THE LOCATIONS
Sri Lanka offers filmmakers a tropical filming location with a range of diverse landscapes that experiences year round sunshine. Its climate is warm, with high humidity throughout the year, and is interspersed with two annual monsoon rain seasons that affect different parts of the country. The monsoon season affects the southwest of Sri Lanka during the months of May to September while the dry season, which is most suitable for filming, occurs from late November to mid-March. The north and east coasts of the country experiences monsoon season from October to January, while the dry season becomes active from May to September. The period between December and April is considered the best time to shoot in Sri Lanka.
Any type of filming in Sri Lanka requires a filming permit from the National Film Corporation (NFC). Filming permission takes between 3 to 5 days to be approved after the submission of script, shooting schedule, crew list, and permission processing fees. All shoots will be monitored by an officer of the NFC, who is required to be accommodated by the production. Film Corporation permission is required in order to apply for additional permissions from other government agencies that govern coasts, aviation, national parks, urban areas, and public utilities (e.g: airports, railway stations, harbors, post-offices etc).
Obtaining permissions and costs for private properties such as villas, hotels, and estates is dependent on the specifics of the project and needs to be negotiated with advance notice. Booking such properties can also be dependent on the time of year, as the peak season (late November to mid-March for the southwest, and May to September for the north and east coasts) experiences a large influx of tourists, and properties will need to be booked well in advance. Costs for peak season will also be higher, but can be negotiated with advance notice.
It is recommended to shoot during weekends for major city centers for better control of traffic, and permissions for blocking out roads can take from 5 to 7 working days to process. Sri Lankan authorities can be wary of filming crews that shoot without permissions, and it is important to obtain all required permissions to ensure a hassle-free shoot. Filming crews entering Sri Lanka require visas, while Directors and DoP’s require work visas that are supported by NFC permission. Producers, agency, and client personnel can enter using visas on arrival that are valid for a 30 day stay. Visa extensions can be obtained within one day. Visitors are required to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) prior to arrival. It is recommended to contact us for assistance and further information about specifics that apply to filmmakers who wish to shoot in Sri
Any type of filming in Sri Lanka requires a filming permit from the National Film Corporation (NFC). Filming permission takes between 3 to 5 days to be approved after the submission of script, shooting schedule, crew list, and permission processing fees. All shoots will be monitored by an officer of the NFC, who is required to be accommodated by the production. Film Corporation permission is required in order to apply for additional permissions from other government agencies that govern coasts, aviation, national parks, urban areas, and public utilities (e.g: airports, railway stations, harbors, post-offices etc).
Obtaining permissions and costs for private properties such as villas, hotels, and estates is dependent on the specifics of the project and needs to be negotiated with advance notice. Booking such properties can also be dependent on the time of year, as the peak season (late November to mid-March for the southwest, and May to September for the north and east coasts) experiences a large influx of tourists, and properties will need to be booked well in advance. Costs for peak season will also be higher, but can be negotiated with advance notice.
It is recommended to shoot during weekends for major city centers for better control of traffic, and permissions for blocking out roads can take from 5 to 7 working days to process. Sri Lankan authorities can be wary of filming crews that shoot without permissions, and it is important to obtain all required permissions to ensure a hassle-free shoot. Filming crews entering Sri Lanka require visas, while Directors and DoP’s require work visas that are supported by NFC permission. Producers, agency, and client personnel can enter using visas on arrival that are valid for a 30 day stay. Visa extensions can be obtained within one day. Visitors are required to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) prior to arrival. It is recommended to contact us for assistance and further information about specifics that apply to filmmakers who wish to shoot in Sri
