Local service guide
Photography and Videography in Burnaby: Hiring Guide
For Photography and Videography in Burnaby, choose a provider whose portfolio matches your business project, then agree on deliverables, usage rights, editing and location access before paying a deposit. Assign responsibility for checking filming requirements and handling applications. For projects covered by its filming guidelines, the City requires a filming request and deposit at least five working days before filming, with additional notice for larger projects. [1]
Choose a provider for the work you need
Write a brief around the business task: staff portraits, product photographs, a property presentation or event coverage. Describe the audience and where you intend to use the finished material. Ask candidates to show a complete project with similar lighting, subjects and delivery requirements. Review consistency across the work instead of choosing from a few portfolio highlights.
For photography, specify the subjects, essential views and level of retouching. For videography, describe the finished piece, interviews, sound recording and captions you need. If you want both, ask who handles each role and how the crew will cover moments that happen at the same time. Record the names or roles of the people attending in the agreement.
Ask for evidence of the applicable business licence as part of screening. The City says businesses in Burnaby require a valid licence and distinguishes resident businesses from non-resident businesses operating temporarily in the city. Assess photographic skill through the portfolio and project discussion as a separate step. [3]
Make the quote specific enough to compare
Ask providers for itemized quotes based on the same shot list, location, schedule and delivery deadline. Request separate amounts for preparation, on-site coverage, editing, additional crew, travel and location expenses. Have each provider identify taxes, optional extras and the circumstances that would trigger an additional charge.
Define what you receive: the number of edited photographs, video duration, file formats and delivery method. Agree on revision rounds and the charge for extra editing. Specify whether you need print files, website files or multiple video versions. Ask whether the provider includes raw photographs, footage or project files if you need them.
Describe usage rights in writing, including advertising, your website, printed materials and sharing with partner businesses. Agree on any restrictions, credit requirements and the provider's permission to display the work. For interviews or identifiable participants, assign responsibility for collecting permissions. Record cancellation, rescheduling, overtime and payment terms.
Confirm approvals before committing to a location
Give the Burnaby Film Office a description of the proposed filming, location, crew, equipment and use of public space. Ask which requirements apply to your project before accepting permit costs in a quote. The City's filming guidance requires requests and deposits at least five working days ahead; larger projects need additional notice. Its Film Office contact number is 604-294-7314. [1]
For filming under those guidelines, the City requires liability insurance documents at least five days before filming. It specifies $5 million coverage, the City as an additional insured and other policy conditions. Ask the provider to have their broker check the City's requirements and identify who will submit the certificate. [1]
Check the property manager's approval route when considering a regional location. Metro Vancouver publishes its own filming application process and identifies a filming coordinator at 604-432-6322. Confirm who manages the exact site before assuming a City application covers it. [4]
Budget for municipal filming costs
Burnaby lists a production application fee of CAD 500 plus tax and a minimal-impact application fee of CAD 250 plus tax. Both are non-refundable. The City asks applicants to contact the Film Office for minimal-impact details, so confirm eligibility before using the lower amount in your budget. [1]
Ask the provider to explain additional location and City-service costs. Burnaby lists an on-location permit charge of CAD 100 plus tax per filming day, prices parks and facilities by quote, and adds a 20% administration charge to City services, with a student waiver. The Film Office determines final fees and applicable taxes for each production. [1]
Plan cash flow for deposits as well as fees. The City lists damage deposits of CAD 5,000 for parks and CAD 10,000 for buildings, while stating that the Film Office decides final amounts from the project specifics. It refunds deposits minus City service charges after filming. Specify who pays the deposit, receives the refund and handles deductions. [1]
Prepare the site and agree on delivery
Assign a contact who can unlock rooms, coordinate staff and approve changes on the day. Share loading instructions and building restrictions with the crew. Walk through interview spaces to identify interruptions, and prepare products or rooms before the booked coverage begins. Agree on an alternative location or rescheduling plan for outdoor work.
At Burnaby Village Museum, fit coverage around the rental window. The venue lists fixed Church rental slots and a summer-only Outdoor Pavilion, with setup and teardown allowances for the pavilion. It requires commercial general liability insurance for City facility rentals and directs filming enquiries to the City's filming page. Confirm that your booking permits the access and activity you intend. [2]
Set a review date and name one person to consolidate feedback. Ask how long the provider retains delivered files and how you can obtain replacements. Before accepting the job as complete, check filenames, image selections, video sound, captions and the agreed versions. Save your own copies of the final delivery.
Burnaby's published filming application fees
Local details that affect your job
Drone and parking plans need advance submissions
Burnaby requires drone-work submissions five business days ahead, including a film application, flight path and the Transport Canada-approved operator's licence and paperwork. Street-parking requests need six business days and must include an application and map with dates and times. If aerial footage or reserved curb space matters to your project, assign these submissions before confirming the schedule. [1]
Tram Plaza needs a different backdrop plan
In its notice retrieved October 12, 2026, Burnaby Village Museum says landscape renovations have closed Tram Plaza rentals until after fall 2026. Ask the venue to confirm reopening before including that space in the shoot brief. Choose another approved space if the venue cannot confirm access for your date. [2]
Match the booking to the project
| Project | What to clarify | Planning decision |
|---|---|---|
| Staff portraits | Individual portraits, group shots, retouching and intended uses | Agree on a staff schedule and consistent visual brief. |
| Interview-based video | Sound recording, captions, revisions and finished versions | Approve the interview location and delivery scope before booking. |
| City-location filming | Applicable Film Office requirements, fees and insurance | Confirm the approval route and allow at least five working days for the request and deposit. |
| Drone footage | Operator paperwork, flight path and City submission | Assign the submission required five business days ahead. |
| Museum event coverage | Rental window, filming approval and backdrop access | Confirm access and an alternative to Tram Plaza while its rental closure remains in effect. |
Your hiring checklist
- Prepare a shot list with essential subjects, locations and intended business uses.
- Request comparable quotes with coverage, editing, revisions and extras itemized.
- Review a complete relevant project and confirm who will attend.
- Assign responsibility for checking location access, approvals and insurance.
- Separate provider charges, municipal fees and refundable deposits in the budget.
- Agree on usage rights, participant permissions and portfolio use.
- Confirm cancellation terms, delivery dates and file retention.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a business licence tell me whether a photographer is suitable?
Use licence checks to verify business requirements, then assess suitability through relevant work and a written brief. Burnaby requires valid business licences for businesses operating in the city and publishes resident and non-resident categories. Ask the provider which licence applies to their operation. [3]
Do the City's filming rules apply to a small photo session?
Burnaby's filming guidance does not specify a blanket permit requirement for ordinary still-photo sessions. Describe your exact activity to the location manager and, for filming questions, the Burnaby Film Office. Confirm requirements before treating production fees or insurance limits as part of a portrait quote. [1]
Can I use the published application fee as the total filming budget?
Budget for the complete approved scope. Burnaby lists separate application, on-location and City-service charges, plus damage deposits. The Film Office determines final fees and applicable taxes for each production. Ask for an itemized estimate and identify which deposits you may recover. [1]
Who handles permission at a Metro Vancouver location?
Metro Vancouver publishes a separate filming application route and coordinator contact for its locations. Confirm the exact site's manager and ask the provider who will coordinate that application. Include the answer in your agreement before committing to the location. [4]
Sources and scope
This guide combines the sources below with practical planning guidance. Figures apply to the stated geography and period; request a written quote for your property.