The Museum of Dufferin is pleased to welcome professional photographers and content creators who are interested in using our unique heritage spaces as a backdrop for commercial photography. If you are planning a styled shoot, brand session, product photography, or other commercial project, we kindly ask that you complete our Commercial Photography Application Forma minimum of three weeks in advance.

This ensures we can coordinate scheduling, confirm availability, and help protect the integrity of our historic buildings and grounds. Submitting an application allows our team to support your project while maintaining an exceptional experience for all visitors. We look forward to learning more about your vision!

General Conditions

• All commercial filming and videography requires prior written approval from the
  Museum of Dufferin.
• Approval is granted at the Museum’s discretion and may be subject to conditions, limitations, or supervision.
• The Museum reserves the right to deny or revoke permission if activities pose a risk
  to collections, buildings, staff, visitors, or the Museum’s reputation.
• Filming must not imply Museum endorsement of a product, service, or viewpoint unless explicitly approved in writing.
• This policy is not a substitute for any required municipal film permits or County requirements for activities publicly accessible via roads, pathways, or outdoor spaces that may require separate permits (e.g., County road occupancy permits).

Conservation and Protection of Collections & Historic Buildings

The Museum of Dufferin prioritizes the conservation of its artefacts and historic structures.
All filming activities must adhere to the following:

Artefacts and Exhibitions

• No artefacts may be touched, moved, leaned on, or repositioned by film crews.
• Equipment must maintain a safe distance from artefacts, display cases, and archival materials at all times.
• Food, drink, smoke, fog, haze, or special effects are strictly prohibited near collections.
• Filming in collections storage areas is generally not permitted and, if approved,
  requires direct staff supervision.
• Filming behind barriers in historic buildings is possible but requires supervision and
  may require artifacts or barriers to be moved.
• Museum objects must be protected at all times; production staff must consult with a museum representative before interacting with any object or exhibition feature

Historic Buildings and Sites

• No drilling, fastening, taping, or attaching equipment to walls, floors, ceilings, or
  historic buildings.
• No fire, flames, or pyrotechnic materials in historic buildings.
• Tripods, dollies, tracks, and heavy equipment must have protective padding where required.
• Movement of large equipment may be restricted to protect floors, thresholds, and doorways.
• Production activities must ensure heritage elements are not damaged, and filming may be prohibited in sensitive areas at the Museum’s discretion

Lighting Requirements

To protect artefacts and historic interiors:

• Only LED or low-heat lighting is permitted.
• No open-face tungsten, halogen, or heat-generating lights are allowed.
• No open flames are permitted.
• Light levels must comply with conservation standards, particularly for light-sensitive materials such as textiles, paper, photographs, and works on paper.
• Lights must not be placed inside display cases or directed at close range toward
  artefacts.
• Flash, strobe, or similar high-intensity lighting is restricted where it may harm
  collections.
• The Museum reserves the right to limit lighting duration, intensity, or placement.

Equipment and Sound

• Equipment size and quantity must be approved in advance.
• Electrical needs must be identified during the application process; the use of Museum power sources is subject to approval.
• Generators, if permitted, must be located away from buildings and visitor areas.
• Sound recording must not disrupt visitors, staff, programs, or service animals (where applicable).
• Pedestrian access, emergency routes, and Museum programs must not be impeded.

Insurance

• Applicants must provide proof of Commercial General Liability Insurance of at least $2,000,000 CAD per occurrence, with the County listed as additional insured (matching County of Dufferin filming insurance minimums for municipal properties).
• The County of Dufferin must be named as the additional insured.
• Insurance documentation must be submitted prior to filming and valid for the entire
  duration of the activity.
• The Applicant is responsible for any damage to Museum property resulting from filming activities. Agreement to repair any damage, using approved heritage contractors if required.

Staffing and Supervision

• A Museum representative must be present during all filming, especially when activities occur near historic artefacts or historic buildings.
• The representative has authority to enforce conditions, halt activities that threaten
  safety or collections, and ensure compliance.
• Staffing costs (including overtime/security) are payable by the Applicant.
• All crew members must follow instructions provided by Museum staff at all times.

Procedures for Request and Approval

Application

Applicants must submit a written request that includes:

• Project description and intended use;
• Proposed dates, times, and duration;
• Locations requested;
• Crew size and equipment list;
• Lighting and power requirements;
• Proof of insurance;
• Any special considerations or requests.

Requests should be submitted with a minimum of three-weeks advance notice to allow
time for review.

Review and Approval

Requests are reviewed by Museum staff for alignment with Museum policies,
conservation standards, and operational capacity.

• Approval may include specific conditions or restrictions.
• A filming agreement or permit will be required.

Fees & Charges

Commercial filming fees will apply based on:

• Scope and location of filming;
• Duration of shoot;
• Museum staffing requirements; and
• Any additional services required.

Fees will be communicated upon application review.

Credits and Use of Name

• Any on-screen or written credit using the Museum of Dufferin or the County of Dufferin name must be approved in advance.
• Any on-screen or written credit using staff names or titles must also be approved of in advance.
• The Museum may request a courtesy credit and/or a copy of the final product for archival or promotional purposes.

Non-Compliance

Failure to comply with this policy or with directions from Museum staff may result in:

• Immediate cessation of filming;
• Revocation of permission;
• Denial of future filming requests; and/or
• Financial responsibility for damages or additional costs.