Working with Film Companies
Filming and photography locations
Dartmoor offers stunning locations for filming with wild expanses of open moorland and valleys cut through by beautiful streams and rivers. The landscape has been an inspiration for writers, artists and poets for many years.
Most of Dartmoor is privately owned. If you want to film or take photos for professional or commercial purposes and know who owns the land, you should approach the landowner directly to secure their permission.
Filming cannot be done without agreements being in place between both parties first. This includes arrangements for location fees.
Filming cannot take place without landowner permission or without all relevant documentation being provided in advance.
If you want to use an area that is designated for special reasons (for example a Scheduled Ancient Monument, Site of Special Scientific Interest or a Special Conservation Area), you may need additional licences first.
Filming on land we own
We own land at Haytor Down, Holne Moor and a superb medieval longhouse, Higher Uppacott. These places have provided excellent locations, from Oscar-winning films to nature/conservation programmes.
Land we own or lease is shaded in purple on our map.
It’s vital you communicate with us in good time and with proposed ideas, rather than confirmation of intent, so we have sufficient time to assess your request and advise on whether it can happen or not.
All commercial filming/photography requests should be made to us with a minimum of 20 working days notice. Sorry, but anything less is unlikely to get consent.
Our location fees depend on the nature of the request, location, crew and cast size, environmental sensitivity and whether you need National Park officer support.
For an idea of indicative charges please refer to our fees
We will refuse requests which don't provide adequate lead-in time, risk disturbing wildlife or habitats or coincides with conservation work or other events.
What you need to do
If you want to film on our land, you must email us. We'll send you an application form which you'll need to fill in with as much detail as possible. Send the completed form back to us along with:
*Your risk assessment
*A signed licence agreement
*Proof of public liability insurance up to £5 million
If you want to use a drone to carry out some filming, we need additional information from you first.
Filming with a drone
We only allow drone-related commercial filming by production companies in certain circumstances. As a general rule, we won't support drone filming in or next to areas where rare birds nest.
Our bird nesting pages show these areas.
We won't give permission for recreational use, something which is prohibited according to existing byelaws.
To find land in our ownership please refer to our map.
For land not owned by us, you'll need to get permission from the relevant landowner. Some won't allow commercial or recreational drone flying on their land under any circumstances.
When you've got their permission, you'll need to notify us. This is so we can ensure what you have planned is appropriate and causes minimal impact to wildlife and habitats.
You'll need to send us:
*The drone operator’s formal Unmanned Aircraft Systems qualification, accredited by the CAA (Civil Aviation Authority)
*Specific Public Liability Insurance and Aviation Insurance Liability cover.
*A detailed drone flight plan
*Evidence you've got landowner consent.
Your request for permission to use a drone won't be successful if we think it risks promoting the public use of drones in the National Park or adversely affects Dartmoor's protected qualities. It is an offence to use drones on the commons of Dartmoor.
Charges
All landowners reserve the right to make a charge for filming on their land.
Once we've assessed your application, we may need to dedicate extra National Park Officer time to your application - for instance in assistance with recces, providing expert advice or dealing with any changes you may wish to make.
Please make sure your application is as detailed as possible and that you allow for additional fees within your budget. National Park Officer time is charged at £60 per hour or £360 per day (exclusive of VAT).
When you come to Dartmoor, we encourage you to support our communities by using local contractors and buying local. Check out our food and drink directory for ideas.