Arlington Production Brief — Stadium Events, Permits, and Local Shoot Tips
Arlington video production teams have a tight window packed with concerts, festivals, and evolving permit rules. The rundown below keeps every Arlington camera crew compliant, booked, and ready for rolling.
Permit & Policy Update
The city’s Commercial Filming Application remains free, but associated park, police, and fire fees still apply—and all forms now route through the Apply4 portal. Parks shoots require a separate Parks & Recreation permit under Chapter 7.01(A)(4). Eproval’s launch means 24/7 filing for street closures or tented sets, yet incomplete insurance uploads kick submissions back to “draft,” so budget at least 48 hours for resubmits.
For drones, Arlington asks for a commercial-use appendix plus proof of FAA Part 107, while flights near Arlington Municipal Airport need a LAANC authorization before the city hits “approve.” State code still governs privacy limits and sporting-venue no-fly zones. APD’s Drone-as-First-Responder expansion this spring—and its new beyond-visual-line-of-sight waiver—have sharpened air-space scrutiny, so expect spot checks on set.
Quick Permit Checklist
- File special-event, street, and park requests through Eproval; expect 2-3 business-day routing.
- Attach 1 million-dollar COI naming City and, if needed, APD Fire Marshal.
- Add a flight map + LAANC approval for any drone shot within five miles of Arlington Municipal.
- Confirm road-closure officers at least 72 hours out; the city no longer accepts day-of add-ons
Festival & Crowd-Puller Highlights
Do Good Fest’s nostalgia lineup on Oct 18 will flood West Abram Street from load-in at 10 a.m. through an 11 p.m. curfew—perfect for capturing daylight fan interviews and night-concert cutaways. Free folk and roots acts warm the same stage on Oct 17, creating back-to-back tech days for Levitt crews.
Six Flags Over Texas continues its “Tricks & Treats” overlay Thursdays through Sundays until Nov 2, offering ambient autumn visuals but heavy weekend traffic near I-30 gates; arrive early for any branded-content pick-ups.
Production Opportunities
- Oct 28 Living Spaces spot: Seeking 30- to 50-year-old talent; pays up to $2,000 plus a 10-hour guarantee.
- Location leads: Beverly Boy’s Arlington brief recommends the Entertainment District for B-roll, but highlights new drone-coordination steps before stadium fly-overs.
- UTA Short Shots Fest (late-October submissions) keeps student editors and colorists busy; watch the campus board for last-minute post gigs.
Studio & Air-Space Buzz
Arlington Highlands wrapped phase-one renovations this spring and now markets flex retail shells as pop-up podcast or rehearsal spaces—a cost-effective alternative to Dallas soundstages. Rumors of a Blackbird-style recording complex downtown have resurfaced among north-Texas producers, promising future ADR and scoring options without crossing county lines.
Closing Take
With nostalgia concerts, a family-friendly theme-park overlay, and fresh casting calls converging, Arlington’s late-October slate rewards the crews that file permits early and keep drones legal. Nail that Eproval checklist, lock your parking for Levitt Pavilion, and your next wrap party might just echo to the chords of “Shine.”
