Long Beach Production Brief: Dark Harbor, Venues, and Permit Steps
Long Beach video production teams have plenty to navigate this fortnight, from haunted-ship spectacles that light up the harbor to last-minute permit tweaks that could ground a drone. Below is your field guide—complete with sources—for keeping cameras rolling and trucks moving.
Harbor Horror Draws Crews
Dark Harbor has the Queen Mary and its parking lots under theatrical lighting on select nights through Nov 2, packing six mazes, roaming monsters and new ride installs such as the Zero Gravity drum. Line producers love it: the ship’s steel corridors deliver period texture without a separate set build, and nightly pyro cues are already cleared by Coast Guard patrols per the event’s master permit. Expect sound-bleed challenges; plan to capture dialog before 7 p.m., or budget ADR.
Creative Corridors Open
Every weekend until Oct 26, the Long Beach Open Studio Tour hands crews free access to four districts—Belmont, Downtown, Uptown and Eastside—each with 10-plus artist lofts that waive location fees for shoots under six hours. For b-roll, note that natural-light skylights peak at 3 p.m.; gaffers should pack ND gel sets to tame highlights off polished concrete floors.
Key Permit Deadlines
- Oct 13 holiday shift: FilmLA offices stayed open, but city counters closed, so permits for Oct 14-18 shoots had to lock by 10 a.m. Oct 10—double-check your confirmations
- Drone applications: New Fire Department form adds 5 million-dollar liability and LAANC screenshot—submit alongside your primary permit.
- E-Notification upgrade: Neighborhoods around Belmont Shore now receive digital Notices of Filming; crews ignoring the opt-out survey risk hour-restricted shoot windows
Harbor-Side Screenings
LBX Hangar converts its lawn into an outdoor cinema on Oct 24 for a Wicked movie night, complete with 30-foot inflatable screen and vendor lights—an easy second-unit atmosphere plate. Load-in is 2 p.m.; trucks must clear McGowen St. by 11 p.m. or face towing per the venue’s event rider.
Fresh Casting Calls
- Holiday children’s-book commercial shoots Oct 12 in the L.A./Long Beach zone—paid SAG scale
- Branded digital short blocks Oct 17-18 in downtown Long Beach; seeking on-camera hosts with improv chops
Crew-Friendly Bulletins
- FilmLA’s updated 30-Mile Zone chart lists Long Beach’s new $525-per-day base fee, plus $800-$2,000 park surcharges
- Port of Long Beach now fast-tracks night shoots if drone and maritime safety plans are filed together—average turnaround: three business days
Closing thoughts
Whether your Long Beach camera crew is chasing screams on the Queen Mary or stealing sunrise plates at Rainbow Harbor, the city’s October rhythm favors agile teams that marry spooky season spectacle with tight paperwork. Keep those permit boxes checked, scout those studio lofts, and your next film permits will feel as smooth as a harbor breeze—unlocking indie festival buzz long after Halloween fog lifts.
