China Video Production HouseFull Production Services in China. China Film Production Support: Camera Crew, Fixer, Producer, Location Scout, Remote Shooting, Casting.
Looking for China Production Service? We provide film production services across China. From the major Chinese urban cities like Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Chengdu, to the rural area, China has great amount of locations to offer, every year there are hundreds of film shoots happening in China and it can be challenging if you are not familiar with the cultures and law in China. We are here to provide production support to our clients, save your time and budget.
Whether it’s a studio shoot with celebrity, or a outdoor shoot for a documentary, we have the right cameraman and resourceful producers that ready for your next shoot in China.
Our Location fixer scout & secure great locations for our client’s production needs.
Filming Support Across China
Started in 2013, our team has helped countless clients with their projects in China, our team is small yet we have the great experience with film production in China, we have a office in Shanghai and a good amount of associates around China, we trust each other through years of collaboration.
China local cinematographer for hire
Production Service For Commercial Shoot
Any time, any scale, any issues, we are here for our clients, we provide our services through a solution approach, through the tireless trying on asking the right questions, our goal is to make sure all the details are covered before the shoot starts, so everyone can enjoy the good vibes and focus on the content creation.
Feel free to send us an email and let’s start the conversation:
China Production Service: Unique Casting Options in China
About Shoot In China
Established in 2012, [SIC] is crowning achievement of a 15 year production partnership between Clark Wang and Matt Clarke (no relation). We set up Shoot in China to utilize our knowledge and experience of video production in China to provide a higher quality, better value service for international clients.
Over the last decade we’ve delivered more than 1600 projects ranging from high end TVC’s, film and documentary shoots to simple one day shoots, equipment rentals and logistical support for visiting crews.
As a boutique production house we’ve cultivated a high quality bilingual crew, equipment and logistics network to ensure that filming in China is a smooth process with outstanding results.
Looking for China Production Services? We help our clients set up different types of production across China, whether your production is commercial shoot, feature film, documentary or corporate video, brand content, we have the right resources and experience talents to help you on the project.
With over a decade of experience, we help international and local productions navigate permits, locations, logistics, and professional crew coordination, making filming in China stress-free and efficient.
Comprehensive Film & Video Production Services in China
1. Location Scouting & Permits
We provide expert assistance in securing ideal filming locations and necessary permits:
Urban & Natural Locations – Shanghai’s futuristic skyline, Beijing’s historical sites, and scenic landscapes across China
Government & Private Property Permits – Handling all legal requirements for smooth production
2. Professional Film & Video Crew
We offer experienced China production services with skilled production professionals, including:
Producers & Fixers – Managing budgets, logistics, and local coordination
Directors of Photography (DPs) & Camera Operators – Capturing high-quality visuals
Lighting & Sound Technicians – Ensuring professional production quality
Makeup Artists, Stylists & Art Directors – Supporting creative vision on set
3. High-End Equipment Rental & Technical Support
Our China production services include access to top-tier filmmaking gear:
Cameras: ARRI Alexa 35, RED Komodo, Sony Venice, Canon C500
Lenses: Cooke Anamorphic, Zeiss Supreme Prime, Fujinon Cine Zoom
Lighting & Grip: ARRI SkyPanel, Aputure, Kino Flo, HMIs
Specialized Gear: Steadicams, drones, tracking vehicles, and motion rigs
4. Corporate & Commercial Video Production
We support business-focused and branded content production, including:
Corporate Interviews & Branding Videos – High-end visuals for global businesses
Product & Commercial Shoots – Advertising and promotional video production
Conference & Event Filming – Multi-camera setups and live streaming services
5. Post-Production & Editing Services
We provide complete post-production support, ensuring polished, high-quality final content:
Editing & Color Grading – Professional cinematic finishing
Motion Graphics & VFX – Engaging visual effects and animations
Sound Design & Multilingual Subtitling – Perfecting dialogue and international distribution
Why Choose Our China Production Services?
