Frankfurt serves again and again as a backdrop for television and feature films. Whether "Tatort", "Schattenmann", "What a Man" or the Netflix series "Skylines"- the skyscrapers alone, but also the Römer, the Eiserne Steg and many other striking places in our beautiful city attracted more filmmakers to Frankfurt in recent years.
The Main metropolis has a variety of charming motifs to offer, from the glittering banking world with its skyscrapers to the charming ambience of the old town districts. Filmmakers can apply for filming permits at the Events Service Center of the Public Order Office (SCV). In 2022, 500 permits were issued, and similar numbers are expected for 2023. Filming times in Frankfurt average between two and eight weeks, with many shoots planned especially in the fall.
In addition to well-known motifs such as the Frankfurt skyline or Römerberg, film crews also like to use lesser-known locations such as Berger Straße, Alt-Sachsenhausen, Höchst Schlossplatz, Westhafen and Osthafen, and Schweizer Straße. Green spaces along the Main or in the Gallus-/Taunusanlage are also increasingly used as backdrops. Or hidden places are creatively transformed, for example the side entrance of the Alte Oper was turned into the entrance of a department store ("Alles ist Liebe") or the back exit of a cinema that no longer exists was transformed into an emergency exit in a fictional club on Schillerstraße ("Der Schattenmann").
Of course, filming in public spaces also involves interference with other users, which can occasionally lead to complaints. However, the SCV strives to balance the needs of productions with the interests of the public by providing alternative filming locations within the city limits. This helps keep complaints to a minimum.
Approval procedures in Frankfurt are generally straightforward and quick. Smaller projects receive permits within one to two business days. Larger projects may require additional involvement from police, fire protection, and transportation agencies. A general filming permit for two to three weeks costs 158 euros, while an annual filming permit costs 308 euros.
