On-Site Filming and Professional Photography

Purdue University Archives and Special Collections (ASC) welcomes the inclusion of collections in film, television, Internet, and social media productions; however, the ASC reserves the right to refuse permission to film or photograph its collections. As an academic research library ASC priority is to provide collection access and instruction to student and scholarly researchers and to ensure the preservation of the unique and irreplaceable materials in the collections.

To protect collections from damage during filming and photography sessions, ASC requires observance of the following policies and guidelines.

Filming Requests

Requests for filming and professional on-site photography must be made at least two weeks in advance.  More advance notice may be required for sessions involving large numbers of items, special preparation, or when personnel or facilities may be unavailable to meet the terms of the request.

A list of persons that will be present for the filming is required in advance. ASC will not be responsible fiscally or otherwise for any inconvenience or liability to the schedule, deadlines, or obligations of camera and filming crews. 

An ASC staff member will attend filming and photography sessions. The crew should always stay with the staff member. Due to limited staffing resources, all film or photography sessions will be limited to two hours unless agreed upon by the Head of ASC prior to the site visit.

All filming requests related to Neil Armstrong must first obtain permissions and licensing from CMG Worldwide. The contact is Azadeh Sinai Samimi, azadeh@cmgworldwide.com, 310-651-2000, extension 17.

Locations

Filming is only permitted in the public spaces of Archives and Special Collections. No filming in closed storage areas is allowed. Times for filming may be limited to avoid disruption to researchers’ quiet study. The ASC reading room is regularly open for research weekdays from 10:00am to 4:30pm; as a result, scheduling filming between 8:00am to 10:00am before public hours is preferred. All filming must be completed before 4:30pm.

Filming building exteriors and other university locations and grounds is allowed; however, permission and registration are required. For permission contact Purdue Marketing and Communications.

Purdue University is a smoke free campus and smoking is only permitted in designated areas away from campus buildings. All building security, inspection, clearance and safety procedures must be followed.

Registration

All crew members are required to register as a researcher and upon arrival will be provided a visitor pass that they must wear at all times during the session. Crew members are required to adhere to all patron guidelines.

No food, chewing gum, candy, drinks, pens, markers or other items that can cause damage to collections are allowed in Archives and Special Collections.

Collections Handling and Placement

Only approved Archives and Special Collections staff will handle and position collection items during filming/photography sessions. Collection materials may not be used as props, stands, or supports for other items, nor may they be positioned in such a way as to cause potential or real stress or damage. Documents must not be marked in any way, including use of sticky notes or other adhesives.

Identifying Items to Film

Visitors are responsible for identifying the materials you wish to request to film. ASC cannot conduct research on your behalf beyond the typical orientation to collections provided to all patrons.

Requests for items to film must include the collection name, box number, folder number, and item title or description. Requests must be submitted at least two weeks before filming. Staffing limitations prohibit retrieval of additional items on the day of filming. It is only feasible for staff to safely handle up to 5 documents within one hours’ filming time. Please keep this in mind and prioritize the items you would like to film first.

Privacy and Noise

Photographers/filmmakers will secure permission from researchers, staff, and/or members of the public prior to photographing/filming them or disseminating images of individuals in the location.

Every effort will be made to reduce noise that may disrupt researchers’ quiet study in Archives and Special Collections spaces. Cell phones should be turned off or set to vibrate and voices should be kept at low volumes.

Lighting and Equipment

All apparatus and equipment proposed for filming is subject to approval by ASC. All equipment bags and other containers must be placed into provided lockers.

Lamps must not raise the surface temperature of collection materials or the room environment beyond levels appropriate to the safety of collection materials. Maximum duration of continuous lighting will be determined by Archives and Special Collections staff.

Quartz and mercury lamps are not permitted due to the risks of high temperature, UV light exposure, and light intensity to the stability of collections. All lamps must have wire screening shields. Lamps should be turned off when not in use. No lights or equipment may be clamped to any fixed furnishings.

Should power overloads or other malfunction result in erratic electrical behavior, blown building fuses, overheating cables, or other potential danger, the session will be terminated immediately. 

Social Media

ASC reserves the right to mention the filming session, including the subject matter in social media the day before, during, or after the program airs or premieres. The film company/producer agrees to accept that a photograph can be taken by ASC staff at the time of filming for such use.

Credits

A credit line will accompany each still photograph or film, as follows: Courtesy of Purdue University Archives and Special Collections. A final copy of the photographs/film or related product will be provided, at no charge, to Archives and Special Collections.

Agreement to Terms

Requestors for filming and professional on-site photography must sign and return a copy of these policies to Purdue Archives and Special Collections. A downloadable PDF of the agreement is available at http://www.lib.purdue.edu/sites/default/files/spcol/filming-and-professional-photography-agreement.pdf.