Denmark 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 Denmark? Contact us for trusted fixers, producers, directors, DoPs, videographers, photographers, and full shooting crews tailored for the specific needs of your project.

Filming in Denmark

For an introduction to shooting in Denmark 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.

Denmark Film Locations

Denmark is a small Scandinavian country consisting of the Jutland peninsula, and an archipelago of 443 islands. The country is known for Copenhagen, palaces, churches, museums, islands, forests, windswept coastlines, and Viking history.

Agricultural film locations include farms that produce barley, wheat, rye, oats, sugar beets, potatoes, and dairy products. Fishing trawlers are available for filming. Denmark mines oil and natural gas. The country is home to a number of significant engineering and high-technology firms, within the sectors of industrial equipment, aerospace, robotics, pharmaceuticals, and electronics. Energy locations include thermal fired power plants, and wind power plants.

The country has hosted films including Speak No Evil (2022), Another Round (2021), Tenet (2020), The Rain (2018-2020), The Danish Girl (2015), The Amazing Race 25 (2014), Nymphomaniac: Vol. I (2013), The Bridge (2011-2018), The Amazing Race 19 (2011), and Dancer In The Dark (2000).

Film locations of interest can be divided into the following regions:

Region Hovedstaden 

The capital region of Denmark is located in the east of the country.

Copenhagen, located on the islands of Zealand and Amager, is Denmark’s capital and largest city. It is known for its modern and period architecture, narrow cobblestone streets, green spaces, canals, and lakes. Copenhagen is a hub for Scandinavian film and TV productions. Its proximity to southern Sweden also makes it a gateway to filming in that part of the world.

Neighborhoods of note include Nyhavn, Freetown Christiania, Vesterbro, Kødbyen, Nørrebro, and Christianshavn.

Government buildings include Christiansborg Palace, Copenhagen City Hall, and Frederiksberg Courthouse.

Palaces include Amalienborg Palace, Christiansborg Palace, and Rosenborg Castle.

Religious locations include Grundtvig’s Church, Frederik’s Church, Church of Our Saviour, and Copenhagen Cathedral.

Rundetårn is a 17th-century tower.

Museums of note include Glyptoteket, National Museum of Denmark, National Gallery of Denmark, Thorvaldsen Museum, Danish War Museum, Designmuseum Denmark, Natural History Museum of Denmark, Danish Jewish Museum designed by Daniel Libeskind, ARKEN Museum of Modern Art, Cisternerne, Ordrupgaard, Workers Museum, and Louisiana Museum of Modern Art.

The Royal Library is one of the largest libraries in the world.

Entertainment venues include DR Koncerthuset designed by Jean Nouvel, Tivoli Concert Hall, Copenhagen Opera House, Royal Danish Theatre, Royal Danish Playhouse, Stærekassen, Vega, Pantomime Theatre, and Danish Architecture Center.

Sport venues include Parken Stadium, and Brøndby Stadium. Amager Bakke is a power station with a rooftop ski slope designed by Bjarke Ingels.

Funparks include Tivoli Gardens, and Dyrehavsbakken.

Gardens of note include Botanical Garden, Frederiksberg Gardens, and Superkilen Park.

National Aquarium Denmark is a modern structure.

Tuborgflasken is an observation tower that looks like a giant beer bottle.

Brøndby Garden City offers otherworldly aerials of community gardens built in a utopian circular arrangement. 

Transport locations include Øresund Bridge, Drogden Tunnel, Copenhagen Metro, Copenhagen Central Station, and Copenhagen Airport.

Outside of Copenhagen, the Hovedstaden Region film locations include:

Roskilde is known for Roskilde Cathedral, Roskilde Convent, Roskilde Palace, Roskilde Former City Hall, Roskilde Museum, Ragnarock Museum, and Viking Ship Museum. Roskilde hosts the Roskilde Festival.

Helsingør is known for Kronborg Palace, M/S Maritime Museum of Denmark, and Danish Museum of Science and Technology.

Frederiksborg Palace is located in Hillerød.

Frederikssund Vikingeboplads is a reconstructed Viking village.

Bornholm is an island in the Baltic Sea, known for its round churches and windmills.

Region Sjælland

This central region is located on Zealand Island.

The landscape varies from North Sea sand dunes in the west, through to beautiful lakes and idyllic inlets in the east.

Aarhus is Denmark’s second largest city. Film locations include Aarhus City Hall, Dokk1, Old Town, Aarhus Theatre, Aarhus Concert Hall, Aarhus Cathedral, Isbjerget, ARoS Aarhus Kunstmuseum, Moesgaard Museum, Gender Museum Denmark, Occupation Museum, Aarhus Stadium, Port of Aarhus, Aarhus Central Station, and Aarhus Airport. Aarhus University Hospital has a collection of nearly 10000 brains from deceased psychiatric patients.

Samsø Labyrinten is located in this part of the Jutland peninsula.

Camp Adventure Observation Tower is located in Rønnede.

Nysted Wind Farm is an offshore wind farm that was filmed for Tenet (2020).

Great Belt Bridge connects the islands of Zealand and Funen.

Region Nordjylland

This northern region is located on the Jutland Peninsula.

