Utah 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 Utah? Contact us for trusted fixers, producers, directors, DoPs, videographers, photographers, and full shooting crews tailored for the specific needs of your project.
Filming in Utah
For an introduction to shooting in Utah 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.
Utah Film Locations
Utah is a Mountain West state famous for its Mormon culture and vast otherworldly red rock landscapes, snow-capped mountains, sand dunes, canyons, lakes, rivers, contemporary architecture, and infinity roads ideal for car commercials.
Agricultural film locations include cattle ranches, as well as farms that produce hay, wheat, barley, and corn. Utah mines copper, gold, silver, molybdenum, zinc, lead, and beryllium. Energy locations include coal and natural gas fired power plants, as well as solar farms.
Utah has hosted a long list of productions including Hereditary (2018), The Lone Ranger (2013), Big Love (2006-2011), The Tree of Life (2011), Star Trek (2009), Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (2007), Lord of War (2005), Jurassic Park III (2001), Mission: Impossible II (2000), Mission: Impossible (1996), Independence Day (1996), Forrest Gump (1994), Thelma & Louise (1991), Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989), Romancing the Stone (1984), Jeremiah Johnson (1972), Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), Planet of the Apes (1968), and Once Upon a Time in the West (1968), to name a few.
Film locations can be divided into:
Northern Utah
The north of the state is known for its cities, ski resorts, and lakes.
Located on the shores of the Great Salt Lake, Salt Lake City is the state capital, the largest city, and Utah’s main production centre. Salt Lake City is the world headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Salt Lake Temple is home to the Tabernacle Choir. Film locations include the Utah State Capitol building, Salt Lake City and County Building, Governor’s Mansion, Salt Lake Assembly Hall, Salt Lake City Council Hall, Salt Lake City Public Library designed by Moshe Safdie, The Depot, Eccles Theater, Conference Center, Church History Museum, Pioneer Memorial Museum, Family History Library, The Leonardo, First Presbyterian Church of Salt Lake City, Cathedral of the Madeleine, Salt Lake Cemetery, Liberty Park, Red Butte Garden, This is the Place Heritage Park, and Vivint Arena, and Salt Lake City International Airport. University of Utah campus buildings of note include Kingsbury Hall, Utah Museum of Fine Arts, Natural History Museum of Utah, Jon M. Huntsman Center, and Rice–Eccles Stadium. Nearby Bingham Canyon is an open-pit copper mine.
Provo is home to the Provo Utah Temple, Provo City Center Temple, and Brigham Young University campus. BYU buildings of interest include the BYU Life Science Museum, Franklin S. Harris Fine Arts Center, LaVell Edwards Stadium, and Peaks Ice Arena.
Ogden film locations include Historic 25th Street, Union Station, and Hill Aerospace Museum. Ogden hosted productions including Sick (2022), Yellowstone (2018-), Con Air (1997), and Dumb and Dumber (1994).
Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple is located in Spanish Fork.
Utah is home to some of the best ski resorts in the United States. Ski resorts of note include Park City, Deer Valley, Snowbird, Alta, Snowbasin, Powder Mountain, Powder Mountain, Solitude Mountain, Beaver Mountain, Brighton, and Sundance. Utah Olympic Park has a ski jumps and a bobsled-luge track, as well as a High Diving Institute training facility with a 20 meter and 27 meter diving platform.
Bonneville Salt Flats are one of the best locations in the world for filming dry and wet salt flats. The flat open expanse makes it a popular location for land speed record attempts. The Tree of Life (2011), Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (2007), Con Air (1997), and Independence Day (1996).
Bear Lake is a beautiful location with turquoise waters.
Historic Wendover Airfield featured in Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (2007), Lord of War (2005), Jurassic Park III (2001), Con Air (1997), and Independence Day (1996).
Southern Utah
The south of the state is famous for its spectacular red rock landscapes and national parks.
Zion National Park is a spectacular landscape of mountains, canyons, buttes, mesas, monoliths, rivers, slot canyons, and natural arches. The park is home to desert bighorn sheep, cougars, desert tortoises, peregrine falcons, and a diversity of birdlife. Romancing the Stone (1984), Jeremiah Johnson (1972), and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969).
Monument Valley is known for its vast landscapes of red sandstone buttes. Westworld (2016-), The Lone Ranger (2013), Mission: Impossible II (2000), Forrest Gump (1994), 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), and Once Upon a Time in the West (1968) filmed in Monument Valley.
Arches National Park, located outside of Moab, is home to over 2,000 natural sandstone arches including the iconic Delicate Arch. Thelma & Louise (1991), and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) filmed in Arches National Park.
