Angola 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 Angola? Contact us for trusted fixers, producers, directors, DoPs, videographers, photographers, and full shooting crews tailored for the specific needs of your project.
Filming in Angola
For an introduction to shooting in Angola 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.
Angola Film Locations
Angola is a country located on the west coast of Southern Africa. The country offers an impressive array of film locations including busy city streets, Portuguese colonial architecture, Art Deco cinemas, tropical Atlantic beaches, deserts, national parks, rivers, waterfalls, and otherworldly landscapes.
Agricultural film locations include plantations of coffee, cassava, bananas, corn, sweet potato, pineapples, sugarcane and peanuts. Oil and gas extraction are the major industries in Angola. The country is also known for its diamond mines. Energy locations include hydroelectric dams.
Angola is the source of the Okavango Delta. Into the Okavango (2018) was filmed in Angola.
Film locations can be divided into the following regions:
Greater Luanda Region
Located on the northwest coast, this region includes the provinces of Luanda, Bengo, and Cuanza Norte.
Luanda is the capital, the largest city, and main production service centre. This busy, chaotic port city is known for its modern high rise buildings, urban slums, National Assembly building, Palácio de Ferro designed by Gustave Eiffel, Fortaleza de São Miguel, Luanda Cathedral, Museu Nacional de Antropologia, Agostinho Neto University, Pavilhão Multiusos de Luanda, Estádio 11 de Novembro, Port of Luanda, and Quatro de Fevereiro Airport. Nova Cidade de Kilamba is a sprawling, multi-colored housing development. MAAN (Memorial Dr Antonio Agostinho Neto) was designed by North Korea’s Mansudae Overseas Projects.
A short drive south from Luanda takes you to Quiçama National Park, known for its coastal savannah, baobab trees and big wildlife including elephants, giraffes, and zebras.
Miradouro da Lua offers a spectacular lunar landscape by the Atlantic ocean. It is one of Angola’s most impressive film locations.
Caculo Cabaça Hydroelectric Power Station, Lauca Hydroelectric Power Station, and Cambambe Hydroelectric Power Station are located in this region.
Cabinda Region
This region includes the province of Cabinda.
Cabinda is a northern exclave separated from the mainland by the Democratic Republic of Congo. The province is a major centre for oil production. Visas to enter and permits to film in the province can be difficult to obtain.
Northern Region
This region includes the provinces of Zaire, Uíge, and Malanje.
Cangandala National Park is home to the giant sable antelope.
Impressive waterfalls in this region include Kalandula Waterfalls and Tazua Waterfalls.
Baynes Hydroelectric Power Station, and Capanda Dam are located in this region.
Central Region
This region includes the provinces of Cuanza Sul, Benguela, Huambo, and Bié.
The Benguela railway runs from the east of Angola to the port of Lobito, a city known for its well preserved Art Deco buildings.
The city of Benguela is known for its Portuguese colonial architecture.
The region is also known for its beaches. Of note are Baia dos Elefantes, Praia Morena, and Praia da Baia Azul.
Southwest Region
This region includes the provinces of Namibe, Huíla, and Cunene.
Serra da Leba has a beautiful green mountain pass road with 56 curves, an ideal location for a car commercial.
Tunda-Vala volcanic fissure is a magnificent lookout.
Bicauri National Park is home to buffalos, antelopes, and elephants.
Iona National Park wildlife of note includes the springbok, kudu, ostrich, oryx and cheetah. The park is home to indigenous peoples such as the Mucubal and Himba.
Mupa National Park is known for its wild dogs, lions, leopards and hyenas.
The Ruacana Falls are one of Africa’s largest waterfalls both by volume and width.
Eastern Region
This region includes the provinces of Lunda Norte, Lunda Sul, Moxico, and Cuando Cubango.
The Angolan Civil War and poaching have had serious effects on wildlife numbers in this region. National parks of note in this region include Luiana National Park, Cameia National Park, Longa-Mavinga National Park, Luenge National Park, Mucusso National Park, and the Kavango–Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area.
Dala waterfalls are a beautiful film location.
