Ohio Film & Photography Production Services & Camera Crews
Are you a media company, brand, ad agency or production company looking for film / photography production support or shooting crew in Ohio? Contact us for trusted fixers, producers, directors, DoPs, videographers, photographers, and full shooting crews tailored for the specific needs of your project.
Filming in Ohio
For an introduction to shooting in Ohio see below notes on film locations, permits, when to shoot, unique local stories, costs, tax incentives, crews, talent, equipment, communications, art department, studios, post facilities, visas and work permits for filming, transport, film-friendly accommodation, and safety advice.
Ohio Film Locations
Ohio is a midwestern state located on Lake Erie. Film locations include modern city skylines, rust belt locations, working factories, universities, museums, arts and sport venues, quaint small towns, and Amish country looks with green rolling hills, forests, streams, farmhouses, and covered bridges.
Agricultural film locations include farms that produce dairy products, corn, tomatoes, soybeans, and apples. Ohio mines coal, gas, petroleum, salt, and limestone. Major industries include aerospace and defence, bioscience, healthcare, insurance, financial services, automobile, iron and steel, and rubber and plastics manufacturing. Energy locations include coal and natural gas fired power plants, as well as nuclear plants.
Ohio has hosted productions including Bones and All (2022), The Fate of the Furious (2017), The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017), Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), The Avengers (2012), The Ides of March (2011), The Shawshank Redemption (1994), The Silence of the Lambs (1991), Rain Man (1988), and The Deer Hunter (1978).
Columbus, located in the centre of the state, is the state capital and largest city. Film locations include the Ohio Statehouse, Thomas J. Moyer Ohio Judicial Center, Ohio Theatre, Southern Theatre, Columbus Museum of Art, Center of Science and Industry, Ohio History Center, National Veterans Memorial and Museum, Central Ohio Fire Museum, Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. Ohio State University campus buildings of note include University Hall, William Oxley Thompson Memorial Library, Wexner Center for the Arts, Knowlton Hall, Value City Arena, and Ohio Stadium.
Cleveland is located in the northeast of the state on the shores of Lake Erie. It is known for its neoclassical architecture, museums, universities, concert and sport venues. Film locations include the Cleveland Clinic, Rock n Roll Hall of Fame designed by I. M. Pei, Museum of Contemporary Art, Cleveland Museum of Art designed by Rafael Viñoly, Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Great Lakes Science Center, International Women’s Air & Space Museum, Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage, Crawford Auto Aviation Museum, Cleveland Grays Armory Museum, Buckland Museum of Witchcraft and Magick, Public Square, Terminal Tower building, Cleveland Trust Company building, Severance Hall, Public Auditorium, Connor Palace, West Side Market, The Arcade, City Hall, Cuyahoga County Courthouse, Cleveland Public Library, St Theodosius Russian Orthodox Cathedral, Cathedral of Saint John the Evangelist, USS Cod Submarine Memorial, Steamship William G. Mather, Port of Cleveland, Cleveland Harbor West Pierhead Lighthouse, abandoned Warner and Swasey Observatory, Cleveland Botanical Garden, Lake View Cemetery, Progressive Field, Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, FirstEnergy Stadium, and Jack Thistledown Racino horse racing track. Case Western Reserve University campus buildings of note include Adelbert Hall, Haydn Hall, Maltz Performing Arts Center, and Peter B. Lewis Building designed by Frank Gehry. The Fate of the Furious (2017), Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), and The Avengers (2012) filmed in Cleveland.
Toledo is located on the western tip of Lake Erie. Film locations include Toledo Museum of Art, Toledo Glass Pavilion designed by Kazuyo Sejima, National Museum of the Great Lakes, Lucas County Courthouse, Toledo Botanical Garden, Fifth Third Field, and a coal-handling port.
Cincinnati is located in the southwest of the state on the Ohio River. It is known for its museums, universities, concert and sport venues. Roebling Suspension Bridge offers great shots of Cincinnati’s modern city skyline. Film locations of note include Cincinnati Music Hall, Union Terminal, Cincinnati City Hall, Aronoff Center, Carew Tower, Cincinnati Art Museum, Contemporary Arts Center by Zaha Hadid, National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, Taft Museum of Art, Cincinnati Fire Museum, Railway Museum of Greater Cincinnati, American Sign Museum, Isaac M. Wise Temple synagogue, Findlay Market, Cincinnati Observatory, Xavier University, Hughes High School, Krohn Conservatory, Spring Grove Cemetery, Great American Ball Park, Paul Brown Stadium, and TQL Stadium. University of Cincinnati campus buildings of note include Tangeman University Center, Vontz Center, Health Sciences Building, and Nippert Stadium. Cincinnati also has an unfinished subway tunnel that makes for an interesting film location. The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017), The Ides of March (2011), and Rain Man (1988) filmed in Cincinnati.
Dayton film locations include Dayton Arcade, National Museum of the US Air Force, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Schuster Performing Arts Center designed by César Pelli, Dayton Art Institute, America’s Packard Museum, Montgomery County Courthouse, and Sacred Heart Church.
Akron is known for the Akron Art Museum, Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens, Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, and Blossom Music Center.
Canton is known for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, William McKinley Presidential Library, MAPS Air Museum, and Canton Classic Car Museum.
Springfield is known for Clark County Heritage Center, and Frank Lloyd Wright’s Westcott House.
Oberlin College campus buildings of note include Bosworth Hall, Allen Memorial Art Museum, Peter B. Lewis Gateway Center, and Oberlin Conservatory of Music designed by Minoru Yamasaki.
