Vestland+-Stadlandet+Birds

Practical Information

Guidance for filming in Norway

Why Norway?

Save money

Norwegian crews are renowned for high on-set efficiency and experience, and are well-accustomed to working on international sets.

Crews and the general populace alike speak fluent English.

Norwegian business culture is lean and this extends to film sets, and productions can plan for a smaller crew compared to international standards. Internationally Norwegian crew rates are highly competitive, and are significantly lower than the UK.

Rental houses offer state-of-the-art equipment and a wide selection of cameras, lights and cranes — a complete technical pipeline with rates on par with the rest of Europe.

Save time

Norway has invested long-term and heavily in infrastructure, as such the stunning nature is also extraordinarily accessible to productions.

Norway boasts over 50 airports, and all major national hubs offer daily flights to London.

The variation combined with this accessibility means that productions could film on a sandy beach and a glacier in the same day.

Mobile and internet coverage throughout the country is first-rate, even in remote areas.

Norway is also a very sustainable filming destination, with a high level of renewable energy combined with the world’s largest electric car park. With such close proximity to London, Norwegian nature is the shortest flight possible for major productions to access.

Go anywhere

Productions are met with a willingness and can-do attitude from local authorities in Norway. Commissions can provide advice and introductions, as well assist with government and communication relations on high-impact productions. Local service production companies can assist with applications to municipalities, port authorities, national parks and more.

The national film community

Anually Norway produces more than 30 feature films, approx. 300 short and documentary films, and hundreds of commercials. Norwegian film production receives approx. € 101 million in subsidies (2021).

In the past decade, six Norwegian films have been nominated for the Academy Award (Worst Person in the World, The Path Finder, The Other Side of Sunday, Me, My Friend and I, Kon Tiki and Do not Split). In 2006 Bobbie Peers’ Norwegian short Sniffer, won Norway’s first Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. And Torill Kove’s The Danish Poet received the Academy Award® for Best Animated Short in 2007.

The Norwegian film community has a long history of experience with international film productions and co-productions.

Useful information

Geography

The Gulf Stream makes the climate in Norway more comfortable than in other countries of northern latitudes. Hot, bright summer days that lasts into the evening, mild winters with year round ice free fjords in the south and the beautiful midnight sun during summer in the north. In the high mountains snow is an all year experience. Glaciers ensure snow and good skiing conditions in all seasons.

Nature

A unique combination of high level technology, a very good infrastructure, and beautiful, untouched nature makes Norway a special place, rich in scenery. Having a lot of natural resources, such as oil, gas, minerals, fish and lumber, Norway has some of the highest living standards in the world.

The country's 2650 kilometres long coastline, extended inland by the famous Norwegian fjords, and augmented by the country's 57.000 islands, is combined with high mountains covering large parts of the inland (half the country lies above the tree limit). This combination explains why some 90% of the population live within kilometres of the coast.

The geographic profile ensures Norway a great variety of climate, vegetation and scenery, ranging from the green and lush southern coast to the glaciers and the snow of the inland mountains, from the fjords of western Norway to the wild and ragged nature in the north. Norway`s location also exposes it to great changes from one season to another, adding to the variation in scenery.

Building the geographical infrastructure has long been a priority, and despite the geography you can get almost anywhere by car. Coupled to this is a network of roads and bridges. National and international airports, ferry lines, and railroads secure excellent connections between the different regions inside Norway and between Norway and the rest of the world.

Location Permits

No general permits are required for location shooting in Norway other than the normal consent of the owner or the authority responsible for the location(s) in question.

Any activities that might interfere with normal traffic have to be organized with the cooperation of the road authorities and the police.

Some restrictions may apply in national parks and military areas, but given good planning and cooperation with the relevant authorities, arrangements can be made.

Drone Filming

Productions should refer to drone regulations by the Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority. Productions must produce an operating manual or submit a declaration to NCAA depending on the weight of the drone.

On Safe to Fly there is information about restricted zones.

It is advisable for productions of all sizes to utilise a reputable, local drone operator. A list of all certified drone operators in Norway can be found here.

Crew and Cast

Norwegian film productions are renowned for their small, efficient and flexible film teams working at top international level. Business culture is lean and this extends to film sets, and productions can plan for a smaller crew compared to international standards. Internationally Norwegian crew rates are highly competitive, and are significantly lower than the UK.

Norwegians film industry crew have vast experience working under snowy, glacier and wintry conditions.

There are a number of casting agencies that will help you find actors, extras and models.

Infrastructure and Technical Resources

Developing the country’s infrastructure has long been a priority, and despite its geography, you can get almost anywhere by car. Coupled to this is a network of roads and bridges, national and international airports, ferry services and railways that ensure excellent connections between the different regions in Norway and between Norway and the rest of the world.

Most suppliers of technical equipment are based in the Oslo area. Cameras, lighting equipment, generators, grip equipment and cranes of the highest standards are available from various rental outlets.

Facts & figures

  • Official name: The Kingdom of Norway
  • Capital: Oslo
  • Language: Norwegian
  • Religion: State church, Lutheran Protestant
  • Government: Constitutional monarchy, parliamentary system
  • Area The Kingdom of Norway: 385 155 sq km
  • Mainland 323 758 sq km. (7.6% has protected status)
  • Svalbard and Jan Mayen 61 397 sq km (57.1% has protected status)
  • Population 5 200 000
  • Monetary unit: Norwegian krone, NOK.
  • USD 1 = NOK 8.37 (June 2021)
  • EUR 1 = NOK 10,13 (June 2021)
  • International dialing code: +47
  • Dialing code from Norway: 00 + country code
  • Directory enquiries: National 1881 (www.1881.no) International 1882
  • Emergency: Medical 113, Fire 110, Police 112
  • Time: GM T +1
  • Daylight Saving Time: Follows the EU, from last Sunday in March until last Sunday in October
  • Voltage: 220 V 50 HZ
  • TV standard: PAL
  • Bordering countries: Sweden, Finland and Russia
  • Largest Cities: Oslo (capital): ca 925.242, Bergen: ca 238.000, Trondheim: ca 167.598, Stavanger:ca 201.353

Flight times

  • 1 and a half hour by plane from London and Copenhagen
  • 2 hours from Paris, Zürich, Brussels, Frankfurt and Amsterdam
  • 7 hours from New York
  • 14 hours from Los Angeles, Tokyo and Hong Kong
  • 23 hours from Sidney