Germany 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 Germany? Contact us for trusted fixers, producers, directors, DoPs, videographers, photographers, and full shooting crews tailored for the specific needs of your project.
Filming in Germany
For an introduction to shooting in Germany 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.
Germany Film Locations
Germany offers a wealth of locations including vast forests, rivers and mountain ranges, period architecture, modern cities and sporting venues.
Agricultural film locations of interest include wheat and barley fields, apple and cherry orchards, and vineyards. Industrial locations are as diverse as factories producing automobiles, machinery, electrical equipment, chemicals, and a range of high tech precision products. Energy locations include coal-fired plants, solar and wind farms, and decommissioned nuclear plants.
The country has played host to many international films including John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023), The Queen’s Gambit (2020), Captain America: Civil War (2016), Bridge of Spies (2015), The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014), Lucy (2014), Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010), Inglourious Basterds (2009), Antichrist (2009), The Bourne Ultimatum (2007), The Lives of Others (2006), V for Vendetta (2005), Bourne Supremacy (2004), Downfall (2004), Goodbye, Lenin! (2003), Enemy at the Gates (2001), Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989), Octopussy (1983), Suspiria (1977), and Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971) to name a few.
Hamburg, Berlin, Frankfurt, Dusseldorf and Munich are the main production centres.
Film locations of note can can be divided into the following states:
Berlin
Berlin is the capital and largest city in Germany. It is a contemporary city known for its famous landmarks, wealth of museums, religious buildings, entertainment venues, stadiums, Socialist-era architecture, famous housing estates, and parks. The city has hosted productions such as John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023), Tár (2022), Captain America: Civil War (2016), Lucy (2014), Inglourious Basterds (2009), The Bourne Ultimatum (2007), The Lives of Others (2006), V for Vendetta (2005), Bourne Supremacy (2004), Goodbye, Lenin! (2003), and Run Lola Run (1998). The Queen’s Gambit (2020) doubled Berlin for locations as diverse as Kentucky, New York, Paris, Moscow, Las Vegas, and Mexico City.
Berlin’s main squares include Alexanderplatz, Potsdamer Platz, Gendarmenmarkt, Bebelplatz, and Pariser Platz.
Brandenburg Gate is an iconic Berlin film location.
Government buildings of note include the Reichstag Building, Federal Chancellery Building, Bundesrat Building, Bellevue Palace, Headquarters of the Federal Intelligence Service, Rotes Rathaus, and Berlin State Library.
Museum and memorials of note include the Pergamon Museum, Humboldt Forum in the former Berlin Palace, Neues Museum, Jewish Museum designed by Daniel Libeskind, Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, German Historical Museum, Natural History Museum, Altes Museum, Topography of Terror, Checkpoint Charlie Museum, Stasi Museum, and New National Gallery designed by Mies van der Rohe. Berlin has a museum for pretty much everything.
Palaces of note include Charlottenburg Palace, Berlin Palace, Bellevue Palace, Köpenick Palace, and Schönhausen Palace.
Socialist-era buildings include the Fernsehturm TV Tower, Berlin Wall Memorial, House of Teachers, House of Travel, former Stasi Headquarters, Cafe Moskau, Palace of Tears, Berghain Nightclub, Kraftwerk Berlin, and the monumental buildings of Karl-Marx-Allee.
Religious buildings of note include the Berlin Cathedral, St Hedwig’s Cathedral, New Church, French Cathedral, Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, New Synagogue, Şehitlik Mosque, and Crematorium Baumschulenweg which was filmed for John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023). The House of One is a multifaith centre for Christians, Jews, and Muslims.
Universities of note include Humboldt University of Berlin, Free University of Berlin, and Technical University of Berlin.