Other beautiful university campuses of note include Kenyon College, Otterbein University, Antioch College, John Carroll University, and Miami University which featured in The Ides of March (2011).
Amish towns of note include Berlin, Charm, Fredericksburg, Millersburg, Sugarcreek, Walnut Creek, and Winesburg.
Covered bridges of note include Smolen Gulf Bridge, Harpersfield Covered Bridge, Bridge of Dreams, State Road Covered Bridge, Benetka Road Covered Bridge, Everett Covered Bridge, and Middle Road Covered Bridge.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994) filmed in locations including Butler, Mansfield, Upper Sandusky, Lucas, Ashland, and Bellville.
The Deer Hunter (1978) filmed in Cleveland, Mingo Junction, Youngstown, Struthers, and Steubenville.
The Silence of the Lambs (1991), filmed in Bellaire.
Ohio State Reformatory, located in Mansfield, was filmed for The Shawshank Redemption (1994).
Plum Brook Station in NASA’s Glenn Research Center, located near Sandusky, was filmed for The Avengers (2012).
Armstrong Air & Space Museum is located in Wapakoneta.
Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center is located in Freemont.
James A. Garfield National Historic Site is located in Mentor.
The Ridges, formerly the Athens Lunatic Asylum, is located in Athens.
Longaberger Basket Building is located in Newark.
Zanesville Y-Bridge, located in Zanesville, offers unique aerial shots.
Kings Island is an amusement park located in Mason.
Cedar Point amusement park is located in Sandusky.
Marblehead Lighthouse is located in Marblehead.
Nature parks of note include Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Hopewell Culture National Historical Park, Wayne National Forest, Hocking Hills State Park, Maumee Bay State Park, Salt Fork State Park, John Bryan State Park, and East Fork State Park, to name a few.
Nuclear power plants include Perry Nuclear Generating Station, and Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station.
Ohio Film Location Permits
The permitting process varies depending upon what part of the state you are shooting in and the type of permit you require. In general, permitting is a quick, easy and inexpensive process. Please contact us for location specific information.
When To Shoot?
Ohio has a temperate climate with cold, snowy winters and mild summers. Temperatures drop the farther north you go.
Events of interest to filmmakers and photographers include:
• Columbus hosts the Ohio State Fair every July / August.
• September and October are the peak months for filming fall colors.
Public holidays may affect timing, availability and costs. See here for public holiday dates in the United States.
Unique Local Stories
Brands are looking for local stories that match their brand narrative. Our local teams are a great lead for sourcing those unique stories and characters.
If you are looking for stories for your next shoot, send us your brief and we will pitch you ideas.
If you have a unique story you would like to pitch to a brand anywhere in the world, pitch us your idea. We have well-established processes to ensure that your ideas are properly seen and protected.
Ohio Tax Incentives For Filming
Ohio offers an up to 30% refundable tax credit on qualifying local spend spend. Visiting productions must spend a minimum of $300,000 in-state. Eligible production types include commercials, digital media, documentaries, feature films, interactive games, interactive TV, interactive website, interstitial TV programming, long-form specials, mini-series, music video, pilot series, sound recording, trailers, and video games. See here for more information.
Ohio Film Crew & Talent
Crew. Ohio has a good pool of local film crew.
Contact us if you are looking for a Cleveland, Cincinnati, or Columbus based director, DP, photographer, videographer (cameraman / camera operator), camera assistant (focus puller), sound operator, grip, gaffer, stylist, hair and makeup, PA / runner, production driver, or any other film crew in Ohio.
Talent. The state’s population is predominately Caucasian and African American. Ohio is synonymous with blue collar workers, corn farmers, Amish communities, and hillbillies.
Ohio Film Equipment
Equipment. Ohio has some standard grip, lighting and camera gear for hire.
Communications. Communication is key. Our agility and global experience allows us to customise the right communications systems for every shoot.
Web posted casting, scouting, and videoconferencing.
For clients that are unable to attend set we offer a virtual video village solution. This dedicated and secure high-resolution video streaming platform allows clients from one or multiple timezones to view setups without compromise and to participate in real-time with the team on set. Separate systems can be set up for the discrete conversations that are required to make a job run right. Working remotely with our local teams reduces your content production costs, turnaround times, carbon footprint, and risks associated with unpredictable global events.
Ohio Studios & Post Production
Studios. Ohio has several studios to choose from.
Ohio Film-Friendly Accommodation
Please contact us for recommended film friendly hotels in Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus and other areas of Ohio. Hotels of note include:
The Kimpton Schofield Hotel, Cleveland
TownePlace Suites by Marriott Streetsboro
Marriott Cleveland East
Fairfield Inn & Suites in Streetsboro
Mohican State Park Lodge and Conference Center
Westin Cleveland Downtown
Final Notes
Safety. Ohio is a very safe and reliable place for foreign productions to shoot. See here for up to date travel advice.
Down Time. Eat! Cincinnati-style chili. Chocolate buckeyes. Beef-cheek pierogi.
Projects. For an example of TV commercials, stills campaigns, online content, corporate videos, virtual reality 360 content, feature films, TV series and documentaries shot in Ohio, please see below:
Hire Ohio Production Support & Shooting Crew
If you are looking for a film or photographic production service company, line producer or fixer for your shoot in Ohio, please contact us.
If you are looking for a shooting crew for your shoot in Ohio, such as a director, DoP, photographer, videographer (cameraman / camera operator), camera assistant (focus puller), sound operator, grip, gaffer, stylist, hair and makeup, PA / runner, production driver, please contact us.
We are able to provide you with answers, references and bids quickly.
