London is divided into 33 separate boroughs;  a local government district administered by a self-governing body which oversees this designated area.

Camden, Greenwich, Hackney, Hammersmith and Fulham, Islington, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, Lambeth, Lewisham, Southwark, Tower Hamlets, Wandsworth and Westminster are commonly referred to as the Inner boroughs and Barking and Dagenham, Barnet, Bexley, Brent, Bromley, Croydon, Ealing, Enfield, Haringey, Harrow, Havering, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Kingston upon Thames, Merton, Newham, Redbridge, Richmond upon Thames, Sutton and Waltham Forest as the Outer boroughs. Borough boundaries are marked on many A to Z maps.

The London boroughs are administered by London Borough Councils which are elected every four years. The boroughs are the principal local authorities in London and are responsible for running most local services in their respective areas, such as schools, social services, waste collection and roads.

Each London borough has its own Borough Film Service (BFS) that deals with filming requests for all locations managed by Local Authorities (e.g. streets, estates, commons, town halls, some schools, shopping and leisure centres etc.) Film London recommends that any production planning to conduct a shoot in a public area contacts the relevant Borough Film Service, as they can advise on permissions and procedure.

If you have the budget to hire a location scout or manager with a good working knowledge of London we strongly recommend you also do this. A location manager will find locations, negotiate with owners and agree contracts. They have a thorough understanding of the requirements of Local Authorities when seeking permission to film in public spaces and on the application process. Film London runs an Availability Service for location managers and scouts, so we are happy to make recommendations.

A sense of community is crucial to generate film activity in local areas - ensuring that the residents have been informed in advance about shoots, and also getting them directly involved in the film-making. Some local authorities pro-actively encourage residents from their district to apply for Borough Film Funds - schemes tailored to up-and-coming talent.

As well as encouraging filming across the capital, Film London also supports audience-driven projects in London's outer boroughs. The Outer Boroughs Pilot Fund provides viewing opportunities beyond mainstream commercial cinema - championing niche film festivals and clubs.