Filming Abroad during COVID-19 Pandemic
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At a time when travel restrictions, social distancing, and hygiene precautions reshape our industry, PSN is doubling up its efforts to remain your one-stop shop for trusted shoot support worldwide. Borders are opening up gradually to permit the traveling in of directors, producers, stakeholders, and talent to select film hubs. International shoots are underway worldwide thanks to remote film production with our production service Partners in 50 territories.
Click to read about approaches to remote film production our PSN Partners have executed before and during the pandemic.
Click to consult budgetary considerations when preparing a production brief and bid to film abroad during the pandemic.
Click to review safety measures PSN Partners are taking to uphold client, talent, and crew confidence in live action filming abroad.
Click / scroll to view and up-to-date list of major film hubs where cameras are rolling and within what parameters.
Don't hesitate to ask us for further details.
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Where cameras are rolling now - updated September 14, 2020 |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Territory | Live Action Filming from | Covid-19 Experience | Crew/cast pax limit | Studio shoot | Location shoot | Remote streaming |
Domestic Travel | Foreign inbound travel | Contact |
| Argentina |
Now |
Bid & Prep | 20 | Yes | Yes | Tech ready & tested |
No | No | Mauro argentina@productionservicenetwork.com |
| Australia |
Now |
Domino's / Queensland Toursim |
Varies | Yes | Yes | Domino's / Queensland Toursim |
Partial | Closed | Andrew australia@productionservicenetwork.com |
| Austria | Now | Bid & Prep | 100 | Yes | Yes | Tech ready & tested |
Open | Open only to EU and UK. Covid-19 neg. req. of ES, SE, PT, RO, BG. Closed to others. |
Ivan austria@productionservicenetwork.com |
| Brazil | Now | Visa UK / Pearson | Varies | Yes | Possible | Tech ready & tested |
Partial | Open with Ancine permit. 5 working days to process. Covid-19 neg. recommended. |
Daniel brazil@productionservicenetwork.com |
| Bulgaria | Now | TVCs for 2 Heineken brands | None | Yes | Yes | Tech ready & tested |
Open | Open to EU, Schengen, UK, Canada, Australia, NZ. Covid-19 neg. test required of others. |
Christopher bulgaria@productionservicenetwork.com |
| Now | 6 TVCs for car, food, and homecare products. |
50 | Yes | Yes | 4 US projects w/ director on set and remote stream to agency/client. 2 US projects w/ remote stream to director/agency/ client. |
Partial |
14-day |
Mathieu canada@productionservicenetwork.com |
|
| Now | Bid & Prep | 50 | Yes | Yes | Tech ready & tested |
Closed | Closed | Ana Luz chile@productionservicenetwork.com |
|
| China | Now |
Oppo Reno 4 |
None | Yes | Yes | Oppo Reno 4 | Partial | Closed | Tiger china@productionservicenetwork.com |
| Colombia | Now | Banco Popular / Alpina / ETB |
50 | Yes | Possible | ETB streamed to agency & client |
By land only. No flights. |
Closed | Juan Pablo colombia@productionservicenetwork.com |
| Costa Rica | Now | Bid & Prep | 40 | Yes | Possible | Tech ready & tested |
Partial | Partial | Luis V. costarica@productionservicenetwork.com |
| Croatia | Now | Bid & Prep | 40 | Yes | Yes | Tech ready & tested |
Open | Open | Ivan P. croatia@productionservicenetwork.com |
| Cuba | Future TBD date |
Bid & Prep | 10 | Yes | Possible | Tech ready & tested |
Open | Closed | Luis L. cuba@productionservicenetwork.com |
| Czech Republic | Now | Bid & Prep | 300 | Yes | Yes | Tech ready & tested |
Open | Open to Covid-19 negative |
Petr czechrepublic@productionservicenetwork.com |
| Denmark | Now | Bid & Prep | Varies | Yes | Yes | Tech ready & tested |
Partial | Open to Covid-19 negative |
Mikkel denmark@productionservicenetwork.com |
| Egypt | Now | Cono Snacks | None | Yes | Yes | Cono Snacks for EU client |
Open | Open | Amin egypt@productionservicenetwork.com |
