international locations Jul 2005

Cape Town is described as "a world in one city": sublime weather conditions, world-class crew, diversity of architecture and landscapes and excellent value for money and if you're travelling from Europe, no jet lag!

It is also recognised as a leading production services destination. Cape Town, Durban and Gauteng are busy the whole year round with local and international productions.

Euroconnection South Africa say that they are "100% production - 100% management" and say that they meet every brief, co-ordinating everything in the most cost effective way - on target, on time and on budget.

Their producers have more than 15 years of experience, and they insist on good pre-production, hands-on personal involvement and total commitment to their clients.

Tunisia is located at the top of North Africa and separated from Europe by the Mediterranean, with the Italian coasts less than 200 kilometres away. The country has more than 1,300 km of coastline, much of which is fine sand. It enjoys a moderate climate and good sun light.

In the north, immense green plains and low plateaus dominate the landscape; to the south, the sand dunes and oases of the Sahara extend forever. In the interior lie numerous archaeological sites and natural reserves. Chott El Djérid, a salt lake as vast as Kansas, is responsible for legendary desert mirages. In Matmata, the crater landscape was the location chosen by George Lucas for "Star Wars II" and Anthony Minghella's "English Patient".

AD Production and Sensation Events are sister companies based in Tunis. Together they offer a range of audio-visual services, including commercial production, corporate film production, documentary production, casting, technical crew and production management.

Hong Kong is a unique and diverse melting pot where traditional old markets and ultra-modern architecture sit side by side. It is a large, vibrant city with lush green countryside and good beaches nearby. Its sub-tropical climate makes it an all-year-round destination.

Hong Kong has an excellent infrastructure to support all kinds of production, as well as excellent communications. It has one of the world's largest seaports and one of the most modern inter-continental airports.

With reasonable production expenses, Hong Kong is a popular location for photographic and film production, and is frequently used by Hollywood studios for major motion picture productions.

Contra Service Productions has a network of local production personnel in Hong Kong with the necessary bi-lingual English-Cantonese key crew on all productions. This year, so far they have completed productions in Hong Kong for Ansons, Mild Seven and UBS.

Shanghai is one of the world's great cities, with a colourful past, a frenetic present and an ambitious future. It is located on the East China coast, roughly on the same latitude as Cairo, Lahore and Jacksonville, Florida.

It is China's largest city, largest port, largest industrial base and the leading force driving the economy forward. It is considered to have the best shops and restaurants in the country and the most fashionable people. And it offers some of the most amazing architecture and locations for filming (both old and new).

Southern Media provides film production services for TVC and stills projects throughout Asia. Through their network of local partners in China, Japan and the Far East, they provide personally supervised European-style production, management, and accounting. They supply producers, crews, locations, casting, the latest equipment and support vehicles. Recent projects include: Audi, BMW, Cisco Systems, Mercedes, Porsche, Hewlett Packard, Opel, Pepsi, Unilever, and Volkswagen.

Tokyo is Japan's largest city, the fast-moving capital that was recently seen close-up in the cinema success Lost in Translation.

The city and its surrounding areas offer some beautiful and very distinctive locations: from Odaiba's futuristic shopping and entertainment district and Shiodome's spectacular skyscrapers to typical Japanese-style gardens, wooded mountains and beautiful landscapes.

Japan has excellent transportation with modern airports, good roads, fast trains and plenty of bridges, making many areas of the country quickly accessible. Furthermore, the transport architecture creates many interesting locations for productions.

Contra Service Productions has a network of local production personnel in Tokyo and have recently completed production of an Audi's ad campaign.

 

The beautiful Turks and Caicos Islands are situated 575 miles southeast of Miami, and are made up of 40 different islands, only 8 of which are still inhabited.

The Islands have the third largest coral reef system in the world and some of the best tropical beaches anywhere, many of them secluded with priceless stretches of powder white sand, diversified architecture, dazzling crystal clear turquoise waters and reefs so rich in marine life it is said to have some of the best diving in the world.

Turks and Caicos Productions are a full service production company based in New York City and Turks. Their office is only 75 minutes from Miami and 3 hours from New York and well served by the main airlines with direct flights from London, New York, Miami, New York, Boston and Canada.

 

 

Turks and Caicos Productions have considerable knowledge of the entire Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico and Pacific Ocean areas.

Anyone who has ever been to Havana will know what a visually striking city it is. It is an enchanting place with cool architecture, special light, and a great atmosphere. It has a young, dynamic energy as well as a powerful sense of the important role the country has played in making history.

Havana Pictures is the first and longest-established international film company in Cuba. Based in Havana since 1992, their experience in the film world began 20 years ago in Europe and South America. Since then they have worked with well-known and prestigious international companies.