Entertainment venues include Friedrichstadt Palace, Konzerthaus Berlin, Berliner Philharmonie, Berlin State Opera, Palais am Funkturm, Deutsche Oper Berlin, and Theater des Westens. Olympiastadion hosted the 1936 Summer Olympics, 2006 & 1974 FIFA World Cup, and 2009 World Championships in Athletics. Other sporting venues of note include Mercedes-Benz Arena, Alte Försterei, Max-Schmeling-Halle, and Velodrom.
Berlin is also known for its unique housing estates. Hufeisensiedlung is a Modernist Housing Estate shaped like a horseshoe. Unité d’Habitation of Berlin was designed by Le Corbusier. Walter Gropius House is a residential building.
Parks of note include Tiergarten, Tempelhofer Feld, Hasenheide, Treptower Park, Mauerpark, and the Botanical Garden.
Transport film locations include U-Bahn stations, Berlin Hauptbahnhof, Berlin Brandenburg Airport, and Berlin Tempelhof Airport.
Teufelsberg was a US listening station during the Cold War.
Brandenburg
Brandenburg is the eastern state that encircles Berlin.
Potsdam film locations include Sanssouci Palace which was the summer palace of Frederick the Great, New Palace, Communs Colonnade, Orangery Palace, Marmorpalais, Potsdam City Palace, Cecilienhof Palace, Charlottenhof Palace, Babelsberg Palace, St Nicholas Church, Potsdam City Hall, and Einstein Tower.
Wünsdorf was once the largest Soviet military camp outside of the USSR.
Tropical Islands Resort is a tropical theme park located in Halbe.
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is a northeastern state known for its Baltic beaches and Hanseatic cities.
Rostock is known for St Mary’s Church, St Peter’s Church, Rostock Town Hall, Steintor Gate, New Market, and Rostock University campus.
Stralsund is a historic Hanseatic port city known for its well-preserved Brick Gothic architecture. The Old Market is home to the Town Hall, and St Nicholas Church. Other film locations of note include St Mary’s Church, St James’ Church, Meeres Museum, and Rügenbrücke.
Wismar is a historic Hanseatic port city known for its well-preserved Brick Gothic architecture. Film locations of note include Market Square, St George’s Church, St Nicholas Church, and Gewölbe.
Grimmen is known for its Town Hall, Stralsund Gate, Mill’s Gate, and Greifswald Gate.
Pasewalk is known for its Mill Gate, Prenzlau Gate, Kiek in de Mark, and Powder Tower.
Neubrandenburg is known for St Mary’s Church, Stargard Gate, Treptow Gate, and New Gate.
Friedland is known for Anklam Gate, and Neubrandenburger Gate.
Malchin is known for Kalen Gate, and Stone Gate.
Schwerin Castle, and Basedow Castle are both beautiful lakefront palaces.
Rügen Island is known for its health spas, Sellin Pier, and Jasmund National Park.
Usedom island is known for its beaches.
Müritz National Park is also located in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
Saxony
The eastern state of Saxony is known for its palaces and castles.
Dresden is a beautiful city. Film locations include the following:
Palaces of note include Dresden Zwinger, Dresden Royal Palace, and Pillnitz Palace.
Altmarkt is famous for its Striezelmarkt Christmas Market.
Dresden Academy of Fine Arts on Brühl’s Terrace is a beautiful riverfront film location.
Churches of note include Frauenkirche, Dresden Cathedral, and Synagoge Dresden.
Entertainment venues include Semperoper, Kulturpalast which was filmed for Tár (2022), Staatsschauspiel Dresden, and Rudolf-Harbig-Stadion.
Museums of note include Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, Albertinum, Bundeswehr Military History Museum designed by Daniel Libeskind, Green Vault, Dresden Railway Museum, German Hygiene Museum, Dresden City Museum, Dresden Transport Museum, Kunstgewerbemuseum, Dresden Armoury, Dresden Panometer, and Kraszewski Museum.
Dresdner Molkerei has an elaborate 19th century store interior.
Saxon State and University Library Dresden is available for filming.
