Jordan Film & Photography Production Services & Camera Crews

Are you a media company, brand, ad agency or production company looking for film / photography production support or shooting crew in Jordan? Contact us for trusted fixers, producers, directors, DoPs, videographers, photographers, and full shooting crews tailored for the specific needs of your project.

Filming in Jordan

For an introduction to shooting in Jordan see below notes on film locations, permits, when to shoot, unique local stories, costs, tax incentives, crews, talent, equipment, communications, art department, studios, post facilities, visas and work permits for filming, transport, film-friendly accommodation, and safety advice.

Jordan Film Locations

The Kingdom of Jordan is best known for its wealth of historic and natural locations. The country has ancient cities, archaeological wonders, religious sites, nature reserves, desert landscapes, and seaside resorts.

Jordan is a popular destination for productions looking for a safer alternative to filming in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine, and Saudi Arabia.

The Jordan Valley, located along the border with Israel, doubles well for Afghanistan. The 280km King’s Highway heading south from Amman is one of the Middle East’s most scenic drives. Many of Jordan’s best locations are a short drive from Amman.

Agricultural film locations include plantations of wheat, barley, dates, olives, and figs. Industrial locations include phosphate and potash mines, as well as limestone and marble quarries. Energy locations include oil-fired power plants.

Jordan has played host to an array of Hollywood features including Dune (2021), Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019), Aladdin (2019), Under the Shadow (2016), The Martian (2015), Zero Dark Thirty (2012), Prometheus (2012), Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009), The Hurt Locker (2008), The Mummy Returns (2001), Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989), and Lawrence of Arabia (1962).

Film locations can be divided into the following governorates:

Amman

Amman is the capital, the largest city, and main film production centre where crew and equipment need to travel from. Parts of Amman look like Ramallah and other parts can be made to look like Baghdad. Film locations of interest include Amman Citadel, Roman amphitheater, Temple of Hercules, Ten Arches Bridge, and the Jordan Museum. Mosques of note include the Grand Husseini Mosque, King Abdullah I Mosque, and Abu Darwish Mosque. King Hussein Sports City is an interesting crumbling sport facility.

Qasr Al-Kharanah is a desert castle located 70km outside of Amman.

Umm ar-Rasas is an important archaeological site located 80km from Amman.

Madaba

The governorate of Madaba is located west of Amman.

The Dead Sea is 50km from Amman. Sitting at 400 meters below sea level, it is believed to be the site of five biblical cities Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim and Zoar (Bela). Lot’s Cave overlooks the Dead Sea.

The Christian city of Madaba is 40km from Amman. It is known for its 6th-century mosaic map of the Holy Land in the Greek Orthodox Church of St. George.

Mount Nebo Moses Memorial Church is located 30km from Amman. It is the presumed site of The Prophet Moses’ death and burial.

Machaerus, the hilltop citadel of Herod the Great is where John the Baptist was beheaded. It is located 70km from Amman.

Wadi Mujib Nature Reserve is known for its picturesque mountains, steppes, hot springs, and canyons.

Karak

Karak is located southwest of Amman.

Kerak Castle was built by the Crusaders.

Tafilah

Tafilah is located in the west of the country.

Dana Biosphere Reserve is known for its rocky cliffs and desert landscapes.

Balqa

Balqa is located northwest of Amman.

Salt, located 30km from of Amman, has doubled for Jerusalem.

Al Maghtas, the site revered as the place where Jesus Christ was baptized by John the Baptist, is located 60km from Amman.

Zarqa

Zarqa is located northeast of Amman.

Qasr Al-Hallabat and Quseir ‘Amra are desert castles is this area.

Nature locations include Shaumari Wildlife Reserve and Azraq Wetland Reserve.

Irbid

Irbid is located in the northwest of the country.

Umm Qais archaeological ruins, located 120 km from Amman, are not as well preserved as Jerash, but they do have stunning views of the Sea of Galilee and the Golan Heights.

Ajloun

Ajloun is located in the northwest of the country.

Ajloun Castle is a desert castle located 70km from Amman.

Jerash

Jerash is located in the northwest of the country.

Jerash is a well preserved Roman city located 50km from Amman. Locations of note include the Hippodrome, Temple of Artemis, Oval Plaza, Arch of Hadrian, South Theatre, Temple of Zeus, Jerash Amphitheatre, Northern Theatre, and Church of St Theodore.

