What a commission actually does for a production
Call a state or regional film office before you scout and you'll usually get some mix of the following:
| Service | What it looks like |
|---|---|
| Location library | Searchable photos of properties whose owners have agreed to be contacted for filming |
| Scouting help | Staff suggestions and sometimes a staff member driving you around |
| Permit guidance | Which city, county, park, or state agency issues permits for each address |
| Directories | Local crew, vendors, stages, and support services |
| Liaison | Introductions to police, fire, parks, transit, and property owners |
| Incentives | Explaining and often administering the state's tax credit or rebate |
| Community relations | Help when neighbors or local officials have concerns |
A phone call to the office might start: "We're a $1.2 million indie, 18 days, need a small-town diner, a farmhouse, and a two-lane highway within an hour of a crew base. What do you have, and which counties handle permits?"
How they differ
Commissions come in every size. National offices market a country and run national incentives. State offices, such as the one that administers Georgia's incentive, balance marketing with incentive paperwork. City offices handle permits directly in some places. New York City's Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment issues film permits, while in greater Los Angeles the permit process runs through FilmLA, a nonprofit that also handles neighborhood notification. Many regional offices are small, sometimes one or two people.
The Association of Film Commissioners International is the professional network for these offices, with members around the world.
Getting the most from one
Call early, when you're choosing between regions. Offices can say which towns welcome filming and which have had bad experiences, which a location database won't tell you. Be specific about dates, size, and needs. And if you're counting on an incentive, confirm the application timing before you commit to the state, since many programs require applying before principal photography.
Where it connects
The film office points you to the right film permit, feeds your location scout with options, and runs the incentive you might be budgeting around; how film tax credits work explains the money side. City-specific steps are in the New York City and Los Angeles permit guides.