Belarus 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 Belarus? Contact us for trusted fixers, producers, directors, DoPs, videographers, photographers, and full shooting crews tailored for the specific needs of your project.
Filming in Belarus
For an introduction to shooting in Belarus 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.
Belarus Film Locations
Belarus is best known for its bucolic landscapes, deep forests, and thousands of beautiful rivers and lakes.
Agricultural film locations of note include fields of wheat, barley, potatoes, apples, rye, oats, flax, and rapeseed. Belarus has many dairy cow farms. Industrial locations include factories that produce textiles and machinery such as tractors. In terms of energy locations Belarus has a nuclear power plant.
The country has not hosted many international productions so locations remain undiscovered.
Belarus film locations can be divided into the following regions:
Minsk Oblast
The centrally located city of Minsk is the capital and main production centre where crew and equipment are based. The city is best known for its Soviet-era buildings.
Cultural film locations include the National Library, Belarusian Great Patriotic War Museum, National Academic Grand Opera and Ballet Theatre, Janka Kupala National Theatre, Belarusian State Musical Theatre, Maxim Gorky National Drama Theatre, National Arts Museum, and Belarusian State Circus.
Minsk Government House is a Soviet-era building complete with Lenin statue in front.
Churches of note include the Holy Spirit Cathedral, and Church of All Saints.
Transport locations include Minsk’s Soviet-era metro stations, Minsk-Pasažyrski railway station, and Minsk National Airport.
Parks of note include Victory Park, Park Horkaha, Chelyuskinites Park, and Victory Square.
Sporting venues include Dinamo National Olympic Stadium, and Minsk Arena.
Minsk Tractor Works is a large tractor factory.
Minsk has an abandoned children’s hospital that would make for a great horror film location.
Heading out of the capital, locations of note in Minsk Oblast include Nesvizh Radziwiłł Castle and Narachanski National Park.
Brest Oblast
This region is located in the southwest of the country.
The city of Brest is known for The Terespol Gate and Brest Hero-Fortress.
Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park (called Białowieża National Park on the Polish side of the border) is a primeval forest home to a population of bison, wolves and bears.
Other film locations of note in this region include the Pripyatsky National Park, Mir Castle Complex, Tower of Kamyenyets, and Mound of Glory WWII Memorial.
Grodno Oblast
This region is located in the west of the country.
Film locations of note include Lida Castle, Kalozha Church, and Astravets nuclear power plant.
Vitebsk Oblast
This region is located in the north of the country.
Braslau Lakes National Park is located in this region.
Mogilev Oblast
This region is located in the east of the country.
Gomel Oblast
This region is located in the southeast of the country.
Prypyatski National Park is located in this region.
Belarus Film Location Permits
Most locations are possible given time, money and the right approach. Filming Minsk’s Soviet Era metro stations is possible. It is not possible to film public spaces on Presidents Day. Please contact us for location specific information.
When To Shoot?
Belarus has a temperate-continental climate with high humidity and rainfall throughout the year. Winter (December to March) is cold and snowy. Spring (April to May) is damp and rainy. Summer (June to September) is warm. This is the best time to film for weather. Fall (October to November) is damp and rainy. For monthly weather statistics please see here.
Kupala, a Slavic festival celebrating the summer solstice, is celebrated on July 6th and 7th.
Belarus is a predominately Christian country, so those holidays are observed.
Public holidays may affect timing, availability and costs. See here for public holiday dates in Belarus.
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. Local Belarusian costs such as locations, talent, crew and equipment are relatively inexpensive. Imported goods and hotel accommodation can be expensive. Our Belarusian fixer / service producer will negotiate local deals and provide the appropriate level of production support to match every budget.
Tax Incentives. There are no tax incentives for foreign feature films or commercials in Belarus.
Film Crew & Talent
Crews. Belarus has a very small pool of local directors, directors of photography and stills photographers. Some English speaking key crew is available locally. More specialised crews should be brought in. Belarus’s close proximity to major European production centres allows easy access to those pools of creative and technical crew should you need to look further.
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 Belarus.
Talent day rates and buyouts are reasonable and negotiated on a personal basis.
Belarusian and Russian are the official languages.
The majority of locals are ethnically Belarusian. There are also small minorities of Russian, Polish and Ukrainian people. All other looks are best cast abroad. See here for an example of local talent looks.
Belarus Film Equipment
Equipment. Belarus has some standard lighting, grip and camera equipment including cranes, Fisher dolly, Alexa and RED cameras. More specialized equipment is best brought in from abroad. For productions looking to bring in film equipment Belarus is an ATA carnet 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 is basic beyond local looks.
Studio facilities are basic.
Post Production. None available locally.
Visas & Work Permits
Entry is subject to regulations from country of origin. Western passport holders entering Belarus via Minsk National Airport can stay visa-free for a period not exceeding 5 days. Visitors to Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park, can enter visa-free by land, for a stay of up to 3 days. Crews travelling with film equipment may be required to have additional documentation. US passport holders can see additional information here. Contact your local Belarusian embassy or representative for more information.
Transport & Accommodation
Transportation Infrastructure. Main roads are in a fair condition. Rural roads are slower going. Several international airlines service flights to Minsk.
Accommodation. Recommended film friendly hotels in Minsk include:
Hotel Minsk
Europe Hotel
Crowne Plaza Hotel
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. Go explore the lake country. Local cuisine of note includes zhurek, machanka, borscht, draniki, kletski, and tsibriki.
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 Belarus, please see below:
Hire Belarus Production Support & Shooting Crew
If you are looking for a film or photographic production service company, line producer or fixer for your shoot in Belarus, please contact us.
If you are looking for a shooting crew for your shoot in Belarus, 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.
