Netflix series production Wednesday made it clear to the whole world that Romania is top-notch when it comes to film locations. Virgin forests, medieval castles, old hunted houses, royal rail stations, you named it – Romania is by far a versatile film location to be taken into account when planning a video production. But, whether you are looking to shoot in commercial sites in Romania, are interested in documentary or corporate filming, or following a news story, you need a film permit. The good news is that AS Media video production company has a lot of experience in working with local authorities and can help get your film permit fast while keeping your budget underscore.
How to film inside the most popular locations in Romania without breaking your budget
Romania has a long history of bureaucracy and long procedures for paperwork management, so getting a film permit can be hard without local help. There are certain regulations you have to know when dealing with state-owned institutions. Fortunately, Romania is one of the most favorable countries for free filming in public places. You can get some excellent footage by standing on a boardwalk in the city center square while enjoying a coffee. It can be tricky to film in marketplaces or public squares, especially in Bucharest, without local production coordination to ensure you don’t trigger anyone.
Coming back to the bright side, when dealing whit film permits in Romania another good part is that there is no central authority to regulate it. Therefore permits are tackled on a case-by-case basis. However, as long as you are working with an experienced local coordinator, everything will go smoothly.
Travel shows and historical documentaries that featured iconic landmarks like The House of the People, Ceausescu’s House, or Dracula’s favourite place, Bran Castle, were the majority of the projects for which I provided video support in obtaining film access in Romania. As a production coordinator, I was able to obtain free filming access in all of these locations by adhering to some basic guidelines
3 simple steps to get a film permit in Romania ready fast and sure
Being specific about the requirements for video production is number one on the list. The more details about how the video production will take place and which are the particular requirements of the production involved the more chances to get free filming access. When working with film locations that are very popular, it is always a good idea to keep an eye on the hours when people can visit and plan the shooting so as not to disturb the tourists.
Number two on the list is patience and perseverance. Usually, a film permit in Romania takes from one to three weeks to get released and that depends a lot on the filming location’s management and the type of video production involved. Because email is still foreign in Romania, it usually takes a lot of follow-ups after you apply for a filming permit to ensure that the email was received and processed.
Last but not least – negotiate the filming tax. Some film locations in Romania can charge a lot of money, especially for corporate video production, but there is always room to bargain if you play your cards right.
Getting film access in Romania is not rocket science but it involves plenty of procedures to be taken into account and trustworthy production coordination to open the doors for you. And the best part is that no matter how big or small your video production might be, in Romania, you can certainly find the perfect film location to match your storyline.
