If you’re going to be filming your first (or next) short film in a foreign country, you should know that it’s not exactly going to be the same process as if you were to shoot it in the USA. As you’ll soon see, shooting a film in a foreign country involves more than just making sure you have your passport.
Here are the top four tips for making a short film in a foreign country:
Tip #1 – Get A Local Film Producer
You should already have producers invested in your film in the United States, but you’ll also want to find a co-producer in the country you’ll be sooting the film in as well.
Why is a co-producer in the country you’re shooting in necessary? Simple: it makes the process easier. Getting a co-producer gives your project more credibility, makes it easier to ensure that financing is squared away, and the local knowledge of the producer alone will be absolutely priceless.
Tip #2 – Square Your Finances Away
You’ll also need to have the financial aspects for the film squared away, from paying for the cast and crew to feeding them onset to equipment and props and so on.
If you haven’t already, you would be wise to use a money remittance service such as Remitly in order to transfer money to whoever you need to pay for the production. The reason why using a remittance service is so important is because you’ll save money on fees and exchange rates in contrast to if you were to pay using your bank.
Tip #3 – Don’t Shoot At Airports
Most airports will charge you thousands of dollars in order to shoot there (sometimes five thousand dollars or more). If the budget for your film is rather tight, you’ll need to shoot elsewhere. If you absolutely need an airport scene for your film, it should be fine to shoot establishing shots from outside the airport, but that’s it.
Tip #4 – Know Where To Find Actors
Last but not least, you need to know where to find quality actors in the country you’ll be shooting the film in. Again, this is why having a co-producer from the country is so important.
One solution will be to use an acting website where you can contact the actors individually. Be sure to list your credentials and perhaps the name of the co-producer so your film will seem legit to them. Remember that the actors live lives outside of the film, so if your movie doesn’t offer paid positions or doesn’t have any producer names attached, it may not seem worth their time to them.
Making A Short Film In A Foreign Country
In some ways, shooting a short film in a foreign country will be different than filming it domestically, but in many other ways it will be largely the same experience. Just keep the above tips in mind, and the process will be more efficient for you.
