KENT FILM PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT
Foreword
Kent has long recognised the economic benefits of filming. The increase in employment, tourism and the direct spend into the local economy make a strong case for supporting the development of Kent as a film location. By working together we can make Kent a truly film friendly county ensuring that we maximise the benefits for the citizens of Kent.
Securing filming for the county can only be achieved through the cohesive work of the County and District Councils, Kent Police and private stakeholders. It is only by working together as a whole that we become truly competitive with the rest of the UK, and in particular London.
It is with this in mind that the Kent Film Office has formed the Kent Filming Partnership to promote Kent as a Film Friendly County to the film and television industry. It is designed to enable partners to fulfil their statutory duties whilst communicating fully with production companies wishing to film in Kent, ensuring that any filming taking place is both safe and beneficial to the citizens of our county, as well as fulfilling the industries’ brief.
The Code of Practice, the Filming Guidelines and the Best Practice Guide are intended as the voice of the entire Partnership. On the one hand, to ensure that production companies conduct themselves appropriately and safely within current legislation, and on the other hand, to ensure a cohesive, first class service to any film and television company considering Kent as a location. They were designed at the behest of borough and district councils, as well as private stakeholders, who wished to maximise economic impact, while at the same time minimising disruption and thus enhance Kent’s offering as a friendly and efficient place to film.
I would like to extend my thanks to local district and borough councils, KCC Highways, Kent Police and the Kent County Council legal team for their help in the development of this Partnership Agreement, which is based on research kindly provided by Screen South and Film London. Together we can ensure that Kent becomes a strong creative hub enticing production companies to come and film here again and again.
Peter Gilroy – Chief Executive Kent County Council [2005-2010]
FILMING PARTNERSHIP
The Kent Filming Partnership recognises the importance of attracting filming to the local economy and understands the significant impacts filming can bring to the county through local employment, training opportunities, tourism and direct location spend.
The Kent Filming Partnership recognises that, by ensuring that Kent citizens benefit from any filming in their area and that disruption during filming is kept to a minimum, it fulfils its duty of care to local residents.
It is the purpose of the Kent Filming Partnership to develop Kent as a film friendly county and showcase this to the creative industries. It is the responsibility of the partners to proactively take positive action to promote, support and enable film-making to be attracted to and take place in Kent.
The partners recognise the importance of this document alongside the Code of Practice, the A-Z Guidelines of Filming and the Best Practice Guide and endeavour to work together to make Kent a film-friendly region.
If you would like to sign up to the Kent Filming Partnership please contact The Kent Film Office on 01622 696822 or email .
The Partnership Pledge
· The Kent Film Office will strive to ensure that the partnership is able to work together as an effective body and that the lines of communication between all partners remain open.
· The creative industries agree to abide by the A-Z Filming Guidelines and the Kent Filming Partnership document, in addition to the legal requirements imposed on filming.
· The local public and private bodies of Kent, including local authorities and police, pledge to make Kent a film friendly region by working within the guidelines of the Kent Filming Partnership and the Best Practice Guide.
The Kent Filming Partnership as a whole agrees to:
· work to the values as outlined in this document, the Code of Practice, The A–Z Filming Guidelines and the Best Practice Guide.
· act in a professional, honest and open manner in all our communications.
· be flexible in our approach to the needs of others.
· be accountable for our own actions.
· ensure that we instil trust in one another so that this is reflected in our dealings.
Key Stakeholder Actions 2008-2012
The Kent Filming Partnership will develop an understanding of each other’s roles with regards to location filming and continually strive to improve the relationships between the signatories.
The Kent Film Office aims to:
· be the main point of contact for all filming in Kent in order to minimise administration and deliver a timely, consistent, first class service to the creative industries
· ensure the county’s offer in terms of locations, crews and facilities receives maximum exposure
· collate data from all the partnership organisations and visiting production companies regarding filming activity and production spend in the county for the purposes of providing statistical information to funding agencies, and government reports, enhancing Kent’s standing in the film industry and encouraging support from the private sector
· actively promote the Kent offer to the industries to increase filming in county
· act as a go-between creative industries and private and public bodies in case of dispute
· seek permission from production companies to initiate and co-ordinate PR opportunities, including credits, arising from any significant filming in the county, particularly during the time of first release
The local public and private bodies of Kent acknowledge that working together within the partnership will ensure the maximum benefits to Kent in terms of attracting and managing filming. They will thus aid the Kent Filming Partnership by:
· fully committing to, actively encouraging and supporting the creative industries in Kent
· communicating effectively with the partners
· providing relevant data to the Kent Film Office
· maintaining confidentiality regarding filming in the region where appropriate
The creative industries recognise the significant impact that filming has upon an area for the duration of their stay and how this impacts on a variety of organisations both public and private. They will thus aid the Kent Filming Partnership by:
· communicating effectively with the partners
· providing relevant data to the Kent Film Office
· allowing the partnership to share in PR opportunities whenever possible
The Kent Film Office agrees to be the main point of contact regarding the distribution of information concerning the partnership. The Kent Film Office will therefore organise an annual meeting between all the Partnership organisations. The group will explore best practices and will primarily be an open forum. Matters arising from the main meeting will then be devolved into smaller task force meetings deliberating specialist subjects.
Additionally the Kent Film Office will produce an e-mail bulletin containing partnership matters as well as film production information.