| France | Now | Bid & Prep | 50 | Yes | Yes | Tech ready & tested |
Open | Open to EU and JP, KR, AU, NZ, TH, CA, DZ, GE, ME, MA, RW, RS, TN, and UY. China possible if reciprocal. Closed to red zone countries. |
Nico france@productionservicenetwork.com |
| Germany | Now | Bid & Prep | None | Yes | Yes | Tech ready & tested |
Open |
Open to EU. |
Helmut germany@productionservicenetwork.com |
| Greece | Now | NGO film | Varies | Yes | Possible | NGO film for Euro client |
Open | Open w/ select tests upon arrival. |
Andreas greece@productionservicenetwork.com |
| Hungary | Now | Bid & Prep | None | Yes | Yes | Tech ready & tested |
Open | Open to business visa holders only. Double Covid-19 neg. req'd during 5-day period, one in Schengen zone, US, or Canada, and the other in Hungary |
Zoltan hungary@productionservicenetwork.com |
| Iceland | Now | Bid & Prep | 200 | Yes | Yes | Tech ready & tested |
Open | Open to Covid-19 negative + tracing app. |
Beggi iceland@productionservicenetwork.com |
| India | Now | Snapchat project + 3 x TVC: Unilever and Marico homeproducts, ITC food product | None | Yes | Possible | Snapchat streamed to director / producer & agency / client. TVC streamed to agency / client. | Open | Closed | Roopak india@productionservicenetwork.com |
| Ireland | Now | TVC for global alcohol brand |
Varies | Yes | Yes | Live stream to agency and client. Director on set |
Open | Open to MT, FI, NO, IT, HU, EE, LV, LT, CY, SK, GR, GL, GI, MC, SM. 14-day quarantine for others |
Dara ireland@productionservicenetwork.com |
| Israel | Closed | Bid & Prep | None | No | No | Tech ready & tested |
Restricted | Closed | Meirav israel@productionservicenetwork.com |
| Italy | Now |
Film & stills |
Varies | Yes | Possible | EU stream for household product / US stream for Nike |
Open |
Open to |
Luca italy@productionservicenetwork.com |
| Lithuania |
Now |
Bid & Prep |
Unlimited crew. |
Yes | Possible | Tech ready & tested |
Open | Open to AT, BE, BG, HR, CY, CZ, DK, EE, ES, FI, FR, DE, GR, HU, IS, IT, LV, LI, LU, MT, NL, NO, PL, RO, SK, SI, CH, UK. Others 14-day quarantine |
Ramojus lithuania@productionservicenetwork.com |
| Malaysia |
Now |
Bid & Prep | 20 | Yes | Yes | Tech ready & tested |
Open | Closed | Pete malaysia@productionservicenetwork.com |
| Mexico |
Now |
Random House | Varies | Yes | Yes | Tech ready & tested |
Open | Open by air | Ari mexico@productionservicenetwork.com |
| Netherlands | Now | Bid & Prep | 30 | Yes | Possible | Tech ready & tested |
Open | Closed | Maarten netherlands@productionservicenetwork.com |
| New Zealand | Now | Bid & Prep | None | Yes | Yes | Tech ready & tested |
Open | 14-day quarantine |
Iris newzealand@productionservicenetwork.com |
| Norway | Now | Bid & Prep | 50 | Yes | Yes | Tech ready & tested |
Open | Open to Scandinavia. Others 10-day quarantine |
Eirik norway@productionservicenetwork.com |
| Peru | Now | Bid & Prep | None | Yes | No | Tech ready & tested |
Open | Closed | Alejandro peru@productionservicenetwork.com |
| Poland | Now | TVCs for bank and pharma |
None | Yes | Yes | Pharma shoot for Euro client | Closed | Open to EU. | Julia poland@productionservicenetwork.com |
| Portugal | Now | Int'l streamer shoot |
None | Yes | Yes | Streamer in UK | Open | Open to EU and JP, KR, AU, NZ, TH, CA, DZ, GE, ME, MA, RW, RS, TN, and UY. China possible in case of reciprocity. USA possible with work permit. Closed to other red zone countries. |
Marko portugal@productionservicenetwork.com |
| Romania | Now | Lidl / Penny / Orkla Foods / P&G Always |
None | Yes | Yes | Lidl / Penny / Orkla Foods / P&G Always |
Open |
Open to |
Giuliano romania@productionservicenetwork.com |
| Serbia | Now |
Italian cheese |
None | Yes | Yes | Italian cheese product TVC |
Open | Open | Georgiana serbia@productionservicenetwork.com |
| Singapore | Now | Bid & Prep | 30 | Yes | Yes | Tech ready & tested |
Open | Closed | Pete malaysia@productionservicenetwork.com |
| South Africa | Now | TVCs for Unilever product / Int'l beverage | 50 | Yes | Possible | Stream to UK director and Chicago agency for Unilever. Stream to SE director and NL agency for int'l beverage. |
