Video Policy

This includes commercial filmmakers, news organizations, independent producers, and any other non-Middlebury-affiliated party who wishes to capture images or sound on Middlebury property. A Middlebury official from the Office of Communications and Marketing must approve, in advance, and accompany any person wishing to photograph or record on a Middlebury property. Contact Julia Ferrante for more information.

Hidden recording devices of any kind are prohibited.

Middlebury Facilities

Middlebury protects its name and landmarks from inappropriate commercial use but strives to cooperate with film and video producers desiring to use Middlebury facilities when it can be demonstrated that their activities serve Middlebury’s interest. Priority generally is given to those activities that can help support Middlebury’s educational mission.

Procedures

• All requests for filmmaking, videotaping, audio recording, or photography at Middlebury must be directed to the associate vice president for public affairs in the Office of Communications.
• Final approval for any location-filming request must come from the vice president for communications and marketing.
• Once approval has been granted, the Office of Communications and Marketing will be responsible for working with the production company and coordinating its efforts with all appropriate offices.

Guidelines for Commercial Work

Middlebury will consider the making of photographs, films, audio, and video recordings on campus for commercial purposes on the basis of the following guidelines:

• A production will be considered in terms of its size and complexity and to what degree it might disrupt classes and other normal campus activities.
• Anyone wishing to film, photograph, or record on campus must submit in writing detailed information about the proposed project, including the following:
  • Locations
  • Days and hours of shooting
  • Number of people involved in each day’s shooting
  • Type of activity to be filmed
  • List of equipment and vehicles used in connection with the filming
  • Sizes and composition of structures involved
  • Security and safety requirements
  • Estimate of film’s release date
• A walk-through of all proposed shooting locations must be conducted with an appropriate Middlebury representative at least 10 days in advance of the desired dates. After locations are given tentative approval, the production company must take part in an initial meeting with representatives of all the involved departments.
• Middlebury reserves the right to require production companies to make a damage deposit prior to the arrival of any production vehicles on campus. The damage deposit will be refunded in full when the shooting locations are inspected by Middlebury officials and found to be in satisfactory condition. Special arrangements can be made for small productions.
• Any representation of official Middlebury logos or seals must be approved in advance of production. Charges for usage of proprietary Middlebury photographic images must be negotiated with the Middlebury creative director. In addition, the production company will pay all incurred expenses such as those for electricians, food services, security, janitorial services, etc. Daily fees for setup days will be decided on a case-by-case basis.

Middlebury will prepare a letter of agreement, to be signed by the appropriate official of the production company and Middlebury’s vice president for communications and marketing.

A shoot will be considered confirmed when this contract has been signed by both parties. The contract must contain a hold-harmless clause approved by Middlebury. The production company must provide Middlebury with an insurance certificate, damage deposit, check for full amount of location fee, and signed contract at least 24 hours before setup begins. At that point, the conditions in the contract become operative.