4-27-2022 1:27pm

Movie Stars Will Need a Permit to Shoot in Morristown

Morristown has become a popular location for the film industry, stars like Patrick Dempsey, Morgan Freeman, and John Bianco all filmed scenes in Morristown last year.

Now Morristown’s Town Council will require a permit for any future filming taking place in Morristown. On Tuesday, April 26, the town council unanimously introduced an ordinance to regulate filming in our municipality.

Production companies will be charged $500 to apply with an additional $500 charge per day of filming – if the permit is requested at least a month in advance. Faster turnarounds will raise the application and per-diem fees to $1,000. Amendment permits will cost filmmakers $250.

Applicants for a filming permit in Morristown must also provide proof of insurance up to $1 million in coverage for bodily injury and $3 million for any aggregate occurrence. Filmmakers must also agree to hire police, firefighters, or other security personnel deemed necessary by Morristown’s Chief of Police.

The town can refuse a permit if police or other adjacent town agencies decide the filming will violate any laws or ordinances, “unreasonably interfere” with use or enjoyment of adjacent properties, impede motorists or pedestrians, or otherwise endanger public health, safety, and welfare.

News stories or solo filmmakers with hand-held cameras are exempt. Fees for filming permits may be waived for students enrolled in a “bona fide educational institution,” with a note from a teacher or administrator stating that the filming is strictly for educational purposes and not commercial use.

Morristown, and the rest of New Jersey, has become a filming hotspot for the entertainment industry. “As They Made Us,” the screenwriting and directorial debut of the former Big Bang Theory star Mayim Bialik, was produced entirely in New Jersey and released on April 8th. Crowds had flocked to St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Morristown in January 2021 to catch Patrick Dempsey shooting scenes for a TV show that CBS later decided not to pick up.

Did you know Morristown, NJ is the birthplace of many movie stars?

Karin Justman: born on March 13, 1970, in Morristown, New Jersey, USA. She is known for Baby Driver (2017), The Guardian (2006) and Ford v Ferrari (2019).

Fran Lebowitz: born on October 27, 1950, in Morristown, New Jersey, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for The Wolf of Wall Street (2013), Law & Order (1990) and Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2001).

Peter Dinklage: Born and raised in Morristown, NJ. Since his breakout role in The Station Agent (2003), he has appeared in numerous films and theatre plays. Since 2011, Dinklage has portrayed Tyrion Lannister in the HBO series Game of Thrones (2011).

That’s only to name a few…

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