FILMING ON LOCATION IN EAST AFRICA:
MOZAMBIQUE,UGANDA,RWANDA,KENYA,TANZANZIA AND ZANZIBAR
When planning a film production in Mozambique, Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya Tanzania and Zanzibar it is crucial that you engage the services of local film fixers to handle the applications of film permits, location permits, press accreditation (temporary work permits for international film crew), assistance with visa application and temporary import of film gear. The local film fixers will also handle budget negotiation with local suppliers to ensure that costs come in at local prices. Then there is a list of do’s and don’ts when filming on location. In this article Hoodlum Film Fixers with share these insights and very important tips to ensure a smooth and enjoyable film experience in this region.
LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT ETHIOPIA IN THIS NEWS ARTICLE:
THE DO’S AND DON’T WHEN FILIMING ON LOCATIONS
The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia is located in the north-eastern part of Africa commonly known as the Horn of Africa. It is strategically proximate to the Middle East and Europe, together with its easy access to the major ports of the region, enhances its international trade. It is bordered by the Sudan in the west, Somalia and Djibouti in the east, Eritrea in the north and Kenya in the south. The country covers 1,112,000 square kilometres (472,000 sq. miles) making it roughly as large as France and Spain combined and is five times the size of the UK. With a population of about 110.14 million, Ethiopia represents a melting pot of ancient cultures with Middle Eastern and African cultures evident in the religious, ethnic and language composition of its Semitic, Cushitic, Omotic and Nilotic peoples. The Ethiopian peoples comprise about eighty nationalities of which the Amhara and the Oromo constitute the majority, with about 60 percent of the total population. Approximately 85 percent of the population live in the rural areas. The annual population growth rate is about 3.09 percent, and the economically active segment, between ages 14 and 60, is about 50 percent of the total population.
DO
- Check the type of visa that you need before coming.
- Bring a credit card if you have one.
- Get proper vaccination and insurance before coming.
- Have some emergency numbers always ready with you.
- Try to learn some basic Amharic; they’ll love it and you too.
- Unblock your phone at the airport upon arrival and get an Ethiopian SIM card at Ethio Telecom. Use safe ways of transport, especially avoiding drivers who chew “khat” and night rides outside the city.
- Wash your hands always, before and after meals.
- Eat properly cooked food and drink bottled water.
- Negotiate with taxi drivers that don’t have a meter system.
- Ask always if the appointments’ time is in Ethiopian time or international time.
- Offer food to people around while you are eating.
- Be careful with street dogs; they may transmit rabies.
- Respect different cultural aspects when different than yours.
DON’T
- Don’t bargain in local food and grocery stores; they have fixed prices.
- Don’t give cash to kids. If you give them money or goods, you are perpetuating this exploitation.
- Don’t take pictures of government buildings, embassies and similar; it is forbidden.
- Don’t film people without asking first; it’s a robbery.
- Don’t openly criticize the government. Be careful with politics.
- Don’t drink tap water, uncooked food, salads, etc.
- Don’t leave your things unattended.
- Don’t accuse anybody of stealing without proof.
- Don’t go to religious service without covering your head, shoulders, and knees (women).
- Don’t bring contraband illegal items/drugs into the country.
- Don’t work under any circumstance on a tourist visa.
- Don’t share non-fasting food with fasting people.
- Don’t leave trash behind (even if you see locals do it)
