Shooting in Paris (Films, That Is): It’s Complicated!

Back in February Parisians were startled to see hordes of zombies shuffling over the city’s cobblestone streets. They might understandably have concluded the undead were readying a gastronomic tour of Paris (and tasty Parisians). Actually it was the shooting of an episode of The Walking Dead, and blasé locals weren’t nearly as panicked as the New Jerseyites taken in by Orson Welles’ War of the Worlds radio broadcast. Still, it was a striking example of how shooting movies in Paris can disrupt life, even while providing publicity, and revenue.

Tournage à Paris du spin-off de #TheWalkingDead 📽️ @TVMAG @Le_Figaro pic.twitter.com/X72MXGAlJE

— Laura Terrazas (@LoraTerrazas) February 8, 2023

In 2022, 102 films were shot in Paris — that doesn’t include short films or video clips. There were features by François Ozon, Maiwenn, Olivier Toledano — not to mention TV series like Lupin and Emily in Paris. Currently there are over a dozen movies and TV series being filmed in Paris. Among the works being shot in the capital are the features Cold Storage by Jonny Campbell, Sharks by Xavier Gens, Nous les Leroy by Florent Bernard, Planete B by Aude Léa Rapin, as well as a host of series: Tout Pour Agnès, La Fièvre, Dans l’Ombre, Mademoiselle Holmes, Fiasco, Theodosia and the Oasis of Magic. That doesn’t include productions in preparation, pre-production, and post-production.

Given the importance of Paris, there are not one but two authorities that have jurisdiction over film shoots: the municipality, and the Prefecture de Police, an arm of the national government. The principal go-to authority is Paris Film, an office of the municipal government, which will study and approve the producer’s application to film.

The producers must prepare a detailed file about the prospective film shoot, with information about the budget, shooting dates, number of technicians involved, description of the equipment and vehicles to be used. They also have to provide the film’s title, the name of the director, an excerpt of the film script or synopsis, sometimes even a storyboard. The filmmakers must also provide proof of adequate insurance. Depending on the kind of film there are also specific elements to deal with: respect for biodiversity and the environment, the use of firearms, shots taken from the air. In addition to giving authorization, the authorities may also provide, at a fee of course, special services and equipment.

The application to shoot in Paris must be made at least 10 days before the first day of filming, and various fees must be paid (the application itself is free). Paris Film has a lengthy table detailing the fees depending on the type of site where the filming is to take place. A day’s shooting (on a weekday) in a park can cost 700 euros. A shoot in a cemetery like Perè Lachaise, can cost 600 euros. Filming in a sewer costs 550 euros. Filming in one of the “grand halls” of Paris’ city hall goes for 3,850 euros for the day. Weekend days cost more. A major film shoot usually requires numerous vehicles, and there are additional fees for parking.

In addition to obtaining (and paying for) the required authorization, the filmmakers must post notices in the area where the shoot will take place, in order to inform local residents. They must also be sure to reserve the needed parking spaces. In addition to vehicles are structures that might be needed: dressing-rooms, toilets, canteens. Some of these may need electric power, requiring further care. In general, the filmmakers should take pains to make sure that pedestrians, especially local residents, aren’t too inconvenienced by the obstacle course that a large-scale film shoot can become. Of course, the locals can also become part of the problem:

I remember when I lived near Saint-Germain-dés-Près, the sizeable crowd clogging a street corner to ogle Gerard Depardieu being filmed in a phone booth (remember those?).

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Further regulations require productions to inform the authorities of the use of costumes resembling official uniforms (of police, etc), or vehicles resembling official vehicles. Special effects, stuntmen, and the use of explosives are also carefully controlled, requiring coordinators, safety equipment, and other security guarantees. Even simulated snow and rain must have authorization, and filming at night requires that local residents be properly informed. In some cases, as when a scene simulates a crime or the use of firearms, the Prefecture may order police officers to be present at the shoot. Another set of rules governs the use of animals, and finally the production company is required to respect rules regarding cleanliness and hygiene. Needless to say, during the worst days of the COVID-19 outbreak, there were even more draconian restrictions in place.

 

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Even with the most meticulous planning, and all authorizations in place, there are still more potential roadblocks for film productions in the French capital. There are streets and areas where filming is normally off limits. These include roads where parking or even stopping is forbidden (in front of the Elysée Palace for example), those where road work is being done, as well as streets temporarily “put to rest” (mise en repos), normally for maintenance.

Despite the cost and bureaucracy, there’s no shortage of filmmakers who want to shoot in Paris, and have their production join the illustrious list of films that take place in the capital, from Godard’s Breathless, to Amelie Poulain, The Da Vinci Code. Moulin Rouge, Midnight in Paris, Ratatouille and Hugo. Of course, the most famous film that takes place here remains An American In Paris, shot entirely in Hollywood, USA.