Filming Abroad during COVID-19 Pandemic
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Where cameras are rolling now - updated February 15, 2021 |
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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 |
Pharma film | 30 pax indoors. No limits outdoors. |
Yes | Yes | Avatar director on set and remote stream to director / agency / client (25+ people connected) |
Open | Open to travelers with work visa, Covid neg test result w/in 72 hours before arrival and Covid medical insurance. |
Mauro argentina@productionservicenetwork.com |
Australia |
Now |
Domino's / |
None where social distancing and PPE are in place |
Yes | Yes |
Domino's / |
Open | Closed to all, including foreign nationals. |
Andrew australia@productionservicenetwork.com |
Austria | Now | L'Oreal Women of Worth / IQOS- Philip Morris branded content. |
None where social distancing and PPE are in place |
Yes | Yes | 1 x stream to director and stakeholders. 1 x stream to stakeholders w/ director on set. |
Open | Open to business travel from AU, FI, IE, IS, JP, KR, NO, NZ, UY, and the Vatican. Covid-19 neg. result req of others. Ban on fligths from BR, UK, ZA. |
Ivan austria@productionservicenetwork.com |
Brazil | Now | Visa UK / Pearson / Corona beer film / Wooshii / Impact |
20 pax on set. Others in rotation & holding space. |
Yes | Yes | Corona beer, Lego, Pearsons. | Open | Open with Covid-19 neg & Ancine permit requiring 5 working days. Closed to travelers from (or having spent past 14 days in) UK, ZA. |
Daniel brazil@productionservicenetwork.com |
Bulgaria | Now | TVCs for 2 Heineken brands | None | Yes | Yes | Tech ready & tested |
Open |
No restrictions |
Christopher bulgaria@productionservicenetwork.com |
Now | 9 US client TVCs for car, food, homecare, and pharma products. Also episodic series. |
50 | Yes | Yes | 6 with director onset and agency/client remote +3 with director/agency/ client remote. |
Open | Yes for US director & producer with 14-day quarantine at arrival in Canada. Restrictions vary for other countries. |
Mathieu canada@productionservicenetwork.com |
|
Now | Bid & Prep | 50 pax on set with space. Others in rotation & holding space. |
Yes | Yes | Tech ready & tested |
Partial |
Neg PCR test |
Ana Luz chile@productionservicenetwork.com |
|
China | Now |
Canada Goose TVC / |
None | Yes | Yes | Canada Goose / Oppo Reno 4 | Partial | Closed | Tiger china@productionservicenetwork.com |
Colombia | Now | Corona beer film / Banco Popular / Alpina / ETB / Didi |
50 | Yes | Possible | Corona beer film streamed to director/agency/ client. ETB streamed to agency/client. |
Open | Open | Juan Pablo colombia@productionservicenetwork.com |
Costa Rica | Now | Bid & Prep | 50 | Yes | Yes | Tech ready & tested |
Open | Open w/ Covid medical insurance (locally available) |
Luis V. costarica@productionservicenetwork.com |
Croatia | Now | TVCs x 6, incl Starodvorie |
None | Yes | Yes | Tech ready & tested |
Open | Open | Ivan P. croatia@productionservicenetwork.com |
Cuba | Now | Bid & Prep |
50 |
Yes | Yes | Tech ready & tested |
Open | Open w/ 5-day hotel quarantine. PCR testing done on arrival. |
Luis L. cuba@productionservicenetwork.com |
Czech Republic | Now | Bid & Prep | None | Yes | Yes | Tech ready & tested |
Open | Open to Covid-19 negative |
Petr czechrepublic@productionservicenetwork.com |
Denmark | Now | Audi TVC / HBO doco |
Varies | Yes | Yes | Tech ready & tested |
Partial | Open to Covid-19 negative |
Mikkel denmark@productionservicenetwork.com |
Egypt | Now | Cono Snacks / Rusky |
None | Yes | Yes | Cono Snacks stream for EU director & post |
Open | Open, PCR test w/in 72 hours of arrival. |
Amin egypt@productionservicenetwork.com |
France | Now | Bid & Prep | None | Yes | Yes | Tech ready & tested |
Open | Schengen closed. 7-day quarantine and Covid neg test result required for all travelers.. |
Nico france@productionservicenetwork.com |
Germany | Now | 12+ TVCs & 2 feature films |
None | Yes | Yes | Tech ready & tested |
Open |
Open with |
Helmut germany@productionservicenetwork.com |
Greece | Now | TVC for BT Sport / UNICEF |
1 pax per 4 m2 |
Yes | Possible | Remote stream to director, producer, agency, and client. |
