Film Shoots

Thank you for your interest in filming in Madison Square Park. One of the nation’s oldest public parks, Madison Square Park is maintained through a public/private partnership between New York City Parks & Recreation and Madison Square Park Conservancy.

Madison Square Park welcomes tens of thousands of visitors each day. In hosting film shoots our primary concerns are avoiding disruption of park visitors and assuring that no damage is done to the park.

To assure the success of your project in the park, you must abide by the following guidelines:

• A film request application must be submitted below. Applications are reviewed and a Conservancy representative will contact you to review the application and, most likely, request an on-site meeting.
• Upon gaining the Conservancy’s permission to film, a permit must then be obtained in advance from the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment (MOFTB). The Conservancy will notify MOFTB of its consent. Shoots that are completely hand-held (with the exception of a tripod for a camera) and do not claim exclusive use of an area are not required to obtain a MOFTB permit.
• Film shoots should not restrict pedestrian flow. Any closing of paths or areas of the Park must be approved in advance.
• Filming in the playground and dog run is prohibited.
• Filming on the hardscape areas circling the Park’s two water features (fountain at south end; reflecting pool at the north end) is prohibited.
• No people or equipment are permitted in the garden beds.
• Use of the lawns is prohibited.
• Shoots that solicit the participation of park patrons are prohibited.
• Shooting at the Shake Shack or in/near its seating area is prohibited unless permission is granted by Conservancy in advance.
• No activity is permitted that may result in damage to a tree. The attaching of any object to all trees is prohibited.
• Generator trucks (or any other vehicles) are prohibited in the Park.
• Remove all trash and debris. Cameras and other equipment must be kept orderly.
• Vehicles are not permitted in the Park for film shoots.
• A donation to the Madison Square Park Conservancy will be requested.

Due to the high volume of inquires, please allow 3 to 5 business days to respond.