Filming at an industrial or controlled-access site

Treat the site operator as the person who sets the rules, and agree three things with them before the day: how the crew gets in, what may be filmed, and what must stay off camera. Everything else in the plan follows from those answers.

Why a controlled-access site is different

At a hotel or hall, the main question is where the camera can stand. At an industrial site, the questions come before that: who may enter, what they must wear, which areas are off limits and what the company is not willing to show.

A site visit or a short call with the site contact early on saves a lot of trouble on the day.

Getting the crew in

Ask the site contact:

1. Access: do visitors need to be named in advance, and by when?
2. Identification: what documents or passes are needed at the gate?
3. Induction: is a safety briefing required, who attends, and how long does it take?
4. Protective gear: what must be worn, and who provides it?
5. Vehicles and equipment: where can the crew park, and are cases checked at the gate?

Also ask for the name and number of a security contact on the day, so the crew knows who to ask if a route or area changes.

Induction takes time. For example, if a briefing is needed before anyone can enter, the schedule should include it before setup starts.

Agreeing what may be filmed

Write the list down, and share it with the crew. Our venue filming questions checklist gives you a starting list of venue questions to build on.

Confidential areas and what the footage may reveal

Footage can show more than you expect: a screen in the background, a label on a box, a visitor’s badge. Decide in advance who checks the footage before it is used outside the company, and how the crew should deal with sensitive areas, for example by turning cameras off or framing around them.

Raw footage needs the same care as the final film. Agree who may hold it, who may receive it and how long it is kept. Our guide to permissions, privacy and responsible publication covers the wider questions.

Safety rules and limits

The site’s safety rules come first. They can limit high or close shots, restrict walking routes and decide when the crew can move. We follow the rules, and we tell you before the day how they may change what the film can show.

If the site cannot say yes to a particular request, we plan another way to tell the story, such as filming the briefing room, the entrance and the people, rather than the machinery.

What we confirm for your event

• What we need from the site contact, and by when.
• How many crew members enter, and how they attend the induction.
• How areas that cannot be filmed are handled.
• Who sees the raw footage, and how it is stored and handed over.
• How the plan adjusts if the site changes its rules on the day.

For event coverage at company sites, see our corporate event videography page. Our guide on what to ask a venue before booking covers the usual venue questions.

Where we can help

If your event is at a controlled-access site, send us the date and the site details. We confirm what is possible and note what the site operator needs to approve.