Beijing

A booming metropolis and one of the largest cities in the world, Beijing has plenty to offer visiting productions.

A city with a long, rich history, Beijing is known for its unique cultural locations such as the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Temple of Heaven, Lama Temple, and the Summer Palace. Just outside the city you can find the famed Great Wall.

As the political capital of China, Beijing is home to stark government buildings and high-fenced embassies.

Beijing is also the artistic capital of the country. 798 Art District is a well known gallery area occupying a former East-German-built military factory. The location offers filmmakers and photographers both sleek modern interiors and harsh industrial exteriors.

Sanlitun is a modern shopping area and the unofficial gay district.

Gulou is a good example of one of Beijing’s historic hutongs, once a maze of residential homes and narrow alleys, now an area known for edgy fashion, trendy stores, and fusion restaurants. Dashilan, once the centre of Imperial-era commerce, is another hutong coming up as a designer area.

For food and cooking shows looking for film in Beijing, the city is known for Peking Duck, hot pot, dumplings, and donkey meat. Liangmaqiao is known for its Japanese food and hidden cheap eats. Wangjing is the Korean district. Wudaokou is the university district known for cheap restaurants, markets and bars.

Beijing summers are hot and humid. Winters can be cold, dry, dark and biting.

Although on the decrease, heavy smog remains a common occurrence in Beijing. Summer (August) is the best season to film for lower levels of smog and blue skies. If your shoot requires the hazy look then late winter (February / March) is the best time to film, right after the Chinese New Years fireworks, at the peak period of when fossil fuels are burnt to heat the city.

Beijing is just waiting for a visionary director to take advantage of the stark buildings, bright lights, dark smoggy haze, heavy oriental fabrics, and intense city energy to film the next gritty science fiction Bladerunner.

Beijing Production Services & Camera Crew

Contact us if you are looking for a Beijing fixer or production service producer. We are also able to recommend an English speaking Beijing based videographer, stills photographer, cameraman, director of photography, or director should your project require it.