Top 10 Tips for Filming Around the World
I've been lucky enough to film in many cities around the globe ranging from Toronto, Singapore, Sydney, Tokyo & Bangkok to name a few. With my job I've experienced both the pre-production and production phases of filming abroad and thought I would jot down some tips for anyone looking to do the same. Please note that these are just my personal views and experiences, these can vary depending on the project... Filming around the world sounds like a super glamorous job and indeed it is but it's not as easy as picking up a camera and jumping on a plane, there are a lot of factors both technical and admin related that need to be considered before you head off on any international trip. 1. Organise those Visas: It may sound like common sense but if you're planning on carrying out work in other countries you need to look into the requirement for work/travel Visas and different countries have a different sets of rules for working there. Australia in particular have several different Visa types that vary depending on whether you're filming a documentary or commercial for example whereas Singapore on the other hand does not require a Visa for British Directors or Camera Ops who are working for a short amount of time (note this may change over time). It's important that you research the different legislation in each country before you go as this will save any hassle later in the trip. The last thing you want is to arrive in another country with a shoot the next day and be denied entry after paying for all your flights. 2. Carnets - your equipment needs a passport too: if you're flying with a lot of equipment it's important to check it in and out of each country. A carnet is essentially a passport for the equipment, it's a legal requirement and ensures that people do not fly with equipment with the intention of selling it on in another country. Carnets can be organised through the Chamber of Commerce and are roughly £350. It is important that you get the Carnet stamped at each airport to save any import fines. It's taken very seriously by border force and a missing stamp could add delays and fines to your trip. 3. Travelling to several countries? Choose your camera wisely: If you're shooting 1 global video in several different countries it's important that it all looks the same aesthetically. There's no point shooting half of it on an Arri Amira and the other half on a Canon 7D as these have very different looks and will be very tough for your editor to colour match in post. If you're planning on hiring a camera in each country be advised that different countries have different cameras as standard also. For example, in Canada rental houses typically stock Sony F5 and F55 cameras as these are popular choice whereas in Singapore crew typically use ENG style cameras or higher end cameras like the RED Epic. It's important that you keep this consistent, if you're worried that you won't have the same camera for each shoot then add it to your carnet and take the same camera with you. This is a lot easier as all your settings remain the same, both record specs and operating specs like peaking, exposure, user buttons etc.
4. Things break- carry tools: when you're travelling from country to country you're really pushing your equipment to its limits. Like you the kit will be subject to different climates, transportation and no doubt quick operating on a budget tight schedule. In Sydney my dovetail baseplate jammed, one of the most vital pieces of kit for ensuring the camera stays on the tripod. With my leatherman utility tool I was able to remove the dovetail and temporarily attach the base plate to the bottom of the camera. This wasn't ideal as the camera & lens was so heavy it shouldn't have been relying on such a small base plate. Nevertheless it worked and we further secured the camera with rope when filming at heights. 5. Hot and steamy - looking after your lenses: when shooting in really humid conditions you need to allow time for your lens to acclimatise. It's no good taking it from an air conditioned hotel or car and into the humid atmosphere as the lens will just fog up. It usually takes half hour or so to clear so be sure to allow time for this on the shoot and carry a lens cloth, this should speed up the process. If possible keep the camera away from air con, this will also help. I tend to find storing kit in my bathroom the best resolution for this.
6. Use local crew to your advantage: when in a foreign country a really good tip is to use local crew, they are great for knowing their way around and know all the best places for getting good B-roll shots. They can advise you about a lot of things regarding shooting in their country, in the same way that we'd be able to advise them in ours. Before you go it may be a good idea to contact a fixer who can help you book kit & recommend good crew. Use them, that's what they're there for. Just make sure to be as clear as possible about what you want - sometimes there can be a language barrier. 7. Permits Permits Permits! Different countries have different rules and some are more lenient than others when it comes to filming. Work this all out before you go and apply for the appropriate permits if necessary. Some countries are easily offended by people filming them - it is considered rude and offensive and you don't want that. 8. Apple Pay isn't everywhere - don't rely on your credit or debit card: Especially in London we are so used to contactless & Apple Pay but when abroad it doesn't hurt to take tangible cash for getting taxis and paying for meals, tips etc. Once again this saves you time and running around for a cash point in an unknown place. 9. Recce's are a must: When you get to your shooting destination try and allow a day to recce your locations to avoid any unwanted surprises on the day of the shoot. That way you can walk onto location feeling comfortable on the day of the shoot. 10. Embrace it - Sometimes not everything will run as smoothly as you hoped but embrace it. Travelling the world is fun...filming around the world is even better.
