Everything You Need to Film in Boulder County

Filming and photography rules for the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests, which include the Boulder Ranger District. Email the forest with your dates, details and locations to find out whether your project needs a permit, and coordinate any commercial drone use with the forest’s fire aviation group.

The Boulder Chamber’s searchable directory of member businesses, which can be filtered by category and distance. Its categories include Film Industry, Video Production Services and Audio/Visual Equipment & Production.

Grants for Boulder County artists and cultural organizations in every arts discipline, film included, with Endowment grants available in late spring and early fall. Most grants require a current Arts Alliance membership and at least a year living in Boulder County, and members without 501(c)(3) status can apply for fiscal sponsorship.

Current fire restrictions for Boulder County, which the Sheriff, the Board of County Commissioners or the State of Colorado can put in place when conditions raise the risk of wildfire. Open burning is not allowed anywhere in unincorporated Boulder County during a Red Flag Warning, High Wind Warning or Watch, or Fire Weather Watch.

Noise limits for unincorporated Boulder County: in residential areas, 55 dB(A) from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and 50 dB(A) overnight, with lower limits for periodic, impulsive or shrill noise.

The Boulder County Assessor’s property search, where you can look up any parcel by address or owner name, or click it on the map, to see ownership, zoning and public-lands details. Use it to find out who owns a location before you ask permission to film or apply for a permit.

Current closures and construction on county roads in unincorporated Boulder County, with a roadway impacts map. The page also links to pending and approved special event permits across the county.

Filming that uses a road in unincorporated Boulder County needs the county’s Events on County Roadways permit, applied for at least seven days ahead with a map, operations, traffic and notification plans and a certificate of insurance. The permit does not cover state highways or town streets, and fees for one-day filming requests may be waived at the Office of Special Events’ discretion.

The Film Commission’s own searchable directory of local crew, creative businesses and production services, from filmmakers, producers and editors to craft services, photographers and generator rentals.