North America - United States
Film production in the United States
New York to Los Angeles, one production relationship.
The United States offers unmatched depth of crew, stage and talent, and a state-by-state incentive landscape that materially changes where it makes sense to shoot. UNLMTD covers both coasts under one relationship.
Production overview - United States
Permitting, union rules and incentives all vary by state and city. Choosing the right state early is often the single biggest budget decision on a US production.
Key filming locations
- New York - street, subway-adjacent, brownstone and industrial
- Los Angeles - stages, backlots, desert and coast
- New Mexico and Utah - desert and canyon
- Georgia - studio capacity and incentive strength
- Pacific Northwest - forest and coastal
Crew
Very deep crew markets in New York and Los Angeles, with strong regional crew bases in Atlanta, Albuquerque and Chicago. Union and non-union routes both available.
Equipment
Comprehensive rental infrastructure in every major market.
Filming permits
Issued city by city - New York and Los Angeles both operate established film offices with fast turnarounds for standard requests.
Visas and crew documentation
Non-US crew normally require an appropriate work visa; lead times can be significant, so plan travelling crew early.
Drone filming
Operators require FAA Part 107 certification, with waivers needed for controlled airspace or flight over people.
Production incentives
Most states operate tax credits or rebates with widely different qualifying spend rules, caps and application deadlines.
Indicative production costs
Premium market rates, offset by efficiency, depth of talent and incentive value where the state is chosen deliberately.
Climate and best filming periods
Year-round production somewhere in the country; the shooting window matters most for northern and desert locations.
Filming in United States - FAQs
- Which US state is cheapest to film in?
- There is no single answer: the effective cost depends on the state incentive, crew availability and travel. States with strong rebates and established crew bases often beat nominally cheaper markets once travel and hire days are counted.
Explore United States
Cities
Production services