I'm planning on shooting a music video for an up and coming artist. It's a simple DV production with a decent sized cast. Will we need to acquire shooting permit to shot in a large metropolitan such as Detroit?

Contact your local film production office, they will clue you in on all the details. Usually the film commision is part of City Hall offices.

Don't quote me on it because I'm not 100% certain, but I don't believe permits are necessary when shooting in Detroit.

It's still, of course, a good idea to check.

Hope this helps.

Different rules in different cities. In Houston for instance, you need a police officer present, if you are shooting in the street. Otherwise, it's between you and the owner of the property. You need a permit to shoot in city parks...

As I said, check with the local film commision. If your city doesn't list a film commision, try city hall.