10+ Years of Experience – Trusted by top brands, filmmakers, and media agencies
Bilingual Crew & Fixers – English & Mandarin-speaking professionals for seamless communication
Fast Permit Processing & Location Access – Strong industry connections for quick approvals
Full-Service Production Support – Covering pre-production, filming, and post-production
Nationwide Coverage – Available in Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Guangzhou & more
Production Services Across China
We provide China production services in:
Shanghai & Beijing – Major production hubs for commercial and corporate films
Shenzhen & Guangzhou – Ideal for tech, industrial, and business-related videos
Hong Kong & Macau – Luxury brand and finance sector media production
Chengdu & Chongqing – Growing creative markets for branding and documentary filmmaking
Our Production Experience in China will help you with the following but not limited to:
Film Crew Hire: Cinematographer, Director, Gaffer, Props, Art Director, Soundman, Makeup/Wardrobe, Animal Trainer;
Location Scouting: From the great nature reserve area to the blue ocean beach front, the city landscape rooftop spot, public transportation sight, city street view or highway in the city traffic, our location fixer/manager will help you secure the location for your shoot;
Equipment rental: all the camera gear and lighting equipment is just an order away;
Production Management: Our experienced producers know about China, they will oversee everything on the production and tell you if there is any issue on the production.
Post Production: From the DIT management to the online color correction, sound mixing to full sound post production, we got you covered;
China Local Production Support
Started in 2011, our in house team have working hard on combining the resources together for our clients project, in a world that keep changing, our job is not only setting up shoots for clients, but also keep learning the new production process for different content, in the old days, a commercial might require the locations that can stop the traffic completely, nowadays a lot of cities in China no longer allow that to happen, so we have to be smart whenever we work on our client’s production.
Our production services can cover whole China, including Hong Kong, the goal is to make sure our clients get what they need while their production only happens in a couple of days time, we want them to get the most of their time and budget.
When we say full production services, we mean everything from pre production to post production, from location scouting, film crew, cinematographer, directors, sound man, casting the actor actress, film equipment rental, we will handle them all for the clients, and also show up on the set to manage everything for our clients.
There are plenty of post production facilities in major cities in China, from the online editing, color correction, special visual effect, to sound post production, we have the great network here to make everything here.
Feel free to check out our showreel and contact us:
Looking for local fixer based in China? We have helped a lot of our clients with their production in China, our production support services can cover client’s shoot in China, whether you are looking for fixer to help your documentary, content research, translation, or commercials & Corporate films, we have the right experience candidate.
Our Shanghai Fixer Work on Remote Shooting for BBC latest project in China
Whether you’re working on a feature film, documentary, news report, or commercial shoot, having an experienced China fixer is essential for navigating local regulations, securing locations, and ensuring a smooth production process.
Comprehensive Fixer Services in China
1. Location Scouting & Permits
We handle research, approvals, and on-ground coordination for your shoot:
Urban & Natural Locations – From Shanghai’s futuristic skyline to rural landscapes in Yunnan
Government & Private Property Access – Assisting with approvals for public and restricted areas
Cultural & Industrial Settings – Connecting you with historical landmarks, factories, and unique filming spots
Fast-Tracked Permitting – Navigating local laws to ensure legal and hassle-free shoots
2. Local Crew & Equipment Coordination
We provide access to bilingual production teams and professional equipment for any scale of production:
Producers & Fixers – Managing logistics, budgeting, and production needs
Camera Operators & DPs – Expert cinematographers for commercial and documentary filmmaking
Sound, Lighting & Grip Technicians – Ensuring professional on-set quality
Equipment Rental Services – Access to ARRI, RED, Sony, Canon cameras, along with lighting, drones, and more
3. Production Logistics & On-Site Assistance
We ensure a stress-free shoot by handling:
Transportation & Accommodation – Organizing travel and lodging for cast and crew
Security & Crowd Management – Coordinating safety and public space control
Bilingual Translators & Cultural Advisors – Bridging language barriers and ensuring smooth communication
4. Journalist & Documentary Fixer Services
For international media, we offer specialized fixer services for news reporting and documentary production:
Interview Coordination & Research – Connecting with local experts, businesses, and government contacts
Legal & Ethical Guidance – Ensuring compliance with China’s media regulations
Live Coverage & Remote Filming Support – Assisting with international live broadcasts and digital production needs
Why Choose Our China Local Fixer Services?
