Gabon 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 Gabon? Contact us for trusted fixers, producers, directors, DoPs, videographers, photographers, and full shooting crews tailored for the specific needs of your project.
Filming in Gabon
For an introduction to shooting in Gabon 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.
Gabon Film Locations
Gabon is located on the Atlantic coast of Central Africa. It is known for its coastal wildlife parks, beautiful deserted beaches, rivers, lakes, rainforests, and waterfalls.
Agricultural film locations include plantations of sugarcane, cocoa, plantains, palm oil, and rubber. In terms of industrial locations, Gabon is heavily reliant on its oil and gas facilities. The country also has manganese, uranium, and iron ore mines.
Gabon has hosted productions such as Survivor: Gabon (2008).
Film locations can be divided into the following provinces:
Estuaire, Haut-Ogooué, Moyen-Ogooué, Ngounié, Nyanga, Ogooué-Ivindo, Ogooué-Lolo, Ogooué-Maritime, and Woleu-Ntem.
Libreville is the capital and largest city. Owing to the country’s oil riches, Libreville is a well developed city with paved roads, clean streets, and a wealth of expensive restaurants. Despite being overcrowded, chaotic, and humming with busy markets, overall the city has a relaxed vibe. Film locations of specific interest to visiting productions include the National Museum, Presidential Palace, L’Eglise St-Michel (St Michael Cathedral), and the Musée des Arts et Traditions du Gabon.
Loango National Park is a coastal landscape of lagoons, savanna, beaches, forest and mangroves. Wildlife includes elephants, buffalos, hippos, gorillas and leopards that can sometimes been photographed wandering along the beautiful white sand beaches.
Lopé National Park, located in the centre of the country, is a landscape of monsoon forest and savanna. Wildlife includes gorillas, mandrills, chimpanzees, leopards, giant pangolins, crocodiles, and elephants.
Ivindo National Park is located in east-central Gabon. The park is famous for the spectacular Koungou, Mingouli, and Djidji Waterfalls. Wildlife includes gorillas, chimpanzees, buffalos, elephants, and a diversity of birds.
Akanda National Park, located on the north coast, is a landscape of mangrove and tidal beach habitats. The park is home to nesting green turtles and a large variety of migratory birds.
Pongara National Park Pongara is a coastal park located near Libreville. The landscape includes mangrove forest, swamp forest, riverine forest, beach, and grassy savanna. Hawksbill turtles, green sea turtles, and olive ridley sea turtles visit the estuary to lay their eggs, while Leatherback turtles lay their eggs on the beach. The rainforest is home to elephants, gorillas, monkeys, buffaloes, and chimpanzees.
Minkébé National Park is located in the far northeast of the country. The landscape is dominated by isolated rock domes overlooking forest and swamps. Wildlife of note includes elephants, gorillas, leopards, giant pangolins, mandrills chimpanzees, and crocodiles.
Batéké Plateau National Park is located in the southeast of the country known for its forest and savanna landscape. The park is home to lions, jackals, elephants, buffalo, gorillas, and chimpanzees.
Birougou National Park is located in the south central part of the country. The landscape includes the dense rainforest of the Chaillu Mountains. It is one of the best places to film the endemic sun-tailed guenon.
Crystal Mountains National Park is located in the northwest of Gabon in the high altitude forests of the rocky crystal mountain ranges. The forests are home to flora such as orchids and begonias, and fauna such as mandrills, chimpanzees, gorillas, buffalos, elephants, leopard, and hundreds of species of butterflies.
Mayumba National Park is located on the far southwest coast. The park is home to some of the world’s most important leatherback turtle nesting beaches. The park is also home to elephants, buffaloes, leopards, gorillas, chimpanzees, crocodiles, hippos, and several species of monkeys. As a marine park it is also a protected habitat for dolphins, sharks, and migrating humpback whales.
