The Department of University Relations, Office of Community Affairs, in New Brunswick/ Piscataway; the Office of Communications in Newark; and the Communications Office in Camden coordinate requests from outside production companies, photographers, filmmakers, and others who want to use Rutgers’ buildings and property in print, on film, or on videotape. A location coordinator is assigned by the respective office to assist requestors with required approvals, insurance, fees, and notifications. Requests may be denied if they are not considered compatible with the university’s mission, reflect negatively on the university, or unduly impose on the facilities and/or campus community. A designated campus administrator must authorize all approved requests. Copies of finalized agreements should be sent to the Office of the Vice President, University Relations.
“Filming” in this document refers to motion pictures, television shows or commercials, industrial/entertainment films, videos or any filming for electronic media, and still photography.
News-based photography, documentaries, and recordings may not be subject to the
same restrictions. These requests are handled by the Department of University
Relations, Office of Media Relations, for New Brunswick/Piscataway; the Office
of Communications in Newark; and the Communications Office in Camden. Universitywide
programs are handled by the Office of Media Relations in New Brunswick/Piscataway.
Initial Request
Contact the following to file a location request:
Camden
Michael Sepanic
Communications Office
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
303 Cooper Street, Third Floor
Camden, NJ 08102-1406
Phone: 856/225-6026
Fax: 856/225-6213
Email
Newark
Helen Paxton
Office of Communications
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
249 University Avenue
Newark, NJ 07102-1896
Phone: 973/353-5262
Fax: 973/353-1050
Email
New
Brunswick/Piscataway
Melissa Selesky
Office of Community Affairs
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
101 Somerset Street
New Brunswick, NJ 08901-1281
Phone: 732/932-7823, ext. 676
Fax: 732/932-6950
Email
At least 30 days in advance of the desired shooting dates, the following information is required:
- Video/film — Final script detailing the project’s subject and how the Rutgers locations will be treated
- Still photography — Storyboards or mock-ups
Scripts/storyboards and projects must be approved by the university before a location agreement is signed.
University Identity
- Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, may not be identified without expressed written permission. Identification is constituted by the inclusion of exterior shots of buildings on the Old Queen’s campus; any shot showing the Rutgers name, logo, or identifiable symbols associated with the university, such as the “Scarlet Knight,” “Scarlet Raider,” or “Scarlet Raptor”; or any building or campus identification graphics, including signs or maps. Institutional identification should only appear in the production’s credits or acknowledgments.
- The above restrictions may not be applicable for news or documentary shoots, which are reviewed by the Department of University Relations, Office of Media Relations for New Brunswick/Piscataway campuses and universitywide programs and issues; the Office of Communications in Newark; and the Communications Office in Camden.
Campus Site Locations
- Scouting visits must be arranged by a Rutgers location
coordinator who will recommend and secure access to facilities, estimate
the amount of time needed to view the locations, and accompany location scouts
while they are on campus. If it is determined that research and scouting
visit(s) will take more than three hours, a $200 fee must be paid prior to
the visit. That fee will be applied to the overall cost if a location
agreement is signed.
- Permission to use classrooms, lecture halls, laboratories, and exteriors near classroom buildings is dependent on the academic schedule and is subject to availability on a case-by-case basis.
- Production for commercial projects is not generally permitted near or in the buildings on the historic Old Queen’s campus in New Brunswick; inside university libraries during midterm and final exams; inside student residence and dining halls; or inside university health care facilities.
- Requests to film at the Rutgers Stadium, the Louis Brown
Athletic Center (RAC), or intercollegiate playing fields will be coordinated
with the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics depending on facility availability
and production requirements. Requests to film at Newark athletic facilities,
such as the Golden Dome, must be coordinated with Rutgers–Newark Athletics
and Recreation. In Camden, the general manager of the Camden Riversharks
must also approve requests to film on Campbell’s Field.
- Agreements to record or film on property owned by university-affiliated groups, including most fraternities and sororities, must be negotiated directly with the property owners. In these instances, the Rutgers name may not be used without express written consent.
Safety
- Each proposed project is subject to safety reviews by Rutgers Environmental Health and Safety and the Rutgers Department of Emergency Services, a Division of Public Safety. Violation of safety standards set by those offices may result in immediate withdrawal of permission to shoot on university grounds.
- In certain circumstances, the presence of a university fire inspector may be required during production. Fees for these services are charged to the production company.
- The police department on each campus and the Facilities Maintenance and Operations Department in New Brunswick/Piscataway, or Physical Plant Department in Newark, or Facilities Maintenance Service Department in Camden will be involved in determining if a request conflicts with the university’s mission or creates an imposition on the campus facilities and/or community.