Catoca mine is a large diamond mine.
Angola Film Location Permits
Permits are required for all filming in Angola, whether it be b-roll or locking down streets. Allow plenty of lead time for permitting. Unauthorised filming near government buildings, military installations, and key infrastructure is prohibited. Penalties include confiscation of photographic equipment, fines and imprisonment. Please contact us for location specific information.
When To Shoot?
Luanda’s climate is moderately tropical. Northern Angola has a wet, hot, tropical climate, central Angola is dry and cool, and southern Angola is arid. The dry, cooler season runs from June to late September, while the rainy, hot season extends from October to May. Roads between cities become impassible during the heaviest rains. The dry season is the best time to shoot for weather. For monthly weather statistics please see here.
• The colourful Angola Carnival takes place in February every year.
• The Lubango Festival takes place in August.
Angola 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 Angola.
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.
Angola Costs & Tax Incentives For Filming
Costs. Luanda is one of the world’s most expensive cities. Angola is an oil based economy. Goods and services are expensive across the board. Since little to no filming infrastructure exists all key crew and equipment need to be brought in from abroad which will add to the cost of filming. Our Angolan fixer will negotiate local deals and provide the appropriate level of production support to match every budget.
Tax Incentives. At present there are no tax incentives for foreign commercials or films shooting in Angola.
Angola Film Crew & Talent
Crews. Angola has a very limited pool of local directors, directors of photography and stills photographers. Some very basic supporting crew exists locally but key crew for more complex jobs must be brought in from abroad. South Africa is the closest major production centre.
Contact us if you are looking for a director, DoP / cinematographer, videographer / camera operator, stills photographer, or any other film crew for your shoot in Angola.
If you are an exceptionally talented Angolan director, DoP / cinematographer, videographer / camera operator, or stills photographer, introduce yourself here.
Talent day rates and buyouts are reasonable and negotiated on a personal basis.
Portuguese is the official language.
Angola offers mainly Southern African looking talent with the main ethnic groups being the Ovimbundu, Ambundu and the Bakongo. Minority ethnic groups of note include the Chokwe, Ovambo, Ganguela and Xindonga people. There is also a very small Portuguese and Chinese expat community. All other talent needs to be brought in from abroad. Angola has a rich history of music and dance as seen in the Kuduro, Semba, Kizomba and Tarrachinha styles.
Angola Film Equipment
Equipment. Some basic camera, grip and lighting equipment available locally otherwise it’s best to bring in equipment from abroad. Allow plenty of lead time to arrange bringing in gear.
Communication. Access to internet outside of Luanda is limited.
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.
Angola 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.
Angola Visas & Work Permits For Filming
Crews travelling on Western passports require a visa to enter and film in Angola. Applications are to be made with your closest Angolan embassy. For United States passport holders, see here for more information. You will need to present the project synopsis, gear list, passport details and other relevant information for visa approval. Allow up to a month lead time for processing.
Angola Transport & Accommodation
Transportation Infrastructure is quite basic. Most roads are unsealed and damaged. Luanda is notorious for bad traffic. Outside of major urban areas, unexploded landmines are still a danger. Our Angolan fixer organises safe and reliable 4WD transportation. Several international airlines service Angola.
Accommodation. Hotels are expensive. Recommended film friendly hotels in Luanda include:
Talatona Convention Hotel
Le Presidente Luanda
For longer stays we can also organize serviced apartments. For those looking to stay with local communities our fixer also organises hosted accommodation.
Final Notes
Safety. See here for up to date travel advice. See here for vaccinations required for Angola.
Down Time. Try some local dishes – Cabidela, Funge, Fish Calulu, Moamba de Galinha, Chikuanga, Cocada Amarela, Farofa, Caldeirada de Cabrito and Feijão de Óleo de Palma.
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 Angola, please see below:
Hire Angola Production Support & Shooting Crew
If you are looking for a film or photographic production service company, line producer or fixer for your shoot in Angola, please contact us.
If you are looking for a shooting crew for your shoot in Angola, 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.
