Cars and Other Moving Vehicles

Moving Vehicles Are One of the Highest-Risk Activities in Film Production

Filming with moving vehicles requires careful planning, experienced personnel, proper insurance, permits, and strict safety procedures. Even a simple dialogue scene inside a moving car introduces significant risks that do not exist when filming on a stationary set.

Before planning any driving scene, ask yourself one question: Does the vehicle actually need to be moving? Many scenes that appear to take place while driving can be filmed safely with the vehicle parked or towed, while still achieving the desired storytelling effect.

Whenever possible, choose the safest option.

Plan Before You Shoot

Vehicle scenes should never be treated as routine. Before production begins, consider:

• Is the vehicle required to move?
• Can the scene be rewritten or staged differently?
• Does filming require permits?
• Is police assistance required?
• Have insurance requirements been approved?
• Have all risks been identified?
• Does everyone understand the safety plan?

Consult Production Services during pre-production whenever your project involves moving vehicles.

Insurance and Driver Approval

CalArts provides automobile insurance for approved productions, but coverage must be arranged before filming. Students wishing to use production vehicles or personal vehicles for filming must work through Production Services. Driver approval requires a valid driver’s license, a DMV driving record, and sufficient time for processing.

Never assume insurance coverage exists without prior approval.

Permits

Filming from or inside moving vehicles on public streets frequently requires permits and may require law enforcement or approved traffic control personnel. Filming on highways or freeways requires additional approvals through the appropriate agencies and is generally not permitted for student productions without advance authorization. 

Always discuss roadway filming with Production Services before making plans.

The Safest Approach

Professional productions frequently use techniques that create the illusion of movement while minimizing risk. Examples include:

• Parking the vehicle and simulating movement with lighting and sound.
• Towing the picture vehicle using professional equipment.
• Filming stationary close-ups and combining them with exterior driving footage.
• Using process trailers operated by experienced professionals.
• Utilizing visual effects or rear projection when appropriate.

The safest shot is often the one that creates the illusion of movement without requiring actors to drive.

Filming Inside a Moving Vehicle

If a vehicle must be in motion:

• Only essential personnel should be inside the vehicle.
• Every occupant must wear a seat belt unless specifically exempted as part of an approved production plan.
• The driver should focus exclusively on driving.
• The driver should never perform, read dialogue, operate equipment, or receive direction while the vehicle is moving.
• Camera operators should remain securely seated.
• Loose equipment should be secured before the vehicle moves.

Safe driving must always take priority over the performance.

Camera Mounts

Vehicle-mounted camera systems require proper equipment, knowledge, and experience. Improperly mounted cameras or lighting equipment can detach, causing severe damage, injury, or death. Only approved mounting systems should be used.

Improvised rigs, rope, tape, or unapproved hardware should never be used to secure cameras or lighting equipment to moving vehicles. If you are unfamiliar with professional vehicle rigging, choose another method.

Sound Considerations

Vehicle engines, road noise, wind, and vibration often make production dialogue difficult to record. Whenever possible:

• Minimize unnecessary vehicle movement.
• Use appropriate microphones.
• Consider recording wild lines or ADR if necessary.

Do not sacrifice safety simply to improve sound quality.

Loading and Unloading

Whenever possible:

• Load equipment from the curb side of the vehicle.
• Avoid unloading into moving traffic.
• Keep equipment organized.
• Prevent cases, carts, or stands from rolling into roadways.

Passengers and Crew

Only essential personnel should ride in moving production vehicles. Crew members should never:

• Ride in truck beds.
• Sit on equipment.
• Stand inside moving vehicles.
• Ride on trailers not designed for passengers.
• Lean outside moving vehicles while filming.

Everyone inside the vehicle should know the safety plan before the vehicle begins moving.

Weather and Road Conditions

Rain, darkness, fog, gravel, snow, loose dirt, high winds, and poor visibility all increase risk. If driving conditions become unsafe, stop filming. No production schedule is more important than someone’s safety.

If Something Doesn’t Feel Safe

If anyone believes a driving sequence cannot be completed safely, stop and reassess the plan. There is always another way to tell the story. Professional filmmakers solve creative problems—they do not accept unnecessary risk.

Final Thoughts

Vehicles combine speed, weight, momentum, and unpredictable public environments. They deserve respect. The safest productions are not those with the biggest budgets—they are the ones that plan carefully, communicate clearly, and choose the safest way to achieve every shot.

No scene is worth risking an injury or a life.