Yenidze is a former cigarette factory that resembles a mosque.
Großer Garten featured in Tár (2022).
Transport locations include Dresden Central Station, Dresden Suspension Railway Monorail, Dresden Tramway, and Dresden Airport.
A short drive from Dresden you can film at the Grand Garden Palace, Moritzburg Palace, Albrechtsberg Palace, Sonnenstein Castle, and Barockgarten Großsedlitz.
Leipzig film locations include the Old Town Hall, New Town Hall, Federal Administrative Court, Monument to the Battle of the Nations, Gohlis Palace, St Thomas’ Church, St Nicholas Church, St Peter’s Church, Museum of Fine Arts Leipzig, Grassi Museum, Bach Museum, German Museum of Books and Writing, Forum of Contemporary History Leipzig, Leipzig Panometer, Leipzig University, Mädler Passage, Gewandhaus Concert Hall and Mende Fountain, Leipzig Opera House, Red Bull Arena, Leipzig Hauptbahnhof, S-Bahn stations, Leipzig Halle Airport, Clara-Zetkin-Park, and Leipzig Botanical Garden.
Rakotzbrücke is a fairytale bridge located in Kromlau.
Muskau Palace is a beautiful lakefront film location.
Meissen is known for Albrechtsburg Castle, Meissen Cathedral, and Porcelain Manufactory.
Saxon Switzerland National Park is known for Bastei Bridge.
Göltzsch Viaduct is the world’s largest brick-built bridge.
Görlitz film locations include Lower Market Square, St Peter and Paul Church, Town Hall, Reichenbach Tower, and Upper Lusatian Library of Sciences. The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) filmed in Görlitz.
Saxony-Anhalt
Saxony-Anhalt is located in the central-eastern part of Germany.
Magdeburg is known for Hundertwasser’s Green Citadel, Millennium Tower, Magdeburg Cathedral, and Magdeburg Water Bridge.
Tangermünde is known for its Town Hall, St Stephen’s Church, and Neustadt Gate.
The town of Wittenburg is the birthplace of the Reformation.
Wernigerode is a picturesque medieval town known for Wernigerode Castle, and Town Hall.
Quedlinburg Abbey is another interesting film location in Saxony-Anhalt.
Ferropolis open-air museum of huge mid-20th century industrial machines, located in Gräfenhainichen.
Thuringia
Thuringia is located in central Germany.
Erfurt is known for the Erfurt Cathedral, and Krämerbrücke (Merchants’ Bridge) which is a medieval arch bridge lined with shops and houses.
Other film locations of note in Thuringia include Wartburg Castle and Altenstein Palace.
Bavaria
The southeastern state of Bavaria is known for its Alpine beauty, castles, museums, modern architecture, and Oktoberfest celebrations.
Munich is known for its beautiful buildings, museums, Oktoberfest celebration and its beer halls. Parts of Bohemian Rhapsody (2018), and Downfall (2004) were filmed in Munich.
Town squares of note include Marienplatz, Odeonsplatz, and Königsplatz.
Palaces of note include Munich Residenz, and Nymphenburg Palace.
Government buildings of note include New Town Hall, Bavarian State Chancellery, and Justizpalast.
Religious buildings of note include St Peter’s Church, Frauenkirche, Asamkirche, and Ohel Jakob Synagogue.
Cultural locations include National Theatre, Cuvillies Theater, Alte Pinakothek, Deutsches Museum, Bavarian National Museum, Glyptothek, BMW Welt & Museum, and Rathaus-Glockenspiel.
Beerhalls of note include Hofbräuhaus, Weißes Bräuhaus, Der Pschorr, Augustinerkeller, Paulaner Bräuhaus, and Löwenbräukeller.
Sport venues include Olympiapark, and Allianz Arena designed by Herzog & de Meuron. Müller’sches Volksbad is an opulent indoor pool location.
Parks of note include English Garden, and Hofgarten.
