Oakland Production Brief — Festivals, Permits, and Local Studio Notes
Oakland video production teams have a tight two-week window packed with fresh regulations, spooky screenings and discounted studio time. Below is the roadmap to keep cameras rolling—and crews paid—through October’s final stretch.
Permit Shifts & Deadlines
- Digital portal live: The Film Office’s 1 Oct launch now requires online applications and e-signatures for every shoot, replacing walk-in paperwork
- Drone addendum: Operators must upload flight maps and FAA Part 107 proof with a separate UAV form before approval
- Fee refresh: City permits for commercial spots now start at $3,012, and East Bay Regional Parks charge $1,250 for full-day location use
Short-Form Thrills on Deck
- 48-Hour Horror Challenge: Teams wrote, shot and cut 10-min screamers in two days; the best premiere 17 Oct, 7 p.m., at Pan Theater
- New Parkway midnight slate: The community cinema cues up Pet Sematary and cult classics nightly this week, offering atmospheric B-roll possibilities
- Drunken Film Fest recap: The bar-hopping festival wrapped on 10 Oct but its award winners encore in pub pop-ups across Uptown through month-end
- Halloween bookings: Bay-wide spooky screens—from Alamo Drafthouse to floating movie cruises—are siphoning projectionists and rental gear Oct 20-31
New Spaces for Crews
Jack London Square’s Hive Studios reopened after a retrofit that added pre-lit cycloramas, a sound-proof podcast booth and on-site gear rental; early adopters lock $80/hour rates before regular pricing hits in November. Producers targeting warehouse looks now have an in-town option instead of crossing to Richmond or Emeryville, trimming travel costs for cast and crew.
Park Pitfalls and Location Tips
East Bay Regional Park District’s updated fee sheet means lake-edge beauty shots come at a premium—budget $1,250 per day and factor in a one-month lead for approval. Shoots needing street closures must also account for the city’s revised master fee schedule, where a police-staffed lane shutdown can add $900+ in overtime.
Looking Ahead
While the Oakland International Film Festival wrapped in mid-September, its monthly “OAKtivism” shorts roll-outs continue at New Parkway and community centers, keeping a steady demand for local DITs and projection techs. With the permit portal humming, expect the next wave of regional shoots for Oakland camera crews—music videos, branded shorts and micro-docs—to lock dates the moment Halloween haze clears.