10+ Years of Experience – Trusted by global media companies and production houses
Bilingual Crew & Strong Local Networks – English & Mandarin-speaking professionals
Full-Service Fixer Support – Covering pre-production, on-site logistics, and post-production assistance
Nationwide Coverage – Available in Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Guangzhou & more
Fixer Services Across China
We provide China local fixer services in:
Shanghai & Beijing – Top locations for corporate, commercial, and feature film shoots
Shenzhen & Guangzhou – Ideal for tech, industrial, and business-related productions
Hong Kong & Macau – Luxury brands, financial sectors, and international news coverage
Chengdu & Chongqing – Growing markets for documentaries and cultural storytelling
Hire the Fixer in China With Right Experience
When you search for a fixer, the first thing you should look into the experience, we have a great network of fixers that’s available in our reach, and we worked with them on different projects and know what they have done in the past for which clients, whenever our clients might need some help on their project, we can look for the right fixer to help our clients.
Interview shooting for our clients
Research, Visa, Permit, Logistics
We are familiar with the content research, J2 visa application, Location access permit, and logistics for your production, after years of working on the actual production in China, we have gained enough experience to help our clients with these work, and that’s why we have some clients that keep coming back to us for more projects.
Plus our years of production network and allow us to quickly set up the shoot, for documentary or any types of film production in China. Hire Fixer in China From Us.
Shooting in the local hospital
Hire Our Fixer in China For Full Production Support Services
Our fixers in China know what it takes to make things happen, and we have enough experience to help all sorts of shooting for our clients, the amount of work that we done in the past can be the shortcut for our client’s next film shoot in China.
Looking for Shanghai Video Production Company? Shoot In China has been the go-to company for many fortune 500 companies and international brands & organizations, since 2013, our team has been helping our clients with their video production in Shanghai and across China.
Shooting the latest commercial for Armani in Shanghai, with the celebrity/icon Jackson Yee (one of the TF boys band)
Your Local Video Production Partner in Shanghai China
Over the years, our team has been helping our clients with their video content, whether it’s a video shoot for their new product, a commercial shoot with celebrities, or a documentary style branded video, we have done it all and we really enjoy what we have been doing, we offer the solution driven approach to every client’s every single project, customized video for client’s brand and create engaging content through well crafted scripts and nicely shot videos.
We offer full video productions services to our clients in Shanghai and across China, our clients can trust us on deliver the high quality final results.
We help BBC Storyworks with their shooting for Jiangsu Travel Bureau for their travel promo of Nanjing.
Video Production Expert
When you need to get some footage, you can hire a cameraman.
When you need to get some editing done, you can hire a editor.
When you need a nicely done video, you can hire us!
When you work with us, we will plan your content and deliver the results, that’s the difference between you work with a freelancer and a company, we are a team of video producer & director, we work hard to help our clients to create engaging video content, and these content will usually solve their targeted purpose.
We can manage client’s project as a whole, we can also manage different parts of the projects for our clients, every project is new to us and we appreciate the opportunity to learn new things & meet new people.
Shooting for Under Armour, with the Chinese National Team volley ball player Zhu Ting.
Quality Result & Client Satisfaction is Our Goal
Typically, achieve one of this is already a good sign, we always try to achieve both for our clients, as we are getting paid for by the clients, all we do is create content for client’s need, so you will discover that our clients keep coming back to us for more projects.
Looking for corporate video production services in Shanghai? We have helped countless clients with their corporate video production since 2013, our company is all you need when it comes to creating corporate video content, we have great experience in directing, shooting and editing the corporate videos for different purposes that our clients might need.
We have all the facilities we need to create your next corporate video.
With years of expertise in corporate video production in China, we offer full-service support in Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, and beyond, working with businesses of all sizes to create visually compelling content that engages audiences and drives impact.
Our Corporate Video Production Services
1. Business Branding & Company Profile Videos
Showcase your company’s story, mission, and operations through visually engaging corporate videos.