Insurance
- The production company will procure and maintain, during the term of the location agreement, comprehensive general liability insurance with a combined single limit of at least $2 million for personal injury or property damage, naming Rutgers as an additional insured, and will provide Rutgers with a certificate of said insurance.
- The university retains the right to require additional insurance based on the production size and level.
Fees
Checks or money orders must be made payable to Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.
Location Fees
Location fees are based on a half-day/full-day rate system. Half-day rates
are based on a 1- to 5-hour time period; full-day rates are based on
a 5- to 10-hour time period between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Full-day
productions that overrun their contracted time will be charged an additional
$400/hr. Half-day productions that overrun their contracted time
or occur outside of the designated hours will be charged at the full-day rate.
| Type of production |
Full-day location fee/per day/per site (5–10 hours) |
Half-day location fee/per day/per site (1–5 hours) |
| Major motion pictures |
$6,000 |
$3,000 |
| Television shows or commercials, industrial/entertainment films, videos or any filming for electronic media |
$3,500 |
$1,750 |
| Dress/strike set (additional days) |
$2,500 |
$1,250 |
| Still photography |
$2,000 |
$1,000 |
| Documentaries—including
faculty interviews and visuals of research/facilities |
No fee if filming is Rutgers-related (consult with respective campus media/communications office) |
No fee if filming is Rutgers-related (consult with respective campus media/communications office) |
The time covered by the agreement begins when the first production staff
person arrives on campus on the day(s) of the shoot, until the last production
staff person leaves. Rates are determined by the nature and scope of each production
(i.e., film, video, still photography). In addition to location fees, some
facilities (i.e., stadium, recreation center, student center) require a facility
rental fee. Extensive revisions of Rutgers’ Location Agreement
requiring support from legal counsel may be subject to additional fees.
Additional production costs including staffing and/or equipment
rental will be paid by the production company. These potential fees include
parking fees, security fees, custodial services, electricians, table and chair
rental, etc. All fees must be paid a minimum of 24 hours in
advance.
University facilities experiencing a disruption of normal activities or loss of revenue resulting from an approved location request will be entitled to share a percentage of the location fees. Facilities personnel and the location coordinator will make a good faith effort to identify potential hardships and costs prior to execution of the location agreement.
Rescheduling due to inclement weather may require additional fees.
Damages
A damage deposit equal to a minimum of one (1) day’s location fee must
be presented in addition to the location fees payment. The deposit will be
used to correct any damage to university facilities and/or to offset any additional
location/staffing fees owed by the production company.
The deposit should be paid by separate check or money order and will be held until completion of filming. The check will be refunded in full after satisfactory inspection of the location(s) by the university.
Facilities personnel are responsible for documenting and reporting all such hardships to the location coordinator within five (5) working days of the last day when production company representatives were at the facility.
Cancellation Fee
A fee equal to one-third of the first day’s location fee will be charged if the cancellation occurs less than 48 hours before the production is scheduled to begin.
Parking Fees
Parking charges will be based on the size of vehicles brought onto campus.
- Automobile-sized space—$10/day
- Cargo vans, truck/trailer combinations, or campers/mobile
homes under 20 feet long—$25/day
- Any vehicle over 20 feet long—$50/day
The Rutgers location coordinator must provide Rutgers Parking
and Transportation Services with specific information about all cast and crew
vehicles, including makes, models, and license plate numbers, at least
three days in advance of the production.
University parking regulations must be followed at all times. The production company must advise cast and crew of parking structure height limitations and location of designated spaces.
Under no circumstances will fire, safety zones/lanes, or handicapped parking spaces be compromised or will pedestrian walkways be used for vehicular traffic.
All parking lots must be returned to their original state at the completion of production.
University events will have preference in the case of potential scheduling conflicts.
Security Fees
University police/security officers are required to be on site for all major commercial film and television productions, and/or during set preparation or removal. Security requirements for other types of productions are made on a case-by-case basis. The rate of pay varies and will be provided when staffing arrangements are made. University police officials determine staffing requirements.
Staff Assistance
The fee for the location coordinator is included in the location fee. The location coordinator, or a designated representative, will assist production company personnel with scouting, secure permission from the various location officials to record at their sites, handle contract negotiations, and be accessible while the production team is on campus.
Technical Assistance
Electrical work and other technical services related to the university’s buildings and grounds and their systems, including custodial and telephone utility work, must be performed and supervised by the university’s Facilities Maintenance Services staff. Arrangements must be made in advance and will be charged to the production company.
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Initial
Request