
Filming and Photography
How external organizations access Rutgers spaces for filming.
Policy Information
Outside organizations who want to film, videotape, or photograph on the property or inside buildings of Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, must follow the university guidelines referenced in policy 80.1.1. Requests must be submitted to the appropriate office along with additional required information.
All department heads and university communicators should read and understand this policy.
What Does the Policy Do?
- Grants permission for outside organizations to film, videotape, and photograph on Rutgers property.
- Prevents disruption of university operations including clinical activities while filming and shooting photography on university property.
- Safeguards the integrity of the university.
- Ensures all filming and photography are in line with Rutgers’ mission.
How Does the Policy Affect You?
External organizations interested in photographing or filming a commercial or documentary project on Rutgers' accessible and architecturally diverse campuses across New Jersey, please review the processes and guidelines on this page.
Faculty and staff who are approached by an external organization about filming on the Rutgers campus, please refer the organization to the community affairs or communications office for that specific campus.

Permission to Photograph or Film
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Please note: a location request should be made at least 30 days prior to the filming date. Scouting visits must be arranged by a Rutgers location coordinator.
All requests will be evaluated to ensure compatibility with Rutgers’ mission and in order to minimize the disruption of university operations.
New Brunswick/Piscataway
Patricia Kastner
Office of Community Affairs
848-445-1921REQUIRED: Filming Permission Request Form
Email: patricia.kastner@rutgers.edu
Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences (New Brunswick and Newark)
Patricia Kastner
Office of Community Affairs
848-445-1921REQUIRED: Filming Permission Request Form
Email: patricia.kastner@rutgers.edu
Newark
Kimberlee Williams
Office of Communications
973-353-5262
Email: kimberlee.williams@rutgers.eduCamden
Michael Sepanic
Communications Office
856-225-6026
Email: msepanic@camden.rutgers.edu
Identifying Rutgers in Photo and Video
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Identification is constituted by:
- the inclusion of iconic locations and buildings that are easily recognized as part of Rutgers. These distinct locations include exterior shots of buildings and statues on the Old Queens Campus, such as the Old Queens Building, Winants Hall, Kirkpatrick Chapel, and Willie the Silent;
- any shot showing the Rutgers name, logo, or identifiable symbols associated with the university, such as the Scarlet Knight, Scarlet Raider, or Scarlet Raptor;
- any building or campus identification graphics, including signs or maps.
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Photo or film production is not permitted near or in:
- buildings on the historic Old Queens Campus in New Brunswick;
- university libraries during midterm and final exams;
- student residence and dining halls;
- university health care facilities.
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Agreements to record or film on property owned by university-affiliated groups, including most fraternities and sororities, must be negotiated directly with the property owners. In these instances, the Rutgers name may not be used without expressed written consent.
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Each proposed project is subject to safety rules of and reviews by Rutgers Environmental Health and Safety and the Rutgers Department of Emergency Services, a Division of Public Safety. Violation of safety standards set by those offices may result in immediate withdrawal of permission to shoot on university grounds. In certain circumstances, the presence of a university fire inspector may be required during productions. Fees for these services are charged to the production company.
Insurance
The production company will procure and maintain, during the term of the location agreement, comprehensive general liability insurance with a combined single limit of at least $2 million for personal injury or property damage, naming Rutgers as an additional insured, and will provide Rutgers with a certificate of said insurance. The university retains the right to require additional insurance based on the production size and level. -
Type of Production
Full-day fee per day/per site (6-12 hours)
Half-day fee per day/per site (1-6 hours)
Motion picture, TV show, Commercial $8,000 $4,000 Internet spot/industrial $5,000 $2,500 Dress/strike set $4,000 $2,000 Still photography $3,000 $1,500 Documentaries (including faculty/staff interviews, campus facilities and b-roll), PSAs, and non-profit organizations Fee will be dependent on scope of project and evaluated on a case-by-case basis - Fees are calculated from the arrival of the first production vehicle to the departure of the last production vehicle.
- Full-day productions that overrun their contracted time will be charged an additional $500/hour. Half-day productions that overrun their contracted time or occur outside of the designated hours will be charged at the full-day rate.
- Any additional charges will be billed and must be paid no later than 20 days from the date of the invoice.
- Filming/photography productions taking place concurrently at more than one University location will be charged a separate fee for each site.
- Additional fees for facility rentals (athletics, labs, classrooms, student centers, and recreation centers), parking, security, staffing, technical assistance, and logistics coordination may apply and will be determined on a case-by-case basis.
- All fees must be paid a minimum of 48 hours in advance. All checks are to be made payable to “Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.”
Rush Fees
A fully completed application must be submitted no less than 14 days prior to the first day of prep or shooting. The University also requires that a final technical walk-through be done no less than seven working days prior to the first day of set up or shoot. Should either of these activities occur less than seven days, a rush fee of 10% of all filming-related fees will be charged.Facility Rental Fees
Requests for Rutgers Athletics facilities are coordinated through the process outlined above. However, a sample listing of rental costs for athletic facilities can be found here: https://scarletknights.com/sports/2017/6/28/facility-rental-informationCancellation
A fee equal to 50% of all filming-related fees will be charged if the cancellation occurs after the contract has been signed or within four business days of the scheduled production, regardless if the contract is in affect or not. In either case, if any location has been reserved or any departmental personnel booked, those fees will be billed at 100%.Security
University police/security officers may be required to be on location. Rutgers University Public Safety officials will determine staffing requirements. Fees for these services are charged to the production company.Technical Assistance
Electrical work and other technical services related to the university’s buildings and grounds and their systems, including custodial and utility work, must be performed and supervised by the Rutgers University Institutional Planning & Operations staff. Fees for these services are charged to the production company.
For News-Based Organizations
News-based photography and recordings are handled by the Department of University Communications and Marketing, Office of University News and Media Relations for universitywide topics; Rutgers–New Brunswick Office of Public and Media Relations for New Brunswick/Piscataway and Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences (New Brunswick and Newark); the Rutgers–Newark Office of Communications for Newark; and the Rutgers–Camden Communications Office for Camden.