Corporate Overview Films – Present your company’s identity and culture
Executive Interviews & Leadership Features – Professionally shot interviews with company executives
Office & Facility Tours – High-quality walkthroughs of corporate headquarters, factories, and workspaces
2. Corporate Event & Conference Video Production
Capture and document key corporate events with professional coverage.
Conference & Trade Show Filming – Multi-camera setups for professional event documentation
Live Streaming & Hybrid Event Production – Broadcast corporate events to a global audience
Awards Ceremonies & Product Launches – High-impact video coverage for marketing and PR
3. Employee Training & Internal Communications Videos
Enhance internal engagement and professional development with informative video content.
Training & Instructional Videos – Helping employees learn through clear, structured visuals
Safety & Compliance Videos – Communicating policies and workplace procedures
Internal Announcements & Corporate Messaging – Keeping teams informed with high-quality video content
4. Product & Marketing Videos for Businesses
Boost your marketing efforts with corporate video content designed for brand promotion.
Product Demo & Explainer Videos – Showcasing key features and benefits of your products
Customer Testimonial & Case Study Videos – Authentic storytelling from satisfied clients
Social Media & Digital Marketing Content – Engaging short-form videos optimized for online platforms
Why Choose Our Corporate Video Production Services?
10+ Years of Experience – Trusted by global corporations and top brands
Bilingual Crew & Production Team – English & Mandarin-speaking professionals
Full-Service Production Support – Handling pre-production, filming, and post-production
Nationwide & Global Coverage – Available in Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Guangzhou & more
Corporate Video Production Across China
We provide corporate video production services in:
Shanghai & Beijing – Business hubs ideal for corporate storytelling
Shenzhen & Guangzhou – Technology and manufacturing sector corporate videos
Hong Kong & Macau – Financial, luxury brand, and corporate marketing content
Chengdu & Chongqing – Emerging business and creative markets for corporate films
Why Choose Us for Your next Corporate Video?
Creating a video can be done with cellphone camera, but creating a nicely done corporate video requires a lot more planning than that, from the first time we meet our clients, we will help our clients to define the video’s basic idea, and we will develop the script from that point, and our team are consists of experienced directors, producers, our resourceful talents network can make sure your project will be shot by well experienced cameraman, and with the help of our other crews (such as soundman, gaffer, etc), and we will bring in the great editor for the post production, our editor can work on editing, motion graphics, color correction, 3D and all different types of task to make your final video pops!
We can work with big set up when it comes to corporate video shooting, but we also adapt with what clients have, make the shoot fast&effecient.
Corporate Video has Potential For PR & Marketing
For company communication nowadays, there is no longer shortage for content distribution, especially in China, where social media tools are very accessible due to the popularity of the mobile phones. We help our clients to plan their corporate video right before we start the production, we do whatever it takes to develop the right concept and message for our clients, to make sure that whatever our clients trying to communicate with their audience, we help them to make it right！
A good corporate video can lead to many things, apart from the benefit of the branding and Public relationship, it will also help your marketing in many ways, corporate video is not like TV commercials, it doesn’t sell the product, it sells the company culture and value to the public, it help the audience to know your company in general and share the values cultures.
International background director and producers that ready to help your next corporate video production in Shanghai China.
Corporate Video’s Great Value
Once you realize that your company can use a corporate video for the future, it’s time to contact the video production company for the creative discussion, let us help you craft your next corporate video.
Looking for a professional Shanghai cameraman for your next production? Shoot In China provides skilled directors of photography (DPs), camera operators, and video crews for commercials, corporate videos, documentaries, and branded content. Our experienced bilingual team ensures high-quality cinematography tailored to international and local production needs.
Shanghai’s dynamic landscape, from futuristic skyscrapers to historical streets, makes it a prime filming location. Whether you’re shooting a commercial, corporate event, documentary, or live broadcast, our Shanghai cameramen capture high-quality visuals with precision and creativity.
