England
England is known for its vibrant cities, picturesque hamlets, green rolling fields, country lanes with stone fences, canals, forests, old pubs, palaces, castles and manors.
Agricultural locations looks include wheat and barley fields, dairy farms, and green hills dotted with wandering sheep.
Cost & Rebates
England is a relatively expensive place to shoot due to the high cost of locations, talent and crews. Much of this is due to the strong Great Britain Pound, although devaluations in the currency have made England a more attractive place to film.
London and Manchester are the major production hubs so any locations requiring travel outside of these areas are an additional cost to filming. Given the vast number of film professionals available, deals can always be made.
VAT applies in the UK.
Tax Incentives. Films that pass the cultural test or qualify as a co-production are eligible for 25% UK Film Tax Relief of the qualifying UK production spend. See here for more information.
When To Shoot
England’s summer months from June to September are usually sunny and mild. Rainfall occurs all year round and is heaviest in the winter months from November to January. Snowfall is rare.
Visa Information
England is not a Schengen Area member state. Entry is subject to regulations from country of origin. US crews can enter visa-free for stays of up to 6 months. Contact your local British embassy or representative for more information.
Cast, Crew & Equipment
England has a very good pool of local directors, directors of photography and stills photographers. English crews are of the highest international standard. England offers a great depth of world-renowned, experienced, professional technical crews. Manchester is a TV show city so if you are shooting a commercial or film, some crew may need to be brought in from London. England has a very deep, multicultural and multilingual pool of talent. Specialist agencies exist to supply every kind of possible talent ranging from high-end models to character actors. Many of the world’s celebrities also live in England.
England offers both Panavision and Arri camera, grip and lighting equipment as well as many boutique equipment companies. All specialized equipment is available in England. For productions looking to bring in their own gear England is an ATA carnet country.