Open | Open w/ 7-day quarantine. Click here for details. |
Andreas greece@productionservicenetwork.com |
Hungary | Now | Bid & Prep |
None |
Yes | Yes | Tech ready & tested |
Open | Open to business visa holders. Persons with symptoms may face 10-day quarantine upon entry and require double Covid-19 neg. results. |
Zoltan hungary@productionservicenetwork.com |
Iceland | Now | HP TVC + 3 x drama series |
50 pax on closed set. Others in rotation & holding space |
Yes | Yes | HP TVC | Open | Open w/ test-driven quarantine. Covid-19 test upon arrival & 5 days later. Double neg result lifts quarantine. |
Beggi iceland@productionservicenetwork.com |
India | Now | Durex TVC 3 x TVC: Unilever and Marico home products, ITC food product. Snapchat. |
None | Yes | Possible | Snapchat streamed to director / producer & agency / client. TVC streamed to agency / client. | Open | Neg. Covid test req. for entry. Quarantine of 7-14 days. |
Roopak india@productionservicenetwork.com |
Ireland | Now | TVC for global alcohol brand / Covid lead for The Last Duel, Ridley Scott feature film. |
None | Yes | Yes w/ some restrictions on private, indoor spaces, |
Live stream to agency and client. Director on set |
Open for filming. |
Covid neg req'd w/in 72 hrs prior to arrival. Open to EU 'green zone' w/out restriction. 14-day quarantine for UK, ZA, and many LATAM countries. 5-day quarantine for others w/ Covid neg result to lift restriction. |
Dara ireland@productionservicenetwork.com |
Israel | Now | Industrial |
20 outdoors, |
Yes | Yes | Tech ready & tested |
Open to production with permit. |
Closed. | Meirav israel@productionservicenetwork.com |
Italy | Now |
Film & stills |
None | Yes | Possible | Stream to EU director, DOP, agency, client for supermarket and household product TVCs / US stream for Nike |
Open |
Open with |
Luca italy@productionservicenetwork.com |
Jordan |
Now |
Feature film |
None |
Yes | Yes | Tech ready & tested |
Open |
Special permit req |
Johnny jordan@productionservicenetwork.com |
Lithuania |
Now |
Bid & Prep |
None. |
Yes | Yes | Tech ready & tested |
Open | Open to all EU & EEE countries. Some restrictions for BE, NL, UK. Others 14-day quarantine |
Ramojus lithuania@productionservicenetwork.com |
Malaysia |
Now |
Bid & Prep | 20 | Yes | Indoor only | Tech ready & tested |
Open to filmmakers |
Open with 10- to 14-day quarantine |
Pete malaysia@productionservicenetwork.com |
Mexico |
Now |
Random House / Stella Artois. 31+ days filming in total. |
Varies | Yes | Yes | Stream to director/agency/ client for Stella TVC |
Open | Open by air | Ari mexico@productionservicenetwork.com |
Netherlands | Now | Bid & Prep | 100 | Yes | Possible | Tech ready & tested |
Open | Closed | Maarten netherlands@productionservicenetwork.com |
New Zealand | Now | Bid & Prep | None | Yes | Yes | Tech ready & tested |
Open | Open to filmakers with 14-day quarantine |
Iris newzealand@productionservicenetwork.com |
Norway | Now | Oreo | 50 | Yes with 10 pax limit | Yes with 10 pax limit |
Tech ready & tested |
Open | 10-day quarantine |
Eirik norway@productionservicenetwork.com |
Peru | Now but limited to 10-hr day and only talent aged 18-65. |
Bid & Prep | None | Yes | No | Tech ready & tested |
Closed | Closed | Alejandro peru@productionservicenetwork.com |
Philippines | Now in provinces with low virus spread. |
Bid & Prep | 50 | Yes | Yes | Tech ready & tested |
Open | Open only to Philippine resident or w/ business/work visa issued before pandemic. Exceptions possible for large-scale, weeks-long productions allowing 30+ days for gov't approval |
Stefano philippines@productionservicenetwork.com |
Poland | Now | 8 foreign and 4 domestic client shoots Swisscom. |
None | Yes | Yes | Streaming in most all projects during pandemic. |
Open | Open with 10-day quarantine for EU travelers. Other nationals req work permits w/ excessive processing time. |
Julia poland@productionservicenetwork.com |
Portugal | Now | Toyota commercial / 3-week feature film shoot. |
None | Yes | Yes | Tech ready & tested | Partial |
Open to EU/ |
James portugal@productionservicenetwork.com |
Romania | Now |
Xiaomi / Penny / Emag/ |
None | Yes | Yes |
Streaming to |
Open |
Special permit |