Canyonlands National Park, located outside of Moab, is a vast landscape of canyons, mesas, and buttes. Wildlife of note includes black bears, cougars, bobcats, coyotes, foxes, elk, bats, desert bighorn sheep, and a diversity of birds. Thelma & Louise (1991) filmed in Canyonlands National Park.
Dead Horse Canyon State Park, located outside of Moab, overlooks the Colorado River. Westworld (2016-), The Lone Ranger (2013), Mission: Impossible II (2000), Mission: Impossible (1996), and Thelma & Louise (1991) filmed in Dead Horse Canyon State Park.
Capitol Reef National Park is known for its roads that pass through beautiful landscapes of cliffs, towers, domes, and arches.
Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument is known for its canyons, sandstone arches, and rock spires. One of the largest monuments in the United States, much of the park is only accessible by foot.
Bryce Canyon National Park is famous for its sprawling landscape of crimson-colored hoodoos which are dusted with snow in the colder months.
Valley of the Gods is a scenic sandstone valley. Forrest Gump (1994), and Thelma & Louise (1991) filmed in the Valley of the Gods.
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area includes Lake Powell where Planet of the Apes (1968) was filmed.
Goblin Valley State Park is known for its thousands of mushroom-shaped hoodoos.
Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park is known for its pink-hued sand dunes and red sandstone cliffs.
Cedar Breaks National Monument is known for its hoodoos and pine trees.
Snow Canyon State Park featured in Jeremiah Johnson (1972), and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969).
The Pando Grove (Trembling Giant) in the Fishlake National Forest is one of the largest living single organisms in the world.
San Rafael Swell featured in Star Trek (2009).
Other nature parks of note include Dixie National Forest, Bears Ears National Monument, Sand Hollow State Park, Goosenecks State Park, Natural Bridges National Monument, Quail Creek State Park, Wasatch Mountain State Park, Anasazi State Park Museum, Red Cliffs National Conservation Area, and Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area.
Thelma & Louise (1991) also filmed Cisco, Thompson Springs, and Valley City.
Grafton is a ghost town that featured in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969).
Utah 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. Special permits are required for federal, state and tribal lands. Proof of insurance is required. Please contact us for location specific information.
When To Shoot?
Utah has a semiarid to arid climate, so be sure to plan for a dry climate. Higher elevations receive plenty of winter snowfall.
Events of interest to filmmakers and photographers:
• Sundance Film Festival in January.
• Freestyle World Cup Ski Races takes place in Deer Valley in January.
• Golden Spike Reenactment takes place in Promontory in May.
• The Latter-Day Saints celebration of Pioneer Day on 24th of July.
• Deer Valley Music Festival in July / August.
• Speed Week at the Bonneville Salt Flats in August.
• Utah State Fair takes place in Salt Lake City in September.
• The Moab Jeep Jamboree in October.
• World Senior Games takes place in St George in October.
• Bison Roundup takes place in Antelope Island State Park in October / November.
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.
Utah Tax Incentives For Filming
Utah offers qualifying productions up to 25% tax credit or cash rebate on in state spend. Visit the Utah Film Commission for more information.
Utah Film Crew & Talent
Crew. Utah has a small pool of locally based filmed crews. Salt Lake City is the main production service center.
Contact us if you are looking for a Salt Lake City, Moab, or Cedar City 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 Utah.
Talent. Utahns are predominately Caucasian. Film characters associated with Utah include Mormons, park rangers, and outdoorsy types such as skiers, mountain bikers, and rock climbers.
Utah Film Equipment
Equipment. Standard camera, grip and lighting equipment available locally. More specialised equipment needs to be brought it.
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.
Utah Film-Friendly Accommodation
Please contact us for recommended film friendly hotels in Salt Lake City, Moab, Cedar City and other areas of Utah. Hotels of note include:
Sorrel River Ranch Resort & Spa, Moab
Hyatt House Downtown, Salt Lake City
Final Notes
Safety. Utah is a very safe and reliable place for foreign productions to shoot. See here for up to date travel advice.
Down Time. Skiing, rock climbing, mountain biking, kayaking… Utah is paradise for all lovers of the great outdoors. If you’re filming near Kanab in the south of the state, stop into the Wild Thyme Cafe for a delicious meal.
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 Utah, please see below:
Hire Utah Production Support & Shooting Crew
If you are looking for a film or photographic production service company, line producer or fixer for your shoot in Utah, please contact us.
If you are looking for a shooting crew for your shoot in Utah, 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.
