Film Locations Glossary
Monitor
What is a monitor?
Also called permit monitor, or film monitor.
A monitor is the official assigned by a permitting authority to attend a location and confirm the production is complying with its permit conditions.
Depending on the jurisdiction they may be a film office employee, a police officer, or a fire inspector, and they generally have authority to halt activity. Their time is billed to the production, so monitor requirements affect the location's cost as well as its feasibility.
Example
A city monitor attends a street closure for the full twelve hours, billed hourly with a minimum call. They check the posted notices, the pedestrian route, and the hold times, and they have authority to stop work if any of it slips.
Figures are illustrative, chosen to show the mechanics rather than to quote market rates.
Where you'll see it
Assigned by the permitting authority as a condition of the permit, billed to the production.
Common mistake
Treating the monitor as an observer. They check the notices, the pedestrian route, and the hold times, and they can stop work, so the day is run to the conditions rather than around them.
Related questions
- What does a permit monitor do?
- Attends the location on behalf of the permitting authority and confirms the production is complying with its permit conditions.
- Does the production pay for the monitor?
- Yes, usually at an hourly rate with a minimum call, which makes monitor requirements part of a location's cost as well as its feasibility.