Their agreement with the Cuban authorities means that their clients are officially supported and approved for all their production in Cuba.

Havana Pictures offer a full end-to-end production service including: location scouting, casting, catering, production office, rental of equipment and transport. In their own words, their aim is to: "fulfil the needs of our clients and help them achieve the best results".

The Alpujarras are located in Southern Spain between the Sierra Nevada mountain range and the Mediterranean coast. It is a unique area of stunning natural beauty with a good climate and very good light throughout most of the year. It offers a mix of scenery; magnificent rugged peaks of the Sierra Nevada, the foothills of the southern slopes, deep valleys, rivers, mountains, desert and numerous picturesque villages.

There are panoramic views in every direction and very good visibility. Apart from the beautiful landscapes and romantic country roads, there is a good, modern road infrastructure with fast links to international airports in Granada, Almería and Malaga.

Contra Service Productions has an up-to-date database of locations throughout The Alpujarras, and offers location scouting services. They provide estimates tailored to the production budget and will handle all financial matters throughout the shooting. They will also co-ordinate travel arrangements, negotiate hotel and car rental fees, organise the casting, book the necessary crew, ensuring the smooth operation of every production.

Finding a place is easy - with a bit of luck. However, the perfect location can only be found with inside local knowledge, expertise, attention to detail and a reliable intuition. A professional eye can turn an unconspicuous place into a spectacular location - if you look for it.

 

That is the view of Regina Kaczmarek and her professional scouting team, who have been successfully hunting out great locations for more than a decade.

 

The agency is based in Frankfurt am Main, right in the heart of Germany. Frankfurt is a city that provides plenty of locations for production teams. It connects the modern cathedrals of big business and the most impressive skyline in Germany with the charm of "Old Europe"'s splendid mansions and enchanting countryside.

Ibiza is the southernmost of the Balearic Islands and undeniably one of the best places in Europe to shoot a commercial. If all the blues, turquoises and incredible clearness of the sea act as a backdrop to Ibiza, then the beaches, which line it, are its showcase.

The island is fortunate in its location, being close to the great capitals of Europe. The climate is exceptional with more than 220 days of sunshine in a year. Within a radius of less than 20 kilometres, Ibiza offers an impressive variety of scenery and architecture. Being an island, you can always arrange for the sun to be in the right position for photography. The light on Ibiza is unique for absence of pollution and the humidity in the air, giving a softness that enhances the qualities of the human skin and of the scenery.

Today, Ibiza has all the facilities needed for any successful production. The success of Mahaut Models - Ibiza's first children's model agency - is due to the professionalism of its children of every nationality whose 'art' of open air living and really relaxed attitude makes for great adaptability in the way they work.

 

International production companies can find a vast range of different landscapes in Italy including Europe's most beautiful mountains and the special hills of Tuscany. The country's thousands of kilometres of coastline offers a different, yet equally stunning, scene at every turn... including the beautiful coasts of Amalfi and Positano, and the black sand of Stromboli Island to name a few.

It's not just the natural landscapes that make Italy such a great location. It is also home to some of the most beautiful cities in the world - Siena, Pisa, Perugia, Genova, Florence and Venice. Also some of the world's most precious art and architecture, aristocratic villas and castles.

Founded 20 years ago, Casting specialises in locations and production for video/photo shootings for various industries, especially for automotive and fashion. Casting is a firm point of reference for national and international production companies who require an expert, dynamic partner that knows how to interpret taste and style with the "made in Italy" hallmark.

[email protected]

Sardinia, also known as the little continent, offers an incredible array of beaches, landscapes and urban locations.

Desert, Irish-looking fields with low stone walls, 1800 km of silent bays, white Caribbean-style sandy beaches touched by a transparent blue sea, the highest dunes of Europe. In the inland mountains, towering rock faces, forests, deserted plains, industrial buildings from the 19th century, and Mediterranean-style cities. Excellent automotive locations with curvaceous well-kept roads leading through a variety of landscapes.

Still undiscovered, most locations are easily accessible, shooting permits can be obtained without too much difficulty. There are easy low-cost connections from the UK and Germany. Equipment rental available.

Beyond the well-known Cote d'Azur and Montecarlo, the south of France has some classic French landscapes notably in Provence and the Camargue.

 

Provence offers kilometre after kilometre of fields of lavender, and old streets that feel unchanged since the Middle Ages while Aix-en-Provence is the spiritual home of Impressionist art.

The Camargue offers a more rugged landscape with the wetlands and its white horses, the bull-breeding and local gipsies.

Casting can help you find locations in South of France as well as organise video/photo productions - especially in the fields of automotive and fashion. For 20 years, Casting have been a resource for national and international production companies who want an expert, dynamic partner in South of France.