Giuliano romania@productionservicenetwork.com |
Serbia | Now | None | Yes | Yes | Deliziosa TVC | Open | Open | Georgiana serbia@productionservicenetwork.com |
|
Singapore | Now | Lego film | 30 | Yes | Yes | Lego | Open | Closed | Pete malaysia@productionservicenetwork.com |
South Africa | Now | TVCs for Coca-Cola / Unilever product / food product |
75 | Yes | Possible | Stream to UK director and Chicago agency for Unilever. Stream to SE director and NL agency for int'l beverage. Stream to UK director and US agency for food product. |
Open | Open | Jon southafrica@productionservicenetwork.com |
South Korea | Now | Instagram influencers / Shopee boy band film. |
None | Possible | Possible | Korean boy band | Open to filmmakers |
Open with special permit approval. |
Kimi southkorea@productionservicenetwork.com |
Spain | Now | TVC for Mastercard / American Airlines, Ford, Robitussin, Captain Birdseye, Sensodyne, Doritos, Abbott. Stills & online for Camper. BTS iviews of Below Deck series. German TV series Love Island w/ 350 crew & cast - no Covid cases. |
None. Bubbles and rotation on set the norm. |
Yes | Yes | Stream from set to director in US for 1 x TVC and 1 x BTS iviews. Stream to agency/client in the US / UK for 7 TVCs. |
Open to |
Open entry |
Lyndsay spain@productionservicenetwork.com |
Sweden | Now | Multiple car TVCs |
50 | Yes | Possible | Tech ready & tested |
Partial | Partial | Joakim sweden@productionservicenetwork.com |
Thailand | Now | Diesel, Vodafone, & Trocaire TVCs/ Doco shoot / 3x studio features slated for Q1-2 2021. |
None | Yes | Yes |
The 5th Wave |
Open | Double COVID-19 neg + 14-day quarantine & tracking app. |
Fred thailand@productionservicenetwork.com |
Turkey | Now | Unilever TVC/ pharma TVC / Belgium series |
None | Yes | Yes | Remote stream to agency & client |
Open | Open | Chad turkey@productionservicenetwork.com |
UAE | Now | LG / EXPO / Emarate |
None | Yes | Yes | Stream to director for EXPO film |
Open | Open to Covid-19 negative |
Shane uae@productionservicenetwork.com |
UK | Now |
Motion & stills |
Varies | Yes | Possible | McDonald's / Puig / XTB |
Commercial production continues. Productions feasible in a tier 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 zone. |
All incoming |
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 | Varies | Yes | Possible | Tech ready & tested |
Open | Partial | Andres uruguay@productionservicenetwork.com |
USA East & West | Now (pause recommended in LA County) |
Porsche / Stella Artois |
Varies | Yes | Possible | TVCs streamed to director/agency /client |
Partial | Open to travelers with a work visa that have not been in countries on the exclusion list 14 days before entry. |
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 | Open to travelers with a work visa that have not been in countries on the exclusion list 14 days before entry. |
Michael S. usa-florida@productionservicenetwork.com |
USA Hawaii | Now | Project with drone | None | Yes | Yes | Tech ready & tested |
Yes. Must board with Covid neg done w/in 72 hours of departure or quarantine 10 days. |
Open to travelers with a work visa that have not been in countries on the exclusion list 14 days before entry. |
Ric usa-hawaii@productionservicenetwork.com |
Vietnam | Now | TVCs for Unilever / P&G / Mead Johnson / Airis |
None | Yes | Yes | 3 x TVC remotely streamed to director, agency, and client in multiple countries. |
Open | Closed | Chi-Minh vietnam@productionservicenetwork.com |

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)
Media coverage and industry webinars
- KFTV - Covid Alternatives and Doubling Locations
- Little Black Book - Pause or Pivot: Productions in Southern California
- CNBC - What will happen to your favorite shows? PSN provides industry insights for an in-depth report
- KFTV - From jungles to outer space: How PSN productions have filmed during Covid
- Little Black Book - Lockdown But Not Out: How Work Visas Are Keeping Production Going
- Little Black Book - 2020 Trends: The Year Production Service Pivoted
- Little Black Book - Moving Mountains: How 2020 Accelerated Virtual Production's Challenge to the Green Screen
- 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