California Institute of Technology

**Until further notice, commercial filming has been suspended on the Caltech campus**

 

With permission, Caltech does allow filming at its campus, as well as some off-campus facilities. Some restrictions on filming include:

  • Interiors may be filmed at any time, subject to availability.
  • Campus parking is very limited, although parking for production trucks can generally be found. Spaces for base camps and private cars will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis.

Click here for pictures of some of our filming locations. The various locations pictured are possible filming sites on the Caltech campus. These photos are intended to give you a basic idea of the filming locations on campus; we realize that location managers will need to visit in person to determine the suitability of our campus for each project.

In addition to the venues on campus, Caltech's Housing Office has some off-campus properties that are available for filming both as a one-day as well as more long-term. Please contact Deborah Williams-Hedges for specific details.

Click here for a complete set of Guidelines.

See here for more information on documentary filming.

Please contact Deborah Williams-Hedges in Caltech Media Relations (626-395-3227) for information or to arrange a site visit.

Filming Rates


Items 1, 2 & 3 below do not include cost for security officer and Caltech on-site staff, which are invoiced separately.
  Category Fee
1. Still Photo Shoot  
  • Commercial $4,000/day ($2000 for 5 hours or less)
  • PSA $1,500/day
     
 

The rates quoted above are for "shoot days." Prep days and strike days are at half the day rate.


2. Film  
  • Feature/TV $9,500/day ($5000 for 5 hours or less)
(one interior plus one exterior OR three exteriors; additional interiors and/or exteriors negotiated on a case-by-case basis)
  • for commercial negotiated case-by-case
  • Non-profit negotiated case-by-case
  • Documentary Please contact Deborah Williams-Hedges in Caltech's Media Relations office (626-395-3227).
   

The rates quoted above are for "shoot days." Prep days and strike days are at half the day rate.


3. John W. Lucas
Wind Tunnel
$8,000/day plus $80/hour for required technical staff

4. Athenaeum (Caltech's Faculty Club)
  • Film $10,000/day (half-day rate not available)
  • Still Photo $ 5,000/day (half-day rate not available)
   

Security officer at $65/hour and Athenaeum staff on-site rep at $85/hour will be invoiced separately. In addition, all shoots, except for Sundays, will require valet parking be provided for Athenaeum patrons (arranged for by Athenaeum and invoiced separately).

The availability for filming at the Athenaeum is extremely limited. In addition, parking for equipment trucks is limited to 2-3 vehicles in the Athenaeum parking lot. All other vehicles must be parked on Hill Ave. or California Blvd. (subject to approval by the City of Pasadena). Campus parking is not included in the shoot fee for the Athenaeum.


5. OVRO $8,000/day
(Owens Valley Radio Observatory)
(CARMA)

6. Palomar Observatory:
[SITE PHOTOS]
Please contact Daniel McKenna in the Astronomy Department (760-742-2100) for information or to arrange a site visit.