Newfoundland and Labrador 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 Newfoundland and Labrador? Contact us for trusted fixers, producers, directors, DoPs, videographers, photographers, and full shooting crews tailored for the specific needs of your project.
Filming in Newfoundland and Labrador
For an introduction to shooting in Newfoundland and Labrador 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.
Film Locations Newfoundland and Labrador
The easternmost province of Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador consists of the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador. Newfoundland and Labrador are known for their rugged Atlantic coastline, lighthouses, floating icebergs, otherworldly national parks, waterfalls, mountains, deep fjords, bays, sandy beaches, and picturesque fishing villages. Wildlife found in Newfoundland and Labrador include moose, caribou, puffins and whales.
Agricultural film locations include farms that produce dairy products, wild blueberries, partridgeberries, and cloudberries. Newfoundland and Labrador is known for its offshore oil rigs, as well as mines for iron ore, nickel, cobalt, copper, zinc, gold, silica, barite, dolomite, gypsum, slate, and granite. The province has pulp and paper mills. Commercial fishing trawlers are also available for filming. Energy locations include hydroelectric dams, and wind power facilities.
Newfoundland and Labrador have hosted productions including Aquaman (2018), Republic of Doyle (2010-2014), Diverted (2009), The Shipping News (2001), and Contact (1997).
Newfoundland
St John’s is the largest city and provincial capital. One of the oldest settlements in North America, St John’s film locations include St John’s harbour, colourful row houses, Confederation Building, Government House, Basilica Cathedral, Railway Coastal Museum, and Bowring Park. Cabot Tower, located on Signal Hill, overlooks the city of St John’s.
Gros Morne National Park is known for its fjords, mountains, beaches, forests and sea cliffs. Wildlife includes moose, caribou, Arctic foxes, humpback whales, and migrating birds. Contact (1997) filmed in Gros Morne National Park.
Witless Bay Ecological Reserve is the best place to film puffins.
Terra Nova National Park is known for its beautiful boreal forests and rugged coastline.
The Arches Provincial Park is known for its rock arch formations.
Other provincial parks of note include Blow Me Down Provincial Park, Dungeon Provincial Park, Butter Pot Provincial Park, Barachois Pond Provincial Park, Dildo Run Provincial Park, Sir Richard Squires Memorial Provincial Park, J.T. Cheeseman Provincial Park, and Sandbanks Provincial Park.
Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve has some of the world’s oldest Ediacaran fossils.
Lighthouse film locations include Cape Spear Lighthouse, Point Riche Lighthouse, Cape Bonavista Lighthouse, Lobster Cove Head Lighthouse, Long Point Lighthouse, Cape Race Lighthouse, Bell Island Lighthouse, and Ferryland Lighthouse.
L’Anse Aux Meadows is a Viking archaeological site, and Norstead is a reconstruction of a Viking Age settlement.
Cape St Mary’s Ecological Reserve is known for its seabird colonies.
Fogo Island Inn is a spectacular film location.
Picturesque coastal villages include Ramea, François, Grey River, Battle Harbour, Brigus, Trinity, Dildo, Twillingate, Bonavista, Quidi Vidi, Cupids, and Petty Harbour.
St Pierre and Miquelon is located a short boat ride from Newfoundland.
S.S. Kyle is a shipwreck available for film shoots.
The East Coast Trail runs along the Atlantic Coast from Topsail Beach to Cappahayden.
Diverted (2009) filmed in Gander.
The Shipping News (2001) filmed in St John’s, Trinity, Corner Brook, and New Bonaventure.
Labrador
Torngat Mountains National Park is a spectacular ancient landscape known for its mountains, fjords and rivers. Wildlife includes caribou, wolves, and polar bears.
Battle Harbour is a picturesque fishing village.
Point Amour Lighthouse is located in Labrador.
Newfoundland and Labrador Film Location Permits
Newfoundland and Labrador film location permits are required for filming in historic sites, Provincial Parks, and National Parks. Permits for public spaces in St John’s may also be required depending on the size and scope of the shoot. Filming on Inuit and First Nations lands also requires consultation and permission from local authorities. Please contact us for location specific information.
When To Shoot?
Spring (April – May) is a good time to photograph icebergs and whales. Summer (June – August) offers long, mild, sunny shoot days. Fall (September – October) brings colorful leaves. Winter (November – March) is very cold and snowy. The Aurora Borealis is best photographed from September to March, particularly up in Labrador.
Cain’s Quest Snowmobile Endurance Race takes places in March.
Public holidays may affect timing, availability and costs. See here for public holiday dates in Canada.
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.
Newfoundland and Labrador Tax Incentives For Filming
Tax Incentives. Newfoundland and Labrador offer a refundable tax credit of up to 40% of qualifying local labor spend. This can be added to the Canada Federal Tax Incentive which is 16% on qualifying Canadian labor spend.
Newfoundland and Labrador Film Crew & Talent
Crews can be flown in from Toronto or Montreal. Canadian crews are very experienced in working in cold and challenging conditions.
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 Newfoundland and Labrador.
Talent. Newfoundland has a distinctive, Maritime culture, shaped greatly by its Irish and English heritage. Casting for non-Caucasian looks may be required out of Toronto, Montreal, or abroad. Film characters synonymous with Newfoundland and Labrador include baymen and townies with strong local accents, lobster fishermen, snowmobile racers, miners, and offshore oil industry workers.
Newfoundland and Labrador Film Equipment
Equipment. Some local camera, grip and lighting available locally. Otherwise, easy to bring in with you. Toronto and Montreal have specialised equipment if you need to rent.
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.
Visas & Work Permits
Previously the rules were very strict with all visiting crew required to have work permits that were very time consuming and expensive to get. The good news is now commercial advertising shoots are exempt from the work permit process on the condition the project is foreign funded. See here for more information.
For crew members who will be entering to oversee the project, Western passport holders are able to enter Canada visa-free with an eTA for a period of up to six months. This excludes US nationals arriving directly from the US, who are exempt from the eTA requirement.
Transport & Accommodation
Transportation Infrastructure. Canada has an extensive road network, particularly in the more populated south of the country. Several domestic airlines and charter services are available to access more remote areas. Major Canadian cities are serviced by most international carriers.
Accommodation. Please contact us for recommended film friendly hotels in St John’s, Gander and other areas of Newfoundland and Labrador. For longer stays we can also organize serviced apartments.
Final Notes
Safety. Newfoundland and Labrador is a very safe and reliable filming centre. See here for up to date travel advice.
Down Time. Screech-in. Kiss the cod.
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 Newfoundland and Labrador, please see below:
Hire Newfoundland and Labrador Production Support & Shooting Crew
If you are looking for a film or photographic production service company, line producer or fixer for your shoot in Newfoundland and Labrador, please contact us.
If you are looking for a shooting crew for your shoot in Newfoundland and Labrador, 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.
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