Mafraq

Mafraq is located in the far northeast of the country.

The Blessed Tree of Al Buqayawiyya sits in a desert landscape.

Ma’an

This southeastern governorate has the harshest landscape and is the least populated region of Jordan.

Petra is the ancient city of the Nabataeans. Walking through the Siq gorge leads directly to the world famous stone-carved Treasury. On some nights, the Treasury is lit by 1500 candles. Other areas of note in Petra include the Monastery, Street of Facades, Royal Tombs, Colonnaded Street, and the Great Temple. Aladdin (2019), Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009), The Mummy Returns (2001), and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) filmed in Petra.

Shobak Castle was built by the Crusaders.

Aqaba

Aqaba is located in the southwest of the country.

The city of Aqaba, located on the Red Sea, offers sandy beaches, coral reefs and world class diving.

Wadi Rum (Valley of the Moon) is the land of the Bedouin and Lawrence of Arabia. It known for its outstanding desert landscapes of sand dunes, rock bridges, and canyons. Burdah Rock Bridge is a popular natural rock arch. Lawrence’s Spring is an ancient watering hole. Dune (2021), Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019), Aladdin (2019), The Martian (2015), Prometheus (2012), Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009), and Lawrence of Arabia (1962) were filmed in Wadi Rum.

Rum Farm offers interesting aerial photography of large green agricultural circles located in a harsh desert landscape.

Jordan Film Location Permits

Most public locations are free to permit. Filming b-roll around Amman usually takes no more than a day to permit. Shoots that require exclusive use of public space or large equipment setups take no more than a week to permit. Drone filming is possible but strictly controlled. Permits take around 2 – 3 weeks to process. Filming at refugee camps is highly restricted, so plenty of lead time is required. On the whole though, Jordan is a very film-friendly country. The Royal Film Commission is active in making sure your shoot is a safe, easy and inexpensive experience. Compared to other countries in the region, Jordan also offers relatively easy access to full military rental services.

The Jordanian Army has a unit that works frequently with films. As such visiting productions have access to a main battle tank, infantry fighting vehicles, armored personnel carriers, armored combat support vehicles, mine-protected vehicles, and light armored vehicles.

Please contact us for location specific information.

When To Shoot?

Jordan’s climate has regional variations with higher elevations experiencing cold winters and lower lying areas experiencing very hot summers. From March to May the weather is temperate and everything is green. June to August has the longest days for shooting although temperatures can get very hot in desert areas. September to November has cloudy, cooler weather. December to February can get very cold and rainy with snow a possibility. For monthly weather statistics please see here.

Festivals and events of interest to filmmakers and photographers include:

• Muharram, the start of the Islamic New Year, in the first month of the Islamic calendar.
• Aqaba Traditional Arts Festival, celebrating Bedouin culture, in February.
• Azraq Festival in February.
• Amman International Theatre Festival in March / April.
• Jordan Rally in May.
• Jerash Festival in July.
• Petra Desert Marathon in September.

It’s best to avoid filming during Ramadan as many services close during this period.

Public holidays may affect timing, availability and costs. See here for public holiday dates in Jordan.

Unique Local Stories

Brands are looking for local stories that match their brand narrative. Our local teams are a great lead for sourcing those unique stories and characters.

If you are looking for stories for your next shoot, send us your brief and we will pitch you ideas.

If you have a unique story you would like to pitch to a brand anywhere in the world, pitch us your idea. We have well-established processes to ensure that your ideas are properly seen and protected.

Costs & Tax Incentives

Costs. It’s all job specific but on average Jordan is at a similar price point to other service centres in the Middle East. Compared to Egypt for instance, key crew and talent in Jordan are more expensive but on the other hand public locations are free of charge. Supporting crew in Jordan are inexpensive. Hotels are much cheaper in Jordan than Egypt or UAE. Jordan is also overall less expensive and has less red tape than Israel. Equipment in Jordan is more costly as most of it needs to be brought in from abroad. Our Jordanian fixer / service producer will negotiate local deals and provide the appropriate level of production support to match every budget.

