Rent a prison by the hour in Philadelphia, PA

Prisons are one of the most difficult environments to recreate for a film shoot. They include a lot of props in a large building. And unlike most authentic sets, getting permission to film in a prison is not so simple. You have to secure legal releases and will likely be limited to small areas of the prison due to security concerns. Some prisons, especially maximum security facilities, may not allow filming at all.
Fortunately, Philadelphia is one of the most film-friendly cities in America. There are several ways to create a film using an authentic prison atmosphere. You can stage your video shoot in an actual film-friendly prison or you can rent time at a set designed to look like one. Both options have advantages and disadvantages yet both are more cost effective and flexible than trying to design your own prison set from scratch!

Philadelphia's long history as an important American city means there are former prisons here that are no longer in use. The first is the Holmesburg Prison, built in 1898. It was operating until 1995 and has been featured in several motion pictures, including Condition Red and The Law Abiding Citizen. Holmesburg Prison is owned by the city government and is available for private film productions of all kinds.
Another film-friendly prison in Philadelphia is the Eastern State Penitentiary. It was the world's first penitentiary; a facility designed to induce penance or regret in its inmates. It's held 85,000 people over its long history, including famous criminals like Al Capone and Slick Willie" Sutton.
Eastern State was shut down in 1975 and operates now as a museum and cultural landmark. It's open after regular hours for filmmaking and photography, with rental rates by the hour. They offer a solid list of guidelines to follow and also offer site technicians to assist with any electrical issues during your shoot.

If you don't want to work in an actual prison or penitentiary, you still have options! Philadelphia production studios often design sets that look like authentic prisons, hospitals, banks, and other prop-heavy locations. The advantage of working in a prison set is that you have far more creative freedom and fewer legal hoops to jump through. Prison sets can be booked faster and include all of the amenities filmmakers need, including easy access to power and lighting sources.