Partial | Closed | Jon southafrica@productionservicenetwork.com |
| South Korea | Now | Bid & Prep | None | Yes | Possible | Tech ready & tested |
Open | 14-day quarantine |
Kimi southkorea@productionservicenetwork.com |
| Spain | Now | Bid & Prep | Varies | Yes | Possible | Tech ready & tested |
Open |
Open to EU |
Celia spain@productionservicenetwork.com |
| Sweden | Now | Bid & Prep | 50 | Yes | Possible | Tech ready & tested |
Partial | Partial | Joakim sweden@productionservicenetwork.com |
| Thailand | Now | Diesel / Doco shoot |
50 | Yes | Possible | The 5th Wave for Columbia Pictures |
Partial | Open to KR, CN, JP, SG, HK. Double COVID-19 negative test and tracking app required of others. Addl. 14-day quarantine + special permit for pandemic red zones. |
Fred thailand@productionservicenetwork.com |
| Turkey | Now | Bid & Prep | None | Yes | Yes | Tech ready & tested |
Open | Open | Chad turkey@productionservicenetwork.com |
| UAE | Now | LG / EXPO | None | Yes | Yes | Stream to director for EXPO film |
Open | Open to Covid-19 negative |
Shane uae@productionservicenetwork.com |
| UK | Now | Bid & Prep | Varies | Yes | Possible | McDonald's | Open | Open to much of Europe and beyond. Click here for list of countries. |
Carly uk@productionservicenetwork.com |
| Ukraine | Now | Kaspi Bank | 50 | Yes | Yes | Stream to agency / client in KZ |
Open | Open | Dmitry ukraine@productionservicenetwork.com |
| Uruguay | Now | Toyota stills | 23 | Yes | Possible | Tech ready & tested |
Partial | Partial | Andres uruguay@productionservicenetwork.com |
| USA East & West | Now | TVC for Porsche |
Varies | Yes | Possible | Tech ready & tested |
Partial | Open to Japan | Eric usa-eastwest@productionservicenetwork.com |
| USA Florida | Now |
TVCs for gaming, banking, and retail. |
Varies | Yes | Possible | Director on set w/ stream to agency & client. |
Open | Partial | Michael S. usa-florida@productionservicenetwork.com |
| USA Hawaii | Now | Bid & Prep | Varies | Yes | Yes | Tech ready & tested |
Partial | Partial | Ric usa-hawaii@productionservicenetwork.com |
| Vietnam | Now | TVCs for Unilever / P&G / Mead Johnson |
None | Yes | Yes | Stream to P&G director, agency, and client in SG. Stream to Unilever director in TH, agency in SG, clients in IN Stream to director in Hungary, clients & agency in Philippines |
Open | Closed | Chi-Minh vietnam@productionservicenetwork.com |
PSN Partners update this table regularly. Reach out to discuss with Production Liaisons in your time zone or directly to our production service Partners for more details on their latest. We’re here to provide you with the ground truth from the production trenches in 50 major film hubs worldwide. And execute your project safely in the most suitable locations.
Industry organizations on COVID-19 measures, impact, and relief
- Association of Independent Commercial Producers (AICP)
- Advertising Producers Association (APA)
- Producers Guild of America (PGA)
- Producers Alliance for Cinema and Television of UK (PACT)
- The Production Guild
- Location Managers Guild International (LMGI)
- Association of Film Commissioners International (AFCI)
- Independent Film and Television Alliance (IFTA)
Industry articles and webinars cover Coronavirus
- Produzen - Foreign Production Services: Shooting Around the Global Pandemic
- Little Black Book - Industry Upended: How Creative Is Adapting to Production
- PACT - Filming Abroad During the Covid-19 Pandemic
- Screen Daily - Production experts talk new Covid-19 realities, pushing shoots to 2021
- Shots - The advertising industry's clash with coronavirus
- Shots - Five Questions from Quarantine - Michael Moffett
- Little Black Book - The Show Must Go On: Don’t Let Coronavirus Put the Brakes On
- The Location Guide - Coronavirus pandemic affects productions
- KFTV - Production Service Network MD’s work tips during COVID-19
- PSN Blog - Coronavirus Boost to Remote Film Production