Transport locations include U-Bahn subways, München Hauptbahnhof, and Munich Airport.
Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site is located just outside of Munich.
Nuremberg is known for the Imperial Castle of Nuremberg, Weinstadel, Albrecht Dürer’s House, St Lorenz Gothic Cathedral, and the Nazi Party Rallying Grounds which were the staging grounds of the Nuremberg Rallies.
Bamberg is a Renaissance town known for Altes Rathaus, Bamberg Cathedral, and Neue Residenz Bamberg.
Miltenberg is known for its beautiful old historic town including Miltenberg Castle, market square, Hotel Zum Riesen, Mainz Gate, and Würzburg Gate.
Landshut is known for St Martin’s Church, Trausnitz Castle, and Town Hall.
Neuschwanstein Castle is one of the world’s best fairytale castle locations. Mespelbrunn Castle is a beautiful moated castle location. Fortress Marienberg is located in Würzburg. Other castle locations of note in Bavaria include Hohenschwangau Castle, and Linderhof Palace.
Burghausen Castle is the longest castle complex in the world.
Margravial Opera House is an opulent venue located in Bayreuth.
The Stone Bridge in Regensburg is a 12th century bridge.
The Walhalla is a neoclassical building that honours historic German figures.
Nördlingen is a town encircled by well-preserved medieval walls. Nördlingen featured in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971).
Rothenburg ob der Tauber is a picturesque well-preserved medieval town that featured in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010).
Ettal Abbey is a Benedictine monastery in the village of Ettal.
Weltenburg Abbey is a beautiful location on the Danube River.
Lake Königssee is one of Germany’s most beautiful lakes. The area also has a beautiful natural infinity pool ideal for film shoots.
The Bavarian Forest National Park is Germany’s oldest national park.
Partnach Gorge is a beautiful nature location.
Tegernsee is a lake and spa town in the Bavarian Alps.
Garmisch-Partenkirchen is a pretty ski resort town.
Rhine-Main-Danube Canal is a 171 km (106 mi) canal that runs from from Bamberg to Kelheim.
Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg is a southwestern state known for the Black Forest, green mountainous landscapes, and traditional villages.
Stuttgart is known for Schlossplatz, Stuttgart State Opera, Stadtbibliothek Stuttgart, Neue Staatsgalerie designed by James Stirling, Mercedes-Benz Museum, Porsche Museum, Kunstmuseum Stuttgart, State Museum of Natural History Stuttgart, Fernsehturm Stuttgart TV Tower, Wilhelma Botanical Gardens, Stuttgart Stadtbahn, Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof, and Stuttgart Airport. Mercedes-Benz Arena hosted 1974 FIFA World Cup, 2006 FIFA World Cup, and 1993 World Athletics Championships. Ludwigsburg Residential Palace and Gardens, Solitude Castle, and Schloss Favorite are located nearby.
Heidelberg is known for Heidelberg Castle ruins, Heidelberg University campus, Old Bridge Heidelberg, Marktplatz, and the Church of the Holy Spirit. Schwetzingen Castle is located nearby.
Tübingen, and Esslingen am Neckar are picturesque well preserved medieval towns.
Ulm is known for Ulm Minster, St George’s Church, Market Square, Ulm Town Hall, and Ulm Public Library.
Weil am Rhein is known for the Vitra Fire Station designed by Zaha Hadid, VitraHaus designed by Herzog & de Meuron, and Vitra Design Museum designed by Frank Gehry.
The Eagle’s Nest is a Third Reich-era building located on the summit of the Kehlstein.
Europa-Park is the largest theme park in Germany.
Hohenzollern Castle is located on a forested hilltop.
Lichtenstein Castle sits on a rocky outcrop and has a connecting bridge.
Other castles of note in Baden-Württemberg include Karlsruhe Palace, Sigmaringen Castle, Mannheim Baroque Palace.