Our Shanghai Cameraman Services
1. Professional Film & Video Camera Crew
We provide expert camera operators and cinematographers for a variety of productions:
Feature Films & TV Shows – Cinematic storytelling with expert shot composition
Commercial & Branded Content – High-end visuals for advertising campaigns
Luxury & Fashion Films – Stylish cinematography for premium brands
2. Corporate & Event Video Cameramen
Our Shanghai cameraman team specializes in business-focused content, including:
Corporate Interviews & Branding Videos – Professional framing and lighting setups
Industrial & Product Videos – High-precision cinematography for tech and manufacturing
3. Camera Equipment & Technical Support
We provide camera rental and on-site technical support, featuring:
Cameras: ARRI Alexa 35, RED Komodo, Sony Venice, Canon C500
Lenses: Cooke Anamorphic, Zeiss Supreme Prime, Fujinon Cine Zoom
Camera Rigs: DJI Ronin 2, Steadicam, Technocrane, tracking vehicles
Lighting & Grip: ARRI SkyPanel, Aputure 600D, Kino Flo, HMIs
4. Documentary & Live Broadcast Videographers
Our experienced Shanghai cameraman team covers:
Travel & Cultural Documentaries – Capturing authentic, high-quality visuals
Live Streaming & Broadcast Events – Seamless multi-camera production for digital platforms
Behind-the-Scenes & BTS Shoots – Giving an inside look at productions and events
Why Hire Our Shanghai Cameraman?
10+ Years of Industry Experience – Trusted by leading brands and agencies
Bilingual Crew & Fixers – English & Mandarin-speaking professionals
Versatile & Skilled Cinematographers – Adaptable to various production styles
Nationwide Availability – Cameramen available in Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Guangzhou & more
Cameraman Services Across China
We provide Shanghai cameraman services in:
Shanghai & Beijing – Leading commercial and film production hubs
Shenzhen & Guangzhou – Ideal for corporate and technology industry videos
Hong Kong & Macau – Specialized in luxury and finance sector cinematography
Chengdu & Chongqing – Growing documentary and creative filming markets
Local Bilingual Lighting Cameraman For Quality Footage
Some of our local cameraman speaks English and they have great experience in video production, their lighting knowledge allow them to set up the lighting on set quick and easy, and the most important, the quality of the footage will not be sacrificed, so your schedule for your guest speakers interviews will be much more flexible, thus you have a lot more time to prepare the interviews.
Our cameraman knows a lot about equipment too, they are the video expert as they keep using the best equipment in the market, so we can always deliver some extra space for post production. Apart from that, their experience during the past allow them to be very flexible, together with them, we know what questions to ask our clients before the project starts, so we can see potential issues and solve them before the production happens.
Why hire our local Cameraman in Shanghai
When you work on a production in Shanghai, it’s important that your videographer knows about the locations, our cameraman are all based in Shanghai, they are very familiar with the city and these knowledge can be very important when it comes to shooting in Shanghai
Shanghai has a lot of locations to offer, if you are looking for B-roll, our cameraman also knows quite a lot of places that allow you to capture the shots without breaking the budget.
Feel free to get in touch and ask for our lastest quote&showreel.
Looking for location scouting services in China? Since 2013, we have helped a lot of clients with their production in China, helping them find the right locations in China for their film shoot, our location scouting team have saved hundreds of film production friendly locations for the potential shoot in China. Feel free to get in touch with us and ask for China filming location options.
Why location scouting in China is complicated?
Compare to the west film production, China is still quite lack of the production system for film shoot, there is a couple of official departments from the government that help the foreign film productions, but they are mostly towards big budget co-production, for the commercials and indie production, it’s much more difficult to access to these resources.
That’s why we are here to help you, with years of experience of production support, our team has managed to gain enough experience to get the access to a lot of locations in China, whether you are looking for big cities location, or the remote area outdoor locations, we have done them all and we know what it takes to make it legal and official in China.
Film Production Friendly locations in China
When you work on a shoot, what location can offer is the game changer, good and stable power connection, close to the business area, food options, quick access to the main traffic road, and security safe for film shoot, etc. Anything that you can think of, we will make sure it’s communicated, and before the project starts, we will make sure a solution with a Plan B is ready for your shoot.
We learned a lot from the past shoot for doing production in China, that’s why everything we set up for our clients here are well considered, small problems on the film set can sometimes turn into big ones, we are the problem solvers/fixers, to settle everything happens on set for our clients.
