Filming on Location Resources
Interested in filming in a GSA building?
Review these documents to understand what’s involved in filming on location.
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Marble Hall, US Custom House, New Orleans, Louisiana
The U.S. Custom House in New Orleans was featured in the 2015 film Trumbo.
The GSA Center for Historic Buildings has developed a nationwide program to encourage the use of its historic buildings in film and television productions. The program’s goal is to showcase and support this legacy by creating opportunities for the public to experience these buildings through film. All revenue earned through this program is reinvested in the historic inventory.
The process is straightforward. First, contact the Regional Historic Preservation Office (RHPO) of the state in which the filming will take place. The RHPO will coordinate contact with the Building Managers to arrange for access to locations.
Once a location has been chosen, the production company submits a detailed proposal for filming to the RHPO. This proposal should include:
Once the proposal has been accepted, a Public Buildings Service (PBS) representative will arrange the necessary licenses, scheduling, and fee payment.
GSA has developed standard guidelines to ensure the protection of its historic buildings during production. Individual buildings may have additional special conditions. Please review the documents in the resources block to see a sample license and guidelines.
Rationale and benefits: Filming and other special event space rentals help support federal preservation goals by generating revenue to keep historic federal buildings occupied, in good repair, and economically viable while contributing to their use and enjoyment by the public. Location fees support the care of this magnificent inventory of historic courthouses, custom houses, and federal buildings to reproduce historic light fixtures and other missing features, restore historic finishes such as woodwork and stone, and fund many other critical repairs and preservation efforts.
Background: The National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) of 1966 calls on the federal government to take a leadership role in the preservation of its historic resources. The Public Buildings Cooperative Use Act encourages federal agencies to make public buildings more accessible by locating cultural, educational, recreation, and commercial activities in federal properties.
Section 111 of the NHPA allows agencies to lease space in federal historic buildings to non-federal tenants and reinvest the proceeds to support their preservation and use. Using these locations goes a long way in promoting, protecting, and preserving these national treasures.
Interested in filming in a GSA building?
Review these documents to understand what’s involved in filming on location.
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Rates for Alaska, Hawaii, and U.S. territories and possessions are set by the Department of Defense.
Rates for foreign countries are set by the Department of State.
Rates are available between 10/1/2022 and 09/30/2025.
The End Date of your trip can not occur before the Start Date.
Traveler reimbursement is based on the location of the work activities and not the accommodations, unless lodging is not available at the work activity, then the agency may authorize the rate where lodging is obtained.
Unless otherwise specified, the per diem locality is defined as "all locations within, or entirely surrounded by, the corporate limits of the key city, including independent entities located within those boundaries."
Per diem localities with county definitions shall include"all locations within, or entirely surrounded by, the corporate limits of the key city as well as the boundaries of the listed counties, including independent entities located within the boundaries of the key city and the listed counties (unless otherwise listed separately)."
When a military installation or Government - related facility(whether or not specifically named) is located partially within more than one city or county boundary, the applicable per diem rate for the entire installation or facility is the higher of the rates which apply to the cities and / or counties, even though part(s) of such activities may be located outside the defined per diem locality.