Film Locations Glossary
Curfew
What is a curfew?
A curfew is the time by which filming activity at a location has to stop, set by the permit, the location agreement, or local noise law.
It is a hard stop rather than a guideline: running past it risks the permit, the relationship, and in some jurisdictions a fine. Because the last shot of a night exterior always feels achievable, curfew is where schedules and optimism collide.
Example
The permit ends activity at 11pm. At 10:40 the director wants one more take that needs a relight. The honest answer is that the relight takes fifteen minutes and the take takes four, so the answer is no.
Figures are illustrative, chosen to show the mechanics rather than to quote market rates.
Where you'll see it
Written into the film permit and the location agreement, enforced by the monitor on site.
Common mistake
Planning the last setup of the night to finish exactly at curfew. Relights, resets, and one more take are what push it, and running past it risks the permit rather than a warning.
Related questions
- What sets the curfew at a film location?
- The permit conditions, the location agreement, or local noise law, whichever stops activity earliest. It is a hard stop, not a target.
- What happens if a production runs past curfew?
- It risks the permit for the remaining days, the relationship with the neighborhood, and in some jurisdictions a fine or an immediate shutdown.