Schleswig-Holstein
Schleswig-Holstein is Germany’s northernmost state.
Lübeck is a historic Hanseatic city known for its Brick Gothic architecture including the Holsten Gate, Marienkirche, Lübeck Cathedral Burgtor, Heilig-Geist-Hospital, and Salzspeicher.
U-995 is a Nazi-era U-boat museum available for filming.
Sylt Island is known for its sand dunes and lighthouses.
Castles of note in Schleswig-Holstein include Glücksburg Castle, and Ahrensburg Palace.
Hamburg
Hamburg is Germany’s second largest city. It is a major northern port city know for its hundreds of canals, architecture, vibrant nightlife, and unique neighbourhoods.
Speicherstadt is the warehouse district.
Government buildings of note include Hamburg Town Hall, and the Hanseatisches Oberlandesgericht.
Churches of note include St Michael’s Church, and St James’s Church.
Chilehaus is a building in the Brick Expressionism style.
Entertainment venues include Elbphilharmonie building designed by Herzog & de Meuron, Hamburg State Opera, Laeiszhalle, and Deutsches Schauspielhaus.
Museums of note include the Hamburger Kunsthalle, International Maritime Museum, Museum of Art and Design, Museum am Rothenbaum, PROTOTYP Museum, Altonaer Museum, and the U-Boot Museum Hamburg which has a Soviet-era B-515 U-Boat available for filming.
Transport locations include Elbe Tunnel, Hamburg U-Bahn, Hamburg Hauptbahnhof, Port of Hamburg, and Hamburg Airport.
Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony is a state in northwest Germany bordering the North Sea.
Hanover is known for Herrenhausen Gardens, New Town Hall, Old Town Hall, Leibniz University Hannover, Marktkirche, Lower Saxony State Museum, Sprengel Museum, Hanover Opera House, and Gehry Tower which was designed by Frank Gehry.
Goslar is known for its old town, Marktplatz, Imperial Palace of Goslar, and Gustav Adolf Stave Church.
Wolfsburg is known for The Phæno Science Center designed by Zaha Hadid, and Stephanuskirche designed by Alvar Aalto.
The Meyer shipyard in Papenburg featured in Pacific Rim (2013).
Marienburg Castle is a beautiful Gothic revival castle.
Felix Nussbaum Haus, located in Osnabrück, was designed by Daniel Libeskind.
Juist Island is known for its beaches.
Harz National Park is a beautiful nature location.
Bremen
Bremen in northwest Germany is a historic Hanseatic port city. Film locations of note include the Schnoor Quarter, Marktplatz, Bremen Town Hall, Bremen Cathedral, Schütting Guildhall, Kunsthalle Bremen, Focke Museum, Universum Bremen, Bremen Park Hotel, Bremen Hauptbahnhof, Weserstadion, Bremen Airport, and Bürgerpark Bremen. The Bremen Drop Tower is the only microgravity tower in Europe. The abandoned Valentin submarine factory was built to construct U-boats during WWII.
North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia is a western German state known for its cities.
Cologne is located on the Rhine River. Film locations include Cologne Cathedral, Basilica of St Cunibert, St Gereon’s Basilica, Great St Martin Church, Cologne Central Mosque, Cologne Town Hall, Colonius TV Tower, Mediapark Tower designed by Jean Nouvel, Kranhaus, Ludwig Museum, Cologne Chocolate Museum, Romano-Germanic Museum, Wallraf-Richartz Museum, Imhoff-Schokoladenmuseum, Schnütgen Museum, Museum für Angewandte Kunst Köln, and Fragrance Museum, NS Documentation Center former Gestapo headquarters, Kolumba Museum designed by Peter Zumthor, RheinEnergieStadion, Hohenzollern Bridge, Cologne Stadtbahn, Cologne Hauptbahnhof, Cologne Bonn Airport, and Flora Botanical Garden.
Düsseldorf is city located on the Rhine River known for its fashion industry and art scene. Film locations of note include the Königsallee Shopping Street, Burgplatz, Rhine Tower, Neuer Zollhof Buildings, Kö-Bogen Düsseldorf designed by Daniel Libeskind, Museum Kunstpalast, Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen K20 and K21, Classic Remise Düsseldorf, Tonhalle Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf Schauspielhaus, Deutsche Oper am Rhein, Schloss Benrath, Merkur Spiel-Arena. Düsseldorf Hauptbahnhof, Düsseldorf Airport, and Hofgarten.
Essen is known for Villa Hügel, Old Synagogue, Museum Folkwang, Aalto Theatre designed by Alvar Aalto, Saalbau Essen, Stadion Essen, and Grugapark. The Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex includes the Ruhr Museum, and Red Dot Design Museum.
Dortmund is a port city known for Florianturm TV Tower, Zollern Colliery, DASA museum, Port Authority Building, Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund Hauptbahnhof, Dortmund Airport, and Rombergpark.
Bonn is known for Beethoven-Haus Bonn, Drachenburg Castle, Poppelsdorf Palace, and Kunstmuseum Bonn.
Aachen is known for Aachen Cathedral, and Town Hall.
Duisburg is known for its large inland port.
Altenberg Cathedral is located in Altenberg.
Bacharach is a beautiful riverside town.
Nordkirchen Palace is located in Nordkirchen.
MARTa Herford is a contemporary art museum in Herford designed by Frank Gehry.
Langen Foundation, designed by Tadao Ando, is located near Neuss.
Wuppertal is known for its suspension monorail that dates back to 1901.
The Minden Aqueduct consists of two water bridges.
The Augustusburg and Falkenlust Palaces are located in Brühl.
Some of Germany’s best vineyards are located in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Hesse
Hesse is a central German state known for forests and cities.
Frankfurt is known for its modern city skyline, Römerberg, Frankfurt Cathedral, Alte Oper, St Paul’s Church, Städel Museum, Schirn Kunsthalle, German Film Museum, Waldstadion, Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof, and Frankfurt Airport.
Mainz is known for the Gutenberg Museum, and Mainz Cathedral.
Idstein is a beautiful old town.
Heppenheim is known for Marktplatz, Town Hall, and Starkenburg Castle.
The Waldspirale building is located in Darmstadt.
Marburg Castle is a fairytale castle location. Braunfels Castle is another interesting film location. Wewelsburg Castle is known for its Nazi SS occult history.
Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe is known for its stunning 350-meter-long Grand Cascade.
Rhineland-Palatinate
Rhineland-Palatinate is located in the southwest of Germany.
The old Roman city of Trier is known for Porta Nigra, Aula Palatina, Trier Saint Peter’s Cathedral, and Karl Marx House.
Freudenberg is a fairytale village of half-timbered houses.
Bernkastel-Kues has a beautiful medieval market square.
Beilstein is a pretty riverside town.
Geierlay Suspension Bridge is a beautiful forested location.
Rhineland-Palatinate is known for its many castles including Eltz Castle, Cochem Castle, Marksburg Castle, Rheinstein Castle, Stolzenfels Castle, Schönburg Castle, Trifels Castle, and Pfalzgrafenstein Castle.
Saarland
Saarland is a forested state located in the southwest of Germany.
Saarschleife is a water gap carved by the Saar River.
Ludwigskirche in Old Saarbrücken is a beautiful location.
The Völklingen Ironworks are open for filming.
Germany Film Location Permits
Germany can be quite bureaucratic. A single location might require several different permits. That said, the process is very well organised, so an experienced service producer / fixer can arrange permits for most locations quickly and easily. Allow at least 2 weeks processing time for shoots that require exclusive use of public space. Small handheld b-roll shoots in cities can generally get away without permits. Please contact us for location specific information.
When To Shoot?
Germany has a four-season climate with hot summers (June to September), colourful leaves in fall (October to November), white winters (December to March), and spring (April to May) in full bloom. May to October are the best months to film for warm weather. For monthly weather statistics please see here.
Events of interest to filmmakers and photographers include:
• Kiel Week Regatta in June.
• Berlin’s Gendarmenmarkt Open Air Festival in July.
• Oktoberfest in Munich in September / October.
• Cologne Carnival in November.
• Fasching Karneval in November or January.
• Tübingen Chocolate Festival in December.
• Christmas Markets (Weihnachtsmarkt) held all over Germany including Rothenburg, Nuremburg, Cologne, and Goslar during November and December.
Many Germans are non-religious. Christianity is the largest religion, so those holidays are observed.
Public holidays may affect timing, availability and costs. See here for public holiday dates in Germany.
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. Germany trades in the Euro. It is a relatively expensive place to shoot but the film infrastructure and crew quality is second to none, so you get what you pay for. Germany cannot compete with Eastern Europe in terms of overall costs so productions will typically shoot in Germany only for specific reasons. Any locations requiring travel outside of the main production centres are an additional cost to filming. That said, our locally based fixers and service producers will negotiate deals and provide the appropriate level of production support to match every budget. See here for the current VAT rate.
Tax Incentives. Germany offers a rebate of up to 25% on an international film’s qualifying German spend. Regional sources offer additional financial support.
Film Crew & Talent
Crews. Germany has a great pool of local directors, directors of photography and stills photographers. Germany has world renowned, experienced, efficient professional technical and creative crews. Crews speak fluent English. Its close proximity to other major European production centres allows easy access to those crews should you ever need to look further.
Contact us if you are looking for a Hamburg, Berlin, Frankfurt, Dusseldorf or Munich based 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 in Germany.
Talent. Day rates and buyouts are negotiable.
German is the official language. English is widely spoken.
Germany is a very multicultural country offering a vast variety of unique featured talent. Germans are the main ethnic group but there are also large pools of talent from other European countries, the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. For examples see MGM Models, Harry’s Model Management, Talents Munchen.
Germany Film Equipment
Equipment. Germany has all of the standard camera, grip and lighting equipment as well as many boutique equipment suppliers offering a wide range of specialized equipment. Examples include ARRI Rental, Panther, MBF Filmtechnik, Delight Rental Services, and Cinegate. For productions looking to bring in film equipment Germany 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 and set construction is of the highest standard.
Studios and backlots. Many options exist. Some examples include: Pinewood Studios, Bavaria Studios, Havelstudios, Kubisch Rent Studios, and Studio MMC Cologne. Babelsberg Studios has built a permanent exterior hybrid set, the New Berlin Road. Westernstadt El Dorado located in Templin is a wild west theme park available for filming.
Post Production. Germany offers the highest standard of post production facilities.
Visas & Work Permits
Germany is a Schengen Area member state. Visiting US film crews can enter visa-free for a period of up to 90 days. Contact your local German embassy or representative for more information.
Transport & Accommodation
Transportation Infrastructure. Highly developed transportation infrastructure. Many international and budget regional airlines service flights to and from German cities. The train system is extensive and often a faster alternative to flying. Germany’s famous autobahns allow for quick and efficient land travel around the country.
Accommodation. Contact us for recommended film friendly hotels in Berlin, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Munich and other parts of Germany. For longer stays we can also organize serviced apartments. Hotels of note include:
Lux 11 Berlin
The Pure Frankfurt
Final Notes
Safety. Germany is a very safe place for foreign productions to visit. See here for up to date travel advice.
Down Time. Berlin is a fun party city. For late night food, try a plate of currywurst.
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 Germany, please see below:
Hire Germany Production Support & Shooting Crew
If you are looking for a film or photographic production service company, line producer or fixer for your shoot in Germany, please contact us.
If you are looking for a shooting crew for your shoot in Germany, 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.
