Production security scope checklist

Schedule and call times

• Shoot dates, plus any prep, pre-rig, or wrap days that need coverage
• General crew call and expected wrap for each day, and how often days run long
• Night shoots, split days, or weekend work
• When the call sheet is issued each day, and who sends it

Locations and company moves

• The location list with addresses, and whether each is public way, private property, or stage
• Company moves during the day, and roughly when
• Locations on residential blocks or busy commercial streets
• Location owner or manager contacts, and any house rules for each property

Basecamp, holding, and parking

• Basecamp location, and whether it is an open lot, a street, or a secured site
• Cast and background holding, and whether it is separate from basecamp
• Crew parking, and any shuttle between parking and set
• Equipment staging areas, and where carts and cable runs cross public space

Overnight equipment

• Nights when trucks, trailers, gear, or dressed sets stay on location
• What is being left: grip and electric, camera, sound, generators, picture vehicles, sets
• Exactly where each vehicle is parked, and who holds the keys
• Who the overnight post calls during the night, and when the first crew arrives
• Whether you want a written log of the night and a handoff at crew call

Talent and high-profile crew

• Talent or crew members who need dedicated coverage, and on which days
• Whether they travel with their own security or representatives
• Moves between hotel, set, and other appearances, and who is driving
• Fan or press interest you expect at any location

Public exposure and onlookers

Private security officers can ask onlookers to step back from working areas and keep walkways clear. They have no police powers: they cannot close a street, order people off a public sidewalk, or detain someone for watching or filming.

• Locations where the public will be close to the set
• Scenes likely to draw a crowd: recognizable talent, stunts, picture vehicles, effects
• How the production wants onlookers and neighbors handled, and who speaks for the production
• Nearby businesses or residents who have raised concerns

Permits and police services

Filming permits are handled by the local film office or permitting authority, and rules vary by city. In Chicago, for example, the Film Office’s permit guidance covers when a permit is needed, and its city services page states that police supervision is necessary for traffic control on city streets and for the use of special effects or firearms. Those officers are arranged through the city’s process, not through a private security firm, and private security does not replace them.

• Permit status for each location, and your contact at the film office or permitting authority
• Police services requested through the permit process, and for which dates and locations
• Permit conditions that affect security posts, such as sidewalk access or parking restrictions
• Days with special effects or firearms on set

Vendor documentation

• Certificate of insurance requirements, including limits and additional insureds
• Vendor onboarding paperwork and how invoices are submitted
• Any ID, roster, or credential requirements for security staff on set

Contacts

• Production manager or line producer
• Location manager, and any assistant location managers on set
• Transportation coordinator, if talent moves are involved
• Set medic, if the production has hired one (medical emergencies still go to 911)
• The person who can approve changes to security hours or staffing

Schedule changes

• How changes reach the security lead: updated call sheet, text, or phone
• How much notice is needed to add or cancel a shift, and who approves added hours
• What happens to overnight coverage if a location wraps early or is held an extra day

Documentary crews

If the project is a documentary, a few more details shape the plan.

• Crew size, and whether the crew travels in one vehicle
• Interview locations, the time of day planned, and who controls each property
• Whether the subject matter is sensitive, and whether the crew wants a low-profile posture in plain clothes
• Where the vehicle will be staged, and the fallback if an interview runs long
• Confirmation that editorial decisions (who is interviewed, what is filmed and published) stay with the producer

After you fill it in

Send the list with the latest call sheet or schedule, even in draft. A useful proposal ties staffing to your dates and locations and shows active-production and overnight coverage separately. Our production security page explains how we work from the call sheet.