Real estate photography and video in New York, with permits filed first

A New York building shoot depends on MOME, the NYPD and crowded airspace long before anyone presses record, so we clear all three before we fly the crew in.

Book a strategy call Cinema-grade production

Handheld cameras and tripods may shoot from a New York sidewalk without a permit while at least eight feet of walkway stays open. Bigger setups, and every drone takeoff, need paperwork with real lead times. We plan those first, then arrive with the RED, ARRI and DJI Inspire 3 equipment we own. Rates for cinema-grade production sit on pricing.

Book a strategy call Cinema-grade production

MOME permits handledNYPD drone permits filedRED, ARRI and Inspire 3 ownedRenderings labeled as visualizations

Written by TERAMOK's production crew for New York owners, brokers and sponsors. Permit rules re-read 3 October 2026.

A New York building film, shot by shot

Five shots almost every New York launch asks for, and the approval each depends on. Select a number.

Taking off or landing a drone anywhere in the city needs an NYPD permit under 38 RCNY chapter 24. Apply at least 30 days ahead, or 14 for some eligible applicants, with a $150 fee and liability cover of $2 million per occurrence and $4 million aggregate. Notice goes up within 100 feet of the takeoff site, and the community board is told. The pilot also needs FAA Part 107 authorization.
Once equipment beyond hand-held devices or production vehicles come out, a MOME permit applies. The fee is $500 for each consecutive 14-day period, and the insurance certificate must reach the Film Office 48 hours before the online application.
No permit is needed for hand-held cameras, and MOME counts tripods as hand-held, provided we do not claim exclusive use of a lane and leave eight feet, or half the sidewalk if wider, for pedestrians.
Private roofs are cleared by the owner in writing; the city plays no part. We scout the sun angle first, because in late May and mid July the sunset lines up with the cross streets of the Manhattan grid.
Model units and amenity floors need only the owner's consent. We schedule around residents and trades. Every shoot is insured.

When New York light suits a building shoot

Our planning view, month by month. Taller bars mark the months we prefer for exteriors; it is judgment, not a weather statistic.

Short days, favor interiorsWorkable with planningBest for exteriors

Late May and mid July

Manhattanhenge, when the sunset aligns with the grid along 14th, 23rd, 34th, 42nd and 57th Streets. Crowds follow it, so street permits get booked early.

June to August

Long evenings give a generous blue-hour window. We hold skyline plates for the clearest mornings of the week.

September and October

Our favorite stretch for exteriors: a lower sun, softer shadows and park trees still green.

December to February

Early sunsets. We book model units, amenities and twilight exteriors that can wrap by late afternoon.

Kirill Samarits, Founder and CEO of TERAMOK — Kirill SamaritsFounder and CEO

In New York, the crew that files first gets the shot

The best frame in a New York building film is often decided a month ahead, when the drone application goes in. Miss that window and the hero shot becomes a ground-level compromise.

As a photographer I still care most about light. Here that means choosing the cross street, the season and the hour before choosing a lens.

Because our crew travels from Chicago, every New York day is permitted and insured before the flight is booked. That discipline costs far less than a reshoot.

What a New York production with us includes

One crew and one schedule, from permit filings to the final color grade.

The permit file

MOME applications, the NYPD drone permit, insurance certificates and the community board notice, tracked against your launch date.

Cameras we own

RED and ARRI cinema bodies and a DJI Inspire 3, so the look of your film does not depend on what a rental house has free that week.

Pre-construction visuals

Hyper-realistic renderings and walkthroughs built from your architect's plans, always labeled as visualizations.

Progress films

From the first concrete pour, our crew films real construction, which buyers and lenders trust more than any rendering.

Editorial photography

Architecture images to a standard ArchDaily has published, ready for press kits and design awards.

Cuts for every channel

Vertical edits for social, a site hero loop, broker presentation cuts and a full brand film from one shoot.

Questions about shooting in New York

Not for hand-held cameras or tripods that leave eight feet of sidewalk open and claim no exclusive use of a street. Lights, dollies, cranes or parked production vehicles trigger a MOME permit.

Yes, with an NYPD takeoff and landing permit submitted 30 or more days before the flight, FAA Part 107 authorization and $2 million per occurrence liability cover. Sites near the city's three airports need extra airspace planning.

Five to six weeks if the film includes aerials, because of the NYPD lead time. Ground-only shoots with a MOME permit can come together in about two weeks.

A building film with us is priced from $15,000 to $50,000; shoot days, aerials and edit count set where it lands. Travel for the Chicago crew is listed separately in the scope, so nothing is hidden in the day rate.

Yes. We create renderings and walkthrough films from the architect's plans and every frame carries a visualization label. Once construction starts, we switch to filming the real thing.

Sources

Lock your New York shoot window

Send the address and your shot list. Permit deadlines set our calendar, so we plan backward from your launch.

Book a call

+1 (312) 838-1826 · info@teramok.us