Location Permit in China
You can get away with small set up in China, but when you are shooting a film, it’s really not worth it to steal the shots that way, once you get stopped for 1 hour, your schedule can be ruined. We work hard to guarantee our client’s shoot in China is secured and well communicated, so you can shoot your content with no worries of getting stopped.
Plus when you steal a shot in some locations that owner didn’t agree, you can get sued for using that footage, this is not very common in China yet, but it’s a potential issue that you don’t want to risk your production.
Get in touch if you want location options and quote:
Looking for China local cinematographer for your next commercial production? We have a wide range of local cinematographers that ready to help your next project, whether you are looking for high end commercials, fashion films, branded content, documentaries or corporate films, we have done a lot of production in China with different local cinematographers, whether your shoot is in Shanghai, Beijing or Shenzhen Guangzhou, our production network can make it happen for you.
Since 2011, we started our video production company in Shanghai, and we have been helping our local & international clients with their production in China. We had chance to work on the different levels of
China Local Cinematographer
Cinematographer based in China
Hiring the right cinematographer directly affects your film’s quality, their level of skills & experience matters. When you work with us, we match the right level of cinematographer to your project at the very start, then we walk through the cinematographer options with you to make the right selection.
The cinematographers we work with all have great experience, they constantly work on commercials, feature films, documentaries and interesting creative projects.
China Local Cinematographer
If you are searching for cinematographer in China, contact us:
Established in 2012, [SIC] is crowning achievement of a 15 year production partnership between Clark Wang and Matt Clarke (no relation). We set up Shoot in China to utilize our knowledge and experience of video production in China to provide a higher quality, better value service for international clients.
Over the last decade we’ve delivered more than 1600 projects ranging from high end TVC’s, film and documentary shoots to simple one day shoots, equipment rentals and logistical support for visiting crews.
As a boutique production house we’ve cultivated a high quality bilingual crew, equipment and logistics network to ensure that filming in China is a smooth process with outstanding results.
China Location Scouting? Looking for locations for your next commercial production in China? We have done many commercial production projects for our clients in last few years, whether you are looking for urban streets, or remote forest area, or somewhere close to the beach, we have actual production experience in China, and in house producers with international production background, our goal is to help every client’s production in China a success.
We find suitable locations for our clients. #China Location Scouting #Shanghai Location Scouting
Why Location Scouting is Important?
The locations in China have different rules and policies, and they might be changing from time to time, by visiting the locations, you will be able to learn about the location’s new rules, also showing the location owners that you are sincere about hiring the places, plus giving them a brief intro about the projects, see if they agree on the project get shot on the spot.
We have years of experience for filming locations scouting in China, our location managers are experienced and know what it takes to get the location locked for the project.
Budget & Time Saving
To make a production happen, the budget and time are so important, we know that and we always consider it when we work for our clients, our previous projects saved us a lot of existing resources, these locations will be the time saver for our clients when they pitch the locations to their clients.
We have done production for years, that gives us the ability to think for our clients.
China remote shooting can be challenging due to the long distance and internet issues, we shared the how to remote shooting in China couple weeks ago, as we thought that’s not enough tips for those who want to shoot in China, so today we listed 10 tips that will help your remote shooting in China.
China Remote Shooting
Time needed: 30 minutes.
The following tips will help your remote shooting in China, whether it’s in Shanghai Beijing Shenzhen Hong Kong, or other area in China, it’s always good to check these tips before you contact the production company in China.
A clear brief of your production is the most important thing to start with
This tips not only apply to shoot in China, but also anywhere else in the world, having a clear idea of what you want to achieve during your production in China is essential, no only the production company in China will know what exactly you want to achieve here, but also give yourself an idea of the work amount.
To start with, it’s good to pencil in these info: When is your shooting? Where is your shooting? How many days is your production? What level of production is this? Is this a corporate video or a commercial? How many film crew would you consider hiring for the shoot? Who will be join the remote shooting? Is there any celebrities involved? What software would you require for the remote shooting? Or the question can be: What would you like to achieve during the remote shooting? Live plaback, sound monitoring, applying luts on the monitor? Etc
Having the info above will be very useful for your first communications.
