Film Locations Glossary
Good neighbor policy
What is a good neighbor policy?
A good neighbor policy is the written commitment a production makes to the community around a location: notification periods, quiet hours, parking behavior, litter, generator placement, and a named contact for complaints.
Some jurisdictions require one as a permit condition. Its practical value is that crew know the rules before they arrive, so compliance does not depend on the locations team catching every breach.
Example
The policy covers notification periods, quiet hours from 10pm, no crew parking on residential streets, no smoking in gardens, litter picked before wrap, and a named contact. It is circulated to every department before the first day.
Figures are illustrative, chosen to show the mechanics rather than to quote market rates.
Where you'll see it
Required as a permit condition in some jurisdictions, and worth having as standard everywhere else.
Common mistake
Writing the policy and never circulating it. Compliance depends on the crew knowing the rules before they arrive, not on the locations team catching every breach.
Related questions
- What goes in a good neighbor policy?
- Notification periods, quiet hours, parking behavior, litter, generator placement, smoking rules, and a named contact for complaints.
- Is a good neighbor policy required?
- Some jurisdictions require one as a permit condition. Elsewhere it is voluntary and still worth having, because it is what protects repeat access to a neighborhood.