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Guidelines

  1. Access: It is important that the university community have access to all active facilities. Permission to film on campus is contingent upon the film crew allowing for access to locations where filming is taking place.
  2. Script Approval: A complete copy of the final script or story board must be submitted for approval by a campus filming liaison. The Campus Filming office must approve the script prior to the signing of the contract. Any script changes or additions (including title change) must be brought to the attention of the filming liaison once approval has been granted. Scripts can be rejected on the basis of drug usage, excessive violence, nudity, racism/sexism or if deemed to be obscene, overly sexually explicit or in any way derogatory toward higher education, including anything that portrays students or faculty in a negative manner.
  3. Insurance: A $1M certificate must be provided with the university named as additional insured for the day(s) of the shoot. Filming at Galen Center requires a $2M certificate.
  4. Placement of Filming Equipment: Filming equipment (e.g., cameras, tracks, props, generators, and electrical cords) shall be set up in a manner that does not create safety hazards. Film crews must ensure that the placement of such equipment does not result in tripping hazards, fire hazards, blocked exits, or other safety concerns. In all cases, mats or other cable coverings must be used when cables are laid out across a walkway. You are required to place layout board in all non-carpeted areas so that all filming equipment, whether mobile or stationary, is not directly touching the flooring. Cones must be put around any production vehicles not in a marked parking space, including the generator(s). Prior approval must be given if using a Condor or other heavy crane on concrete or bricks. If using a Condor or other heavy crane on grass, plywood must be laid out under the tires when driving and when parked. All cranes must be coned off with caution tape around them.
  5. Signage: All directional signs (e.g., for crew/truck parking or directions to set) must be attached to stanchions and may not be hung on anything, including trees, poles, etc. The company may supply their own stanchions or can rent them from the university.
  6. Fire/Tent Permit: Under all circumstances, the production company is responsible for notifying the Los Angeles Fire Department’s Film Unit. If using a tent for any purpose, a copy of the tent permit must be posted within the tent or carried by the location manager and must be shown upon request.
  7. Modifications: You may not drill, nail, glue or alter any campus property in any way without permission from the USC Campus Filming Office. If this permission is granted, you understand that you must return property to its original state unless other arrangements have been made with the Campus Filming Office.
  8. Construction: Temporary construction shall be conducted in a fashion that shall neither damage university property nor in any way endanger faculty, staff, students, or visitors. The erection of building facades and other construction that could impede fire lanes or otherwise affect the safety of pedestrians or building occupants must be approved by USC Safety and Risk Management Services prior to construction. All construction, equipment set-up, and other activities associated with filming must be conducted safely and in accordance with OSHA and LAFD standards. As such, employees associated with the film project must utilize safety procedures that will ensure their safety as well as that of university employees, students, and visitors.
  9. Fire Protection Equipment: The use of fire hydrants and other fire protection equipment for purposes of filming must be coordinated with Safety and Risk Management Services and Facilities Operations and Maintenance in advance of the project.
    1. Caterers using charcoal grills must protect the space beneath the grill with layout board or similar ground protection.
  10. Refueling/Fuel Truck on Campus:
    • Fuel trucks need to be staged off campus until needed for refueling only.
    • The truck needs to be a fully and properly equipped refueling truck.
    • Generators MUST be shut down before refueling, absolutely no “hot pumping” is permitted on the university campus.
    • Both the Fire Safety Office and Department of Public Safety shall be contacted by the Transportation coordinator of the production prior to any refueling.
    • An exclusion zone with a perimeter of a minimum fifty (50) foot radius shall be established prior to any refueling operation.
    • Refueling will be a two person operation with one person pumping and the other with a fire extinguisher IN HAND and at the ready.
  11. Smoking: USC is a smoke-free environment. Smoking is therefore prohibited in all indoor and outdoor facilities on University-owned and leased property with no exception, including within vehicles parked on those properties. This includes all University-owned and leased housing, dining, hotel, retail, athletic and performance facilities and all teaching, research, clinical and office space. In addition to University-owned and operated student housing facilities, this policy also applies to any property occupied by any fraternity or sorority officially recognized by the university.For purposes of this policy, smoking is defined as inhaling, exhaling, burning, carrying or possessing any lighted cigarette, cigar, pipe, electronic cigarette, hookah or other lit product and including the use of any substance, including but not limited to tobacco, cloves or marijuana.USC reserves the right to have anyone associated with a production ejected from the campus for disrupting the operation of the University, or for being offensive (including, but not limited to, language, clothing or other items seen in production vehicles) to students, staff, faculty, administrators, or visitors to the USC campus.
  12. Crew Behavior: Personnel in any way connected with the production can be ejected from the campus for displaying behavior that is deemed to be disruptive to the operation of the university, or for being offensive in language or behavior to students, faculty, staff, administrators or university guests.