[email protected]

 

 

The SONDA Productions team describe Tenerife as one of the most incredible places to produce in Europe.

The Spanish island - one of the group of Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of north-west Africa - has exotic beaches, many historical buildings and modern architecture, making it an interesting place to produce throughout the year, including in the European winter.

With average temperatures of between 20-22ºC, this "island of eternal spring" has different climatic areas: the north is lush and green with abundant vegetation at sea level and 2,000+ metre lunar-like landscapes. Further south are large forests, and desert-like landscapes.

SONDA Productions would be happy to be your production partner in the Canary Islands.

Mount Teide, the island's 3,700 metre high dormant volcano, has amazing roads for car shoots.

Dubai in the Arabian Peninsula is truly a global city. The convergence of people from different parts of the world makes for an amazing mixture. Almost the entire labour force comes from elsewhere, making it one of the most genuinely cosmopolitan and international places on earth. Dubai is new, flashy, brash, glitzy, vibrant, awash in money and has weather that's perfect 99% of the time.

Visually, it has much to offer: white sand beaches, cutting-edge architecture, endless red-sand dune deserts, rugged mountain ranges, and a whole range of amazing locations.

Southern Media provides film production services for TVC and stills projects throughout the Middle East. Through their network of local partners in the UAE, Oman and Egypt, they provide personally supervised European-style production, management, and accounting. They can supply producers, crews, locations, casting and have access to the latest equipment and support vehicles. Recent TVC and stills projects include: Audi, BMW, Cisco Systems, Mercedes, Porsche, Hewlett Packard, Opel, Pepsi, Unilever, and Volkswagen.

New Zealand: Locations to fly for!

 

Film New Zealand is the national film locations office that markets New Zealand as one of the world's best screen production destinations.

We aim to help create one of the world's top environments for the making of film, television, commercials and digital production.

Sydney is Australia's largest city, the oldest settlement in the country, the economic powerhouse of the nation and the country's capital in everything but name. It is blessed with sun-drenched natural attractions, skyscrapers, good restaurants, superb shopping and friendly folk - and the most beautiful natural harbour in the world.

It has come a long way from its convict beginnings, but still has a rough and ready energy. It offers an invigorating blend of the old and the new, the raw and the refined.

Southern Media is based in Sydney and provides film production services for TVC and stills projects throughout Australia. They can supply producers, crews, locations, casting and have access to the latest equipment and support vehicles. Recent projects include: Audi, BMW, Cisco Systems, Mercedes, Porsche, Hewlett Packard, Opel, Pepsi, Unilever, and Volkswagen.

Images supplied by www.wildlight.net, Tel: + 61 2 9698 8077

For many creative professionals, Argentina is "the new discovery".

It is growing in popularity because of its vast choice of locations, and one of the widest variety of landscapes in the world: from tropical settings to deserts; from beaches to mountains; from classic and colonial architecture to modern cutting-edge design. Plus it has a buzzing, creative culture.

Apart from this immense choice of locations, Argentina's lower costs offer a good opportunity to produce for less while maintaining top quality.

Dolce Vita Productions offer a complete production service and invite you to visit this great place for yourself.

Rio Grande do Sul is one of the most prosperous states in Brazil. And it is full of great locations, many of which feel like they could be in Europe. Good beaches, lush jungle, waterfalls, mountains, colourful landscapes, modern architecture, old architecture, carnival, beautiful people... there are plenty of reasons for production teams to choose this location.

And while there is one of the most talented and best-qualified production markets in the world, production costs are lower than average.

Leading film production company, TGD Filmes, have been operating in Rio Grande do Sul since 1986. Their client list includes some of the region's best advertising agencies and largest advertisers in the region. They are certified for ISO 9001 quality and have recently modernised their technological infrastructure and management systems. They are interested in working together with foreign partners, either as a base production for commercials/films or for co-producing or investing in projects.

The state of Paraná is in the south of Brazil. Its main city, Curitiba, is considered the country's most European city, with a high quality of life, and a lot of Italian, Ukrainian and German influence. The city provides a very efficient infrastructure for production teams (good locations, professionals, equipment rental, studios, accommodation...).

Twenty minutes off the coast is the island of Ilha do Mel, a "little treasure" that is still unspoilt, with little more than nature, fishermen and surfers, many beautiful beaches and an 18th century fort. There is a good choice of locations: modern style, beaches, islands, countryside, old classic houses, and so on.

The south of Brazil is becoming a very good option for productions during the northern hemisphere's winter months - with main advantages being its locations, competitive prices and high level of professional service.

Gaby Corrêa is a leading force in the promotion of southern Brazil as a new destination for foreign clients. She also provides full production services across Brazil and Portugal.