmlondon.org.uk with your location crew requests. We also have an online listing of Freelancers with Indian Production Experience.

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Insurance

You will need to ensure that public/general liability insurance (to include loss or damage to location facilities) is in place to cover the activities of your production whilst in the UK.

You will only be given permission to film at a location if you have public liability insurance. All productions, international and domestic, need this and will need to show it in order to receive permission to film.

This policy indemnifies the production company against claims made against them by third parties, whether in respect of bodily injury, death or property damage. The limit of indemnity selected is dependent upon the studio/location facilities being used for filming.

The policy can be extended to include contingent motor liability for vehicles hired with drivers, and employees' own vehicles.

As with employer's liability insurance, this policy should be maintained from the earliest stages of pre-production until the completion of all post-production activities.


Arranging Cover

There are three options:

  1. Arrange the required cover through an Insurance Broker based in India. You must ensure that the policy includes cover for filming activities and that the territorial limits of the policy include the area where filming in. In this case, the UK.

  2. Set up a company in the UK.

  3. Ensure that your Production Company employ the services of a UK based local facilities' company. If the Production does engage a service company, they must ensure that their interest is noted on the policy, in respect of the filming activities undertaken. This is a reasonable request, as there is a financial interest between both companies. 

More information about insurance for film can be found on the UK Film Council website.

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Health & Safety

Health & Safety is essential to an efficiently run shoot. There are various rules and regulations that apply to filming in the UK particularly when filming in the public domain. The majority of these are referred to in the Filming in London Code of Practice.

Please note: if you do not adhere to Health & Safety regulations this may invalidate your insurance policies. It is the producer's responsibility to ensure compliance with these regulations. Failure to do so could lead to your filming being stopped and/or criminal prosecution.

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Visas

The website for the British High Commission provides information about visas - they have pages dedicated to visitors from India.
 
They also have a full explanation about film groups applying for visas.

Alternatively please contact your nearest Visa Facilitation Service (VFS).

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Other Useful Information

The Filming in London section of this site holds additional information that may be helpful, so please browse through these pages.

The UK Film Council also provides valuable information to international crews. Visit their Filming in the UK section of their website for general notes, as well as specific information about tax relief and co-productions. 

Guidelines specific to Indian Producers can also be found on the UK Film Council website.

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