Film Locations Glossary
Signature survey
What is a signature survey?
Also called consent survey, or petition.
A signature survey is the canvass of residents and businesses whose consent a permitting authority requires before issuing a permit, most often for night work, road closures, or repeat filming.
Thresholds are usually expressed as a percentage of affected addresses, so a handful of refusals can block a location. Because surveys take days and cannot be rushed, they set the earliest possible date for the shoot.
Example
A night closure needs signed consent from 70 percent of 30 affected addresses. Canvassing takes four days, two residents are never home, and three refuse, which puts the shoot day a week later than the schedule assumed.
Figures are illustrative, chosen to show the mechanics rather than to quote market rates.
Where you'll see it
Required by the permitting authority for night work, closures, or repeat filming.
Common mistake
Starting the survey once the schedule is fixed. It takes days, some residents are never home, and the threshold is what sets the earliest possible shoot date.
Related questions
- What happens if the signature threshold is not met?
- The permit is withheld until enough objections are resolved, usually by adjusting hours, moving generators, or guaranteeing driveway and parking access.
- What percentage of neighbors have to agree?
- It varies by jurisdiction and is usually expressed as a proportion of affected addresses, which means a small number of refusals can block a location.