Moukalaba-Doudou National Park is located in the southwest of the country. It has a landscape of rainforest, savanna, and swamps. Moukalaba-Doudou National Park is home to many chimpanzees and gorillas making it a great place to see and photograph both species.
Mwagne National Park is located in the northeast of the country. The park is home to elephants, gorillas, and a diversity of birdlife.
Waka National Park is located in the centre of the country. The landscape includes the dense rainforest of the Chaillu Mountains. The park is home to elephants, gorillas, and chimpanzees.
Gabon Film Location Permits
Our local fixer in Gabon will submit your project synopsis, dates, crew passport information pages, equipment list and completed application form to the Gabonese Ministry of Communication. The Film Permit can take up to a month to approve, so allow plenty of lead time. Once the permit is approved the fixer will apply for additional permits with the Park Management Authority, if planning to film somewhere like Loango National Park, or any other government authorities or private owners depending on the specifics of the shoot.
Please note, taking unauthorised photographs of the Presidential Palace, airport, and military or other government buildings is strictly forbidden and may be punishable with fines, arrest, and equipment confiscation.
Please contact us for location specific information.
When To Shoot?
Gabon has a tropical climate. The dry season and best time to film for weather is from June to August. The rainy season runs from October to May. For monthly weather statistics please see here.
Les Nuits Atypiques, held in August, celebrates traditional music from the Nyanga region.
Gabon is predominately Christian, so those holidays are observed.
Public holidays may affect timing, availability and costs. See here for public holiday dates in Gabon.
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. Locations, local talent and support crew are inexpensive but since little to no filming infrastructure exists all key crew and equipment must be brought in from abroad. Our Gabonese fixer will negotiate local deals and provide the appropriate level of production support to match every budget.
The Central African CFA franc (XAF) is the official currency. Local ATM’s are unreliable, so make sure to bring USD or Euros to exchange.
Tax Incentives. At present there are no tax incentives for foreign commercials or films shooting in Gabon.
Film Crew & Talent
Crews. Gabon has a very small local pool of directors, videographers and stills photographers. Key crew must be brought in from abroad.
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 Gabon.
Talent day rates and buyouts are reasonable and negotiated on a personal basis.
French is the official language.
Gabon has at least forty ethnic groups with the Fang and Nzebi being the largest. Minority groups include the Myene, Kota, Shira, Puru, and Kande. There are also various indigenous Pygmy peoples including the Bongo, Kota, and Baka. All other talent looks need to be cast abroad.
Gabon Film Equipment
Equipment. You will need to bring in all camera, grip and lighting equipment from abroad.
Communications. Gabon has good internet connectivity.
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 very basic.
Studios and backlots. None exist at present.
Post Production. Post abroad.
Visas & Work Permits
Most passport holders are required to apply for a visa to enter Gabon. Among other documents, applications must also include an Invitation Letter from your fixer / service producer in Gabon, as well as proof of yellow fever vaccination. For crew travelling on US passports, see here for more information. Contact your local Gabon embassy or representative for more information. For notes on Film Permits see notes in the Gabon Film Location Permits section.
Transport & Accommodation
Transportation Infrastructure. Gabon has a limited road network much of which is unpaved. Some areas can only be reached by river or air. Many roads become impassable during the wet season from October to May. Driving by night is not recommended. Our Gabonese fixer organizes safe and reliable 4WD transportation. Several international airlines service flights to Gabon.
Accommodation. Film friendly hotel options in Libreville:
Laico Okoume Palace Hotel
Le Meridien Re-Ndama
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. See here for vaccinations required for Gabon.
Down Time. Go visit one of the coastal wildlife parks where hippos and elephants can be seen hanging out at the beach.
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 Gabon, please see below:
Hire Gabon Production Support & Shooting Crew
If you are looking for a film or photographic production service company, line producer or fixer for your shoot in Gabon, please contact us.
If you are looking for a shooting crew for your shoot in Gabon, 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.
