Eritrea 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 Eritrea? Contact us for trusted fixers, producers, directors, DoPs, videographers, photographers, and full shooting crews tailored for the specific needs of your project.
Filming in Eritrea
For an introduction to shooting in Eritrea 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.
Eritrea Film Locations
Eritrea is a country located on Africa’s Red Sea coast. It is best known for its well preserved Italian Art Deco buildings, beaches, reefs, archipelagos, deserts, and archaeological sites.
Agricultural film locations include farms that produce barley, wheat, sorghum, millet, and teff. Nomadic pastoralists raise livestock including cattle, sheep, goats, and camels. Eritrea mines gold, copper, salt, zinc, potash, basalt, granite, and marble. Energy locations include thermal fired power plants.
Eritrea has hosted productions such as Nike’s Breaking2 (2017).
Film locations can be divided into the following zobas (regions):
Maekel
Maekel is a centrally located region of predominately highland plateau, which is cooler than the regions around the coastal plains. It is the smaller region in Eritrea.
Asmara is the capital and main entry point by air. The city sits at the high altitude of 2,325m (7,628 ft). Asmara film locations include Italian colonial Modernist architecture built during Mussolini’s occupation of Eritrea, including the Art Deco style Cinema Impero, Cinema Roma, Bar Zilli, Governor’s Palace, and the Futurist style Fiat Tagliero Building. Other film locations of note include the Great Mosque of Asmara, Enda Mariam Orthodox Cathedral, Church of Our Lady of the Rosary, Asmara Synagogue, Asmara Italian Cemetery, Asmara Theatre, Villa Roma, Asmara Central Market, Medebar Market, University of Asmara, Eritrea Institute of Technology, and Asmara International Airport.
Semenawi Bahri National Park is home to a rich variety of flora and fauna, including leopards and many species of birds.
Anseba
This northern region is is predominately highland plateau, which is cooler than the regions around the coastal plains.
Anseba is known for the Anseba River and the city of Keren.
Gash-Barka
Located in the south, the region is rich in agriculture and minerals.
Towns of note include Barentu, Agordat, Molki, Sebderat, and Teseney.
Debub
This southern region is predominately coastal plains.
Dekemhare is known for its colonial Italian art deco architecture.
Senafe is a market town on the edge of the Eritrean highlands.
Mount Soira is the highest point in Eritrea.
Qohaito is a pre-Aksumite archaeological site.
Northern Red Sea
This region is mostly coastal plains, which are hotter than the regions around the highland plateau.
Massawa is a port city known for its Italian, Egyptian and Ottoman architecture is located in this region. Locations of note include the Banca d’Italia ruins, Imperial Palace ruins, Sheikh Hanafi Mosque, Tomb of Sheikh Durbush, St Mariam Cathedral, and the Port of Massawa.
The Eritrean Railway is a steam train that runs from Massawa to Asmara over bridges and through striking mountainous landscapes.
The Dahlak Marine National Park has uninhabited islands, unspoilt beaches, turquoise waters, coral reef, and underwater photography options.
Lake Kulul is located in this region.
Adulis is an important archaeological site.
Debre Bizen is a mountaintop monastery.
Southern Red Sea
This most southern region is know for its hot and dry Danakil desert looks.
The port city of Assab is the largest city in the region.
Eritrea Film Location Permits
Most locations are possible given time, money and the right approach. Unauthorised photography of military or government installations is illegal. Penalties may include arrest, fines and confiscation of film equipment. Please contact us for location specific information.
When To Shoot?
The central highlands, coastal region, and western lowlands each have a different climate. Generally speaking, Eritrea has good year-round sunny and dry filming conditions. Short rains fall from February to April and long rains fall from June to September. For monthly weather statistics please see here.
The Eritrean National Festival takes place in August.
Eritrea is a predominately Christian country that also has a large Muslim population, so those holidays are observed.
Public holidays may affect timing, availability and costs. See here for public holiday dates in Eritrea.
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 Eritrean 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 feature films shooting in Eritrea.
Film Crew & Talent
Crews. Eritrea has a very small pool of local directors, videographers and stills photographers. Key crew should be brought in from abroad. Eritrea’s proximity to Dubai and Kenya allows easy access to those experienced crews.
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 Eritrea.
Talent day rates and buyouts are negotiable.
Tigrinya is widely spoken.
The Tigrinya and Tigre are the largest ethnic groups. Minorities include the Saho, Kunama, Rashaida, Bilen, Afar, Beni-Amer, and Nara people. All other talent needs to be brought in from abroad.
Eritrea Film Equipment
Equipment. Only the most basic camera, lighting and grip equipment is available locally. You will need to bring in most standard equipment from abroad. Please note, all electronic equipment including cameras and laptops need to be declared upon arrival. Failure to do so may result in their confiscation by customs officials when you depart.
Communications. Slow internet and unreliable coverage.
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 nationals are required to have a visa to enter Eritrea. US passport holders see here for visa application information. Contact your closest Eritrean embassy or representative for more information. Travel outside of Asmara requires a special permit from the Ministry of Tourism. Our local fixer in Asmara is able to assist with the process to ensure the application process runs smoothly.
Transport & Accommodation
Transportation Infrastructure. Main roads are paved and in a good condition. Rural roads are slower going. Border areas are unsafe and there are still minefields in certain areas of the country. Our Eritrean fixer organises safe and reliable 4WD transport and travel permits. Several international airlines service flights to Eritrea.
Accommodation. Film friendly hotels in Asmara:
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. Experience a traditional coffee ceremony. Eritrean cooking is similar to Ethiopian cuisine only with more Italian influences.
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 Eritrea, please see below:
Hire Eritrea Production Support & Shooting Crew
If you are looking for a film or photographic production service company, line producer or fixer for your shoot in Eritrea, please contact us.
If you are looking for a shooting crew for your shoot in Eritrea, 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.
