Commercial Filming/Photography Guidelines

Commercial filming projects, including TV, movies, documentaries, etc., are welcome on campus but must be approved. The requester (hereafter referred to as the Production Manager) and crew of the production must adhere to the following stipulations:

Scheduling

• The Filming on Campus Request Form must be submitted at least 30 days before production activities. This timeline is subject to change, as some productions may require more advance notice depending on the scope. All requests are reviewed and approved by affected parties, including but not limited to the Offices of Marketing Communications, Risk Management, Facilities Management, SUU Police Department, and Centralized Scheduling.
• A confirmation email must be received to verify the availability of the request. To schedule the space, the Production Manager must:
  1. Submit a completed and signed Facilities Use Agreement, as attached to the confirmation email
  2. Submit applicable certificates of insurance and additional insured endorsements as outlined in the SUU Insurance Requirements and as required by the SUU Office of Enterprise Risk Management.
  3. Submit payment of all fees to the University Centralized Scheduling Office prior to production activities. At the University's sole discretion and on a case-by-case basis, Commercial Filming requests may be granted a waiver of the fees. Requests for waivers must be made by emailing marketingcomm@suu.edu

General Conduct and Requirements:

• The Production Manager will oversee safety management on the production site in compliance with established safety standards and the SUU Guest Services Facility Use Rules while operating on campus.
• The Production Manager must be on site at all times during the production and available by cell phone to answer questions or provide information at any time during the filming and production activity.
• The site of the film production space must be clearly marked to inform the public of what is happening in the area. Prominent temporary signage must be established at all directions of approach to the production site to communicate this information. The Production Manager is responsible for promptly placing and removing all temporary signage.
• The production may not use University trademarks or logos in the film, video, or photos in a manner that implies Southern Utah University has produced, supports, or endorses the film, video or photos.
• Production aids or props that may alarm the general public shall not be used outside Designated Film Production Spaces without prior authorization. Examples include, but are not limited to, all types and iterations or replications of firearms, weapons, incendiary devices, and audio recordings or simulations of sounds that could trigger sensitive demographics (e.g., gunshots, screaming, explosions, car crashes, excessively loud noise, etc.). Any depiction of graphic content, adult content, nudity, human or animal death or maiming, or content that may not be suitable for all audiences will not be allowed to be displayed as part of on-location production work on the SUU campus. All activities described in this section are to be restricted to Designated Film Production Space on campus and must only proceed under the supervision of those with the academic authority to do so.
• All sound amplification must be kept below the level at which other campus activities are affected. These activities include other events, academic proceedings, and professional work.
• The Production Manager is responsible for the management of large crowds of production participants or bystanders. All activity on the film production site must be managed so that building egress, restroom facilities, public circulation, vehicular traffic, and other essential facility functions, including ADA access, are maintained and made available.
• It shall be the sole responsibility of the Production Manager to obtain any and all necessary permissions and/or releases, including the permission of individuals appearing in the photographing or filming.
• The Production Manager is responsible for obtaining all necessary permits.
  1. Productions using hot work will require a hot work permit. The Production Manager is responsible for notifying the SUU Fire Marshal about the project and obtaining the necessary hot work permit(s), which must be submitted to the University at least five business days before the production crew arrives. The use of open flames, explosives, pyrotechnics, etc. in Film productions is prohibited.
  2. Other requests with Cedar City, such as closing streets, are subject to approval from the SUU Police Department, Cedar City, and/or the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) and are the production company's responsibility.
• Due to the proximity of SUU's campus to the Cedar City Airport, the use of drones/UASs is subject to FAA regulations and the SUU Drone Use Guidelines.
• Subject to final review of the edited production by the University Office of Marketing Communication, the production will credit the University for its cooperation as "Southern Utah University."

Facility Use and Conditions

• Should any SUU property be damaged during production, the production crew must report the damage to the office of Enterprise Risk Management and have it repaired or replaced or to pay the University to repair or replace it, as determined solely by the University.
• For the purposes described herein, all areas of SUU facilities typically designated for authorized personnel only are off-limits. Examples include rooftops, mechanical rooms, mechanical yards, utility service areas (including all tunnels and chaseways), and the SUU Police Station. All professional offices, office suites, and related space are generally off-limits unless otherwise approved by Campus Operations and those who occupy the space. Specialty academic space (labs, studios, stock rooms, etc.) shall only be used upon permission being granted by the department with authority over the space.
• Special requests affecting University buildings and grounds (removal of bike racks, flagpoles, tree and shrubbery pruning, etc.) must be submitted to the Centralized Scheduling Office as soon as possible (a minimum of 30 days) and will be subject to approval. Representatives from affected University departments, along with a media relations representative, will be present during scouting on campus to discuss these requests.
  1. Temporary construction must not damage University property or endanger students, faculty, staff, or visitors. The University's Facilities Management Department must approve such alterations in advance. The University will require a list of specific materials the production company would like to use and the manner in which it will use them.
  2. Any campus property that is altered must be returned to its original state. At the end of the production, a production company liaison and a Facilities Management representative must inspect it again.
• Parking on campus is extremely limited. The Centralized Scheduling Office will assist with coordinating parking and security, as needed. The production company should provide the Centralized Scheduling Office with a list of parking and security requests as soon as possible. The University must be provided with a list of production vehicles, including size and dimensions for any specialized vehicles, in connection with the project. The University will work with the production company to reasonably accommodate parking needs.
  1. Production vehicles may only park in the areas agreed upon prior to filming. If vehicle parking by the production crew will affect pedestrian routes, film crews must set up appropriate signage and safety barriers to alert pedestrians. Charges for parking on campus will be billed separately. Prior approval must be obtained if using any heavy machinery.
  2. The Production Manager and company are responsible, at their own cost, for developing security plans and providing security for the production site and activities. The SUU Police Department will review and approve the plans. The security plans should include the number of security officers and the hours they will be needed.
• All other general rules, policies, and regulations for facility use on properties owned and managed by SUU apply to this and all activities. Nothing in this document is intended to conflict with or supersede University policy or statutes.

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The University reserves the right to deny, revoke, or halt any commercial filming activity at any time if it is found to be in violation of these guidelines, University policies, or applicable law, or poses a risk to campus operations or safety, or fails to receive appropriate approvals; noncompliance may result in removal from campus and potential restrictions on future filming requests.

Any exception to these procedures must be approved by the Vice President of Campus Operations or the AVP for Marketing Communication, respective to their given areas of responsibility.