Aalborg is the largest city in this region. It is known for its heavy industry shipyard and cement factories. Film locations include the modernist Aalborg Tower, Jens Bang’s Stonehouse, House of Music, Utzon Center designed by Jørn Utzon, Kunsten Museum of Modern Art Aalborg designed by Alvar Aalto, Aalborg Historical Museum, Aalborg Defence and Garrison Museum, Port of Aalborg, Aalborg Railway Station, and Aalborg Airport.

Voergaard Castle is located on the North Jutland Peninsula.

Grenen is Denmark’s most northernmost point where waves from two seas collide.

Rubjerg Knude Lighthouse is slowly being swallowed by shifting sand dunes.

Region Midtjylland

This central region is located on the Jutland Peninsula.

Møn’s Cliff and Stevn’s Cliff are dramatic chalk cliffs on the Baltic Sea.

Falster, Lolland and Møn are rustic islands in this region.

Region Syddanmark

This southern region is located on the Jutland Peninsula.

Odense is Denmark’s third largest city. Film locations include Odense City Hall, Odense Palace, Odense Theater, Odense Concert Hall, St Canute’s Cathedral, St Alban’s Church, Møntergården, Funen’s Art Museum, Hans Christian Andersen Museum, Danish Railway Museum, Odense Bunker Museum, Odense Stadium, Odense Station, and Hans Christian Andersen Airport.

Esbjerg is known for Esbjerg Performing Arts Centre designed by Jørn Utzon, Esbjerg Water Tower, Men at Sea Statues, Esbjerg Railway Station, and Esbjerg Airport.

The picturesque town of Ribe is Denmark’s oldest.

Palaces and castles of note include Gråsten Palace, Augustenborg Palace, Sønderborg Castle, and Egeskov Castle.

Bølgen is a modern residential building complex located in Vejle.

Billund is home to the Lego House and Legoland.

Wadden Sea National Park is known for its migratory birds.

Faroe Islands and Greenland

The Faroe Islands and Greenland are autonomous territories of Denmark.

Denmark Film Location Permits

Denmark has a film friendly and streamlined permitting process. Shoots in Copenhagen that require exclusive use of public space such as laying track, setting up large lights, or controlling traffic, typically take about 2 weeks to permit. B-roll shoots in Copenhagen that are not affecting public movement do not require permits. That said, it is always a good idea to have a fixer along to make sure the shoot runs smoothly. Drone filming is permitted in Denmark. Copenhagen drone filming is heavily restricted. Please contact us for location specific information.

When To Shoot?

Denmark has a four-season climate with warm summers (June to September), colorful leaves in fall (October to November), dark frosty winters (December to March), and spring in full bloom (April to May). May to October are the best months to film for weather. For monthly weather statistics please see here.

Events of interest to filmmakers and photographers include:

• Carnival in Copenhagen in May.
• Aalborg Carnival in May.
• Viking Festival in Frederikssund in June / July.
• The Roskilde Festival in June / July.
• Copenhagen Jazz Festival in July.
• Fire Festival Regatta in Silkeborg in August.
• Århus Festival Week in August / September.

Christianity is the largest religion, so those holidays are observed.

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

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. As with most wealthy western countries with a high standard of living, Denmark is a relatively expensive place to shoot. Denmark trades in the Euro. That said, our locally based fixers and service producers will negotiate deals and provide the appropriate level of production support to match every budget. See here for the current VAT rate.

Tax Incentives. Danish film funds are available for feature film and TV-series co-productions.

Film Crew & Talent

Crews. Unions exist but they are not strong so rates are negotiable. Denmark has a good pool of local directors, directors of photography and stills photographers. Copenhagen has a good depth of internationally experienced key and supporting crews that speak fluent English. Denmark’s close proximity to other major European production centres allows easy access to those technical and creative crews should you ever need to look further.

Contact us if you are looking for a Copenhagen based 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 in Denmark.

Talent. Danish is the official langauage. Most citizens are ethnically Danish with some multicultural looks particularly from the Middle East also available. The overall population is small but additional talent can easily be sourced from larger surrounding European production centres.

Denmark Film Equipment

Equipment. Denmark has a good depth and standard of locally available camera, grip and lighting equipment. Specialised equipment including car kits and heli-mounts are available locally. Gear can be rented from Twentyfourseven, Filmgear and Kameraudlejningen. Some specialized equipment needs to be brought in from abroad such as the Russian Arm. Denmark is an ATA carnet member country.

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 is of a very high standard. Set construction is very expensive.

Studios. Denmark has a variety of studio facilities.

Post Production. High standard of post production facilities.

Visas & Work Permits

Denmark is a Schengen Area member state. US film crews can enter visa-free for stays of up to 90 days. Contact your closest Danish embassy or representative for more information.

Transport & Accommodation

Transportation Infrastructure. Denmark has an extensive road, rail and ferry network connecting the archipelago. It is a small country where most locations can be reached within a short drive. Several international and budget airlines service flights to Denmark.

Accommodation. Contact us for recommended film-friendly hotels in Copenhagen and other parts of Denmark. For longer stays we can also organize serviced apartments.

Final Notes

Safety. Denmark is a very safe place for foreign productions to visit. See here for up to date travel advice.

Down Time. Denmark is an impressive destination for fine dining. Copenhagen is home to many Michelin-star restaurants including Noma. Heading out of the city you can find traditional restaurants like Svaneke Røgeri. Enjoy hygge with your new Danish friends.

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 Denmark, please see below:

Hire Denmark Production Support & Shooting Crew

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

If you are looking for a shooting crew for your shoot in Denmark, 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.