Tax Incentives. Jordan offers up to a 20% cash rebate on local spend for qualifying productions. This includes film production, TV production, radio production, commercials, photography, electronic games, animation, 2D or 3D. The cash rebate is in addition to the foreign productions exemption from the 16% sales tax.

Film Crew & Talent

Crews. Jordan has a small pool of local directors, videographers and stills photographers. Jordan has professional, internationally experienced crews that speak fluent English. Often visiting crews will bring in their own focus puller and clapper loader to ensure a more cohesive team. All other crew including a sound operator, grip, gaffer, hair and makeup, PA / runner, production driver, are available locally.

Contact us if you are looking for a director, DP, photographer, videographer (cameraman / camera operator), camera assistant (focus puller), sound operator, grip, gaffer, stylist, hair and makeup, PA / runner, production driver, or any other film crew for your shoot in Jordan.

Talent both union and non-union but mainly the latter.

Jordan offers mostly Arab looks ranging from Bedouins to Mediterranean looking talent. Its close proximity to other major European production centres allows easy access to those multicultural pools of talent should you ever need to look further.

Jordan has several talent agencies and street casting is also common.

Jordan Film Equipment

Equipment. Jordan offers complete grip and lighting kits but camera equipment needs to be brought in from abroad. Lebanon is the closest production centre an hour flight away. Dubai also has all of the standard and specialised equipment you might need for a shoot.

For productions intending to bring in equipment Jordan is not an ATA carnet country. Bringing in gear is an easy process. You provide a list of gear you are bringing in including serial numbers and the passport information on the crew member responsible for the gear. Our local fixer / producer arranges for an official to meet you at the arrival gate and take you through customs. Note for aerial drones, the government policy is that a representative of the army will collect your drone once you arrive, deliver it to set, and then return it to you at the airport when you leave.

Communications. Communication is key. Our agility and global experience allows us to customise the right communications systems for every shoot.

Web posted casting, scouting, and videoconferencing.

For clients that are unable to attend set we offer a virtual video village solution. This dedicated and secure high-resolution video streaming platform allows clients from one or multiple timezones to view setups without compromise and to participate in real-time with the team on set. Separate systems can be set up for the discrete conversations that are required to make a job run right. Working remotely with our local teams reduces your content production costs, turnaround times, carbon footprint, and risks associated with unpredictable global events.

Art Department, Studios, Backlots, & Post Production

Art department and set construction are skillful but tend to require creative guidance. There are some very talented Jordanian set designers as well as a great pool of impressive talent from Egypt and Iraq.

Studios. There are several smaller studios all based in Amman.

Post Production. Jordan offers basic post-production services but for more complicated work the closest places to post are Tel Aviv or Beirut which are both a short one hour flight away. Dubai also has sophisticated post production facilities.

Visas & Work Permits

There is no need for work permits. Film crews travelling to Jordan on western passports can obtain a visa on arrival at any point of entry except the Wadi Araba and King Hussein / Allenby Bridge land border crossings. Visas are valid for stays of up to 2 months.

Transport & Accommodation

Transportation Infrastructure is all up to known and expected world standards. Jordan is widely considered as having one the more developed transport infrastructures in the Middle East.

Accommodation. Recommended film friendly hotels in Jordan include:

Amman:
Four seasons
Grand Hyatt
Canyon Boutique Hotel

Aqaba (Red Sea):
Kempinski Hotel Aqaba Red Sea
Moevenpick Resort & Spa Tala Bay Aqaba

Please contact us for corporate rates.

For longer stays we can also organize serviced apartments.

Final Notes

Safety. See here for up to date travel advice.

Down Time. Head out to the desert and sleep in a Bedouin Camp.

Projects. For an example of TV commercials, stills campaigns, online content, corporate videos, virtual reality 360 content, feature films, TV series and documentaries shot in Jordan, please see below:

Hire Jordan Production Support & Shooting Crew

If you are looking for a film or photographic production service company, line producer or fixer for your shoot in Jordan, please contact us.

If you are looking for a shooting crew for your shoot in Jordan, such as a director, DoP, photographer, videographer (cameraman / camera operator), camera assistant (focus puller), sound operator, grip, gaffer, stylist, hair and makeup, PA / runner, production driver, please contact us.

We are able to provide you with answers, references and bids quickly.