The Kent Filming Partnership document will be reviewed in 2012, with the aid of the partnership organisations.
I /My Company agree to abide by the terms and conditions and recommendations contained in this document as partners in the Kent Film Partnership.
Name …………………………………………….
Company ……………………………………………….
Signature…………………………………………….. Date…………………………………
LOGO’S OF SIGNATORIES HERE
THE KENT FILM OFFICE was created to deliver a front line service to film-makers and film productions from around the world. Together with our partner agencies, we recognise the many business and tourism benefits filming bring to the county. We thus encourage any filming undertaken with care and responsibility and aim to make Kent a film friendly county.
Filming can have a major impact in terms of traffic flow, parking, noise pollution and profiling the local community. Local authorities have a duty in all the above areas. The guidelines set out below will help us to deliver a consistent film friendly service across Kent to any production company exercising due care, whilst at the same time leaving room for local authorities and other partners to decide on an individual basis what level of service they wish to provide.
Code of Practice
Although the Code of Practice itself is voluntary, it incorporates references to statutory obligations to which all those engaged in filming must adhere. Relevant statutory obligations for filming procedures are shown in each section.
The Code of Practice is designed to work alongside the A to Z Filming Guidelines, the Kent Film Partnership Agreement and Best Practice Guide; together they outline principles of best practice by which the signatories agree to be bound.
In signing this document the signatories agree to support their production team to enable them to work within the guidelines, to comply with all statutory obligations and to use methods that conform to best practice.
The Code of Practice should be signed before the first day of filming and submitted to the Kent Film Office, to ensure the full co-operation of Kent County Council and the relevant agencies.
Any queries regarding the Code of Practice or the filming guidelines should be addressed to: .
Liability for any filming* undertaken is the sole responsibility of the production company and its employees.
*Note: Whenever this document refers to film, the term includes all other visual media such as television, commercials, corporate & music videos, cable, satellite etc.
PERMISSIONS AND INFORMATION
No filming activity should take place until permissions have been granted by all the relevant parties. The production company must ensure that all those affected by filming have been consulted and informed of arrangements. Wherever possible, Notice of Intent to film should be given after initial location reconnoitres and at least one week before filming commences.
1. Kent Film Office and the relevant partner agencies (including police and local authority departments) must be consulted on all filming activity due to take place on public or private property within their area
2. Emergency Services must be notified of and consulted on all filming activity and access for emergency vehicles must always be maintained during location filming.
3. Proof of adequate public liability insurance and any other relevant insurance should be made available on demand to anyone affected by the location firming activities of the production company.
4. It is the responsibility of the production company to ensure that its employees and contractors comply with Health & Safety regulations when filming on location.
5. Film-makers’ activities should be limited to areas and times for which permission has been granted and must comply with the Highway Code unless permission has been granted by relevant authority.
6. Film-makers should ensure that location owners and adjacent property owners are kept fully informed of the intentions of the production company, whether they are used for filming or not and keep access to homes and businesses on location and adjacent properties clear at all times, unless otherwise negotiated with the individuals concerned.
7. Film-makers on location are visitors and should be sensitive to the community in which they are working. Members of the public should be treated with courtesy and consideration at all times. Noise should be kept to a minimum, especially during unsociable hours (normally 10 p.m. to 8 am). Crew and cast members should aim to dress appropriately at all times and in all weathers and should refrain from using offensive language.
8. It is the responsibility of the production company to clear the location area regularly during filming, to make good any damage or mess caused to the location and any adjacent property affected, and to ensure that all rubbish is cleared from the location on departure.
Reporting
Kent Film Office monitors the level of filming activity in Kent. We would like to request that the Production Company submit a Summary of Location Expenditure form, which will be sent to the Production Company on completion of filming.
These figures are used as an economic argument for the continuing services of the Kent Film Office to support future productions and to support development initiatives for the Film & TV industry in this area.
In certain circumstances Kent County Council, police, other emergency services or location owners may deem it necessary to impose additional stipulations on film-makers.
I/We agree to adhere to the codes of practice set out above.
PRODUCER (Please print name)
SIGNED
COMPANY
ADDRESS
TELEPHONE
DATE
A to Z Filming Guidelines
Definitions
'Production' refers to a Producer, Location Manager, Production Company or Production Manager or any authorised officer or employee of such a company or its agents.
'Highways Authority' defines the body responsible for managing and maintaining all aspects of the highway.
'Film Contact' denotes the person appointed by the any given organisation, agency, private company, charity, the Kent Film Office or local authority to manage the filming on their behalf.
For all relevant legislation available online, a link to the appropriate website is provided.
Animals
The Production agrees to follow the Health and Safety Executive guidance sheets on working with animals including dangerous animals.
Legislative references:
Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999
The Protection of Animals Act 1911 to 1964
The Performing Animals (Regulation) Act 1925
The Pet Animals Act 1951
The Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976
The Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981
HSE Entertainment sheet no 4: Working with Animals in Entertainment
HSE Approved Code of Practice [Zoos]
Cabling
The Production shall agree in advance with the Film Contact regarding the appropriate use of cables, the safe laying of agreed cabling and the suitability of attaching cables to street furniture, trees, historic properties and any other relevant items.
· All cables used for any purpose in the course of filming must be made safe as they are laid and not at some later time.
· Cables should not be laid in the gutter along roads or in the junction between a wall and the footway.
· Cables on steps should be taped down to avoid the risk of tripping.