A reference is always the shortcut for communicating the production
You have to admit that no matter how good your description is, the reference will always win when it comes to communicating the idea, especially in the video production. Prepare a few reference will make sure everyone involved understsand what you and your client want to achieve. Remote shooting requires good communication, not only verbal meetings, but also the both parties interaction on the ideas, this will help you to build the bond before the actual shooting, at the same time, the visual reference will help your partners in China budget more correctly.
A timetable for the production
When you try to do remote shooting in China, it’s easy to lose track of the progress, adding the time difference will make the communication more complicated. Not everybody is organized like you, so having a timetable that everyone can view will help them to aware the progress. We really recommand to use these software to keep track of your progress: Google Calender: It’s free and it’s quite easy to use, and available on Mobile&Desktop Trello: Having a great kanban software can cover a lot of details of your production task.
A good indication of your budget will save your time
The idea of getting your budget estimate is not worth your waiting time, when you are running a remote shooting, it’s very important to save this process, rather than waiting for your local production house quote on your project, you should come up with a top limit figure for your project, so that the local production company can immediately tell you whether it’s workable or not. Having the direct approach on the budget will save you a lot of your time, at the same time, your local production company will appreciate the direct approach, this will already start your conversation way ahead since the budget is already half way there.
Test Everything is the best practice when it comes to remote shooting
You never know what would happen in the production, well when it’s remote shooting, this theory works too. Always test everything before you start your production, here is a list of things you should test for your shoot: -Internet, whether it’s 4G/5G or WIFI, consider having a cable network as it’s the most stable network; -Locations, if you are shooting in a studio, make sure you pre-build the set, and nothing waste more time than fixing the set issues, walk through everything in the studio is always a good idea; if you are shooting outdoor content, make sure you know where you are going and the place is filming friendly, or locals aware that you will be filming that day, so you don’t have to encounter any permit issues; -Talents, we have done a few shooting in 2020 during Covid with celebrities, it’s definetly better to have all your style related issues out of the way before the shooting day, you want to save all your time on the production, not discuss the wardrobe&style on set; -Test your shooting, it’s worth to test everything if budget and time allows, you can run through the shoot with the remote film crews for everything, this makes the real shoot much easier and almost bullet proof.
A communication software is never enough
When it comes to communication software, you shouldn’t rely on one, as the Chinese internet is not very friendly towards the website and software, You should prepare at least two: Zoom, Skype, Microsoft Team, Wechat, Whatsapp, Google Voice, And more if you think the software above doesn’t work.
Less long Meetings, More Short Meetings
Long meetings are very time consuming, and time is the most important thing in life, if you want to convince your remote crew that you have everything under control, shorter meeting will make things different, because in short meetings, people tend to focus more on what you want to communicate, the long meetings on the other hand, is relatively easier to lose people’s attention, thus it’s way better to keep your meeting short and effective, and have them more often, so make the team aware that you are easy to access to.
Final shot list should be the final, at least close to it
Before you start your shooting, especially remote shooting, you should finalize your shot list, if not, it’s going to create a lot of communication issues, as any changes that’s not fully elabrate with the team will be a issue, and it will cost a lot of time, so if you try to make your remote shoot more efficient, it’s the best to keep your final shot list as it is, or not too far from what you would want to achieve.
Film Crew and Film Equipment Insurance is good to have
It’s never a bad thing to have your film crew and film equipment in insurance, not all the Chinese film crew will have insurance themselves, so it’s a good idea to cover them, it’s not very expensive to have insurance, and it will be a great support if there is any accident occurs during the filming.
Hire your bilingual assistant director/producer early, the earlier the better
With all the tips above given, we still think the best asset on remote shooting is the producer, there are some great assistant directors options in China, and having them on-board will save you a lot of time on planning, and this assistant director/producer will be your onsite manager, the earlier you have someone like this to help, the more communication time you will have, thus will be time saving for your whole project.
If you are still in doubt with how to do remote shooting in China, we are here to help:
