South Dakota 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 South Dakota? Contact us for trusted fixers, producers, directors, DoPs, videographers, photographers, and full shooting crews tailored for the specific needs of your project.

Filming in South Dakota

For an introduction to shooting in South Dakota 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.

South Dakota Film Locations

South Dakota is an upper midwestern state best known for its vast prairies, pristine lakes and rivers, extensive cave networks, waterfalls, deep canyons, badlands, the Rocky Mountains, Black Hills, and Cold War era sites.

Agricultural film locations include fields of wheat, barley, soybeans, corn, sunflowers, as well as cattle, and buffalo farms. The state has gold mines. Energy locations include hydroelectric dams, wind energy farms, as well as coal and gas fired power plants.

South Dakota has hosted productions including Nomadland (2020), The Rider (2017), Nebraska (2013), Into The Wild (2007), National Treasure: Book of Secrets (2007), Hidalgo (2004), Armageddon (1998), Starship Troopers (1997), Wyatt Earp (1994), Dances With Wolves (1990), How the West Was Won (1962), and North by Northwest (1959).

Pierre, located on the Missouri River, is the state capital. Film locations of note include the state capitol building and South Dakota National Guard Museum. Dances With Wolves (1990) filmed in Pierre.

Sioux Falls is the state’s largest city. Falls Park has a series of cascading falls along the Big Sioux River. Other Sioux Falls film locations of note include Old Courthouse Museum, The Corn Palace, and Wild Water West Waterpark.

Badlands National Park is a spectacular location known for its buttes, pinnacles, and grass prairie landscapes. Nomadland (2020), Armageddon (1998), Mercury Rising (1998), Starship Troopers (1997), Dances with Wolves (1990), and How the West Was Won (1962) were partially filmed in Badlands National Park. In Armageddon (1998), the park doubled as the surface of an astroid.

Mount Rushmore National Memorial is known for the colossal sculpture carved into the granite face of Mount Rushmore in the Black Hills in Keystone. Nebraska (2013), National Treasure: Book of Secrets (2007), and North by Northwest (1959) filmed in Mount Rushmore.

Custer State Park, located in the Black Hills, is a landscape of rolling prairie grasslands and rugged mountains. It is home to a large herd of bison, elk, coyotes, deer, mountain goats, prairie dogs, bighorn sheep, river otters, pronghorn, cougars, and feral burros. Nomadland (2020) and How the West Was Won (1962) filmed in Custer State Park. National Treasure: Book of Secrets (2007) filmed in Sylvan Lake, which is also located in the park.

Black Hills National Forest is know for its landscapes of ponderosa pine, aspen, bur oak, birch, and grassland prairie. Hidalgo (2004) filmed in Black Hills National Forest.

Bear Butte State Park is located in Meade County.

Palisades State Park is known for its cliffs and rock formations.

Wind Cave National Park is known for its beautiful formations.

Jewel Cave National Monument is one of the world’s known longest caves.

Spearfish Canyon in the Black Hills is known for its waterfalls including Bridal Veil Falls, Spearfish Falls, Roughlock Falls, and Baker’s Falls. Dances With Wolves (1990) filmed in Spearfish Canyon.

Bear Country USA is a drive through wildlife park.

Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary is located in Fall River County.

Crazy Horse Memorial is located in Custer County.

The Wall Drug Store is a unique roadside tourist attraction that featured in Nomadland (2020).

Black Hills Central Railroad is a heritage railroad that operates in Keystone.

Akta Lakota Museum & Cultural Center is located in Chamberlain.

Needles Eye Tunnel is an impressive car commercial location.

1880 Town is an Old West film set.

Deadwood is known for its historic main street, Adams Museum, Broken Boot Gold Mine, and the George S. Mickelson Trail.

Terry Peak ski area and Great Bear Ski Valley are ski resorts.

Minuteman Missile National Historic Site is a Cold War era location.

Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame is located in Sturgis.

Rapid City area locations include the kitschy Dinosaur Park, Journey Museum and Learning Center, WaTiki Indoor Waterpark Resort, South Dakota Air and Space Museum, and Chapel in the Hills stave church. Nebraska (2013) and Dances With Wolves (1990) filmed in Rapid City.

Into The Wild (2007) filmed in Winner, Hot Springs, and Carthage.

Armageddon (1998) and Dances With Wolves (1990) filmed in Interior.

Starship Troopers (1997) filmed in Kadoka.

Mercury Rising (1998) filmed in Sturgis.

Wyatt Earp (1994) filmed in Hermosa.

South Dakota Film Location Permits

There are no state-wide permits. Permits are required for monuments, state parks, forests, and grasslands. Filming on Indian Reservations requires the permission of tribal authorities. Proof of insurance is required. Please contact us for location specific information.

When To Shoot?

South Dakota has a well defined four-season climate with spring in full bloom, hot summers, colorful fall leaves and white snowy winters. Low humidity and lack of pollutants makes for excellent visibility and crisp photography. June to July are the best months to film wheat and barley fields. July to August are the best months to film corn and sunflower fields.

Events of interest to filmmakers and photographers include:

• Black Hills Stock Show and Rodeo takes place in January / February in Rapid City.
• Oglala Lakota Nation Annual Pow Wow takes place in August in Pine Ridge.
• Custer State Park Buffalo Roundup takes place in September.

Public holidays may affect timing, availability and costs. See here for public holiday dates in the United States.

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.

South Dakota Tax Incentives For Filming

No tax incentives for filming in South Dakota at present.

South Dakota Film Crew & Talent

Crew. South Dakota has a very small pool of local crew. Best to bring in key crew with you.

Contact us if you are looking for a Sioux Falls, or Pierre 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 South Dakota.

Talent. South Dakota has a predominately Caucasian population. The state also a large population of Native Americans. The nine sovereign Native American tribes include the Cheyenne River Sioux, Crow Creek Sioux, Flandreau Santee Sioux, Lower Brule Sioux, Oglala Sioux, Rosebud Sioux, Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate, Standing Rock Sioux, and Yankton Sioux.

South Dakota Film Equipment

Equipment. South Dakota has a very small pool of local camera, grip and lighting equipment. Best to bring in film equipment with you.

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.

South Dakota Film-Friendly Accommodation

Please contact us for recommended film friendly hotels in Sioux Falls, Pierre and other areas of South Dakota.

Final Notes

Safety. South Dakota is a very safe and reliable place for foreign productions to shoot. See here for up to date travel advice.

Down Time. Try South Dakota’s official desert, Kuchen.

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 South Dakota, please see below:

Hire South Dakota Production Support & Shooting Crew

If you are looking for a film or photographic production service company, line producer or fixer for your shoot in South Dakota, please contact us.

If you are looking for a shooting crew for your shoot in South Dakota, 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.