"Bollywood" is
the film capital of the
world and produces more
films per capita than
anywhere else. (800 to
1100 plus films per year).
The major production centres
are Bombay, Hyderabad
and Chenai; and in terms
of audience there are
over 1 billion people
domestically and around
40 million Indian's living
abroad.
The
Indian production
community has grown
from and is mostly
geared
towards producing
for Indian filmgoers.
Even so, India has
much
o
offer foreign productions
that are prepared
to cope with the vagaries
of filming
in
one of the world's
most vibrant and chaotic
cultures.
The
challenges are steep
but the rewards can
be great.
India
is a fascinating location.
Hindu, Muslim, Sikh and Christian
cultures mix with amazing
outcomes. The Taj Mahal
is one example of India's
historical Persian influence,
while coastal Goa still
maintains its Portuguese
colonial atmosphere. Ancient
cremation rituals define
the Hindu holy city of
Varanasi, while cities
like Mumbai and Delhi
claim both modern high
rises and teeming slums.
From the accessible Himalayan
range and Tibetan dry
desert plains of Ladakh,
to the beaches and jungles
of the tropical southern
tip, India can provide
almost any location look
you need.
Explore
India and you'll find
representatives of
the world's great
faiths and cultures.
India's people are
among the most diverse
on the planet, Fair
skinned Aryans of
the north contrast
with dark-skinned
Tamils in the south.
The Punjab is home
to turbaned, bearded
Sikhs Indian, while
austere Jains are
found in the south.
Wealth and poverty,
urban and rural, the
religious and profane,
all exist in India,
sometimes side by
side.
Inefficiency
can be the bane
of any production
and life in India
is nothing if not
uncertain. Locations
can fall through
at the last minute.
Entire train lines
or roads can be
shut down for weeks
because of rockslides.
Things have been
moving slowly in
India for 4000 years
and the needs of
your commercial
shoot are unlikely
to impress a stubborn
bureaucrat who needs
a tea break. If
you can't cope with
uncertainty, India
is not for you.
India
is an enormous country
and roads are in
terrible condition
outside urban centres.
Getting from point
A to point B for
scouting or shooting
takes time. On the
other hand, the
train transportation
system traverses
large swaths of
the country fairly
reliably. The country
is also well serviced
by domestic airlines,
which fly to all
major and many minor
cities. No matter
what transport you
rely on, however,
it's best to plan
ahead and expect
everything to take
longer than it should.
While
there is no question
that India provides
a wealth of opportunities,
the challenges that
come along can prove
daunting, even to
the most experienced
producer. The best
way to mitigate
many of these challenges
is to hire a knowledgeable
local production
service company.
A
strong production
service company
can minimize, if
not eliminate, the
headaches of shooting
in India. An experienced
firm will take care
of your crew contracts,
location clearances,
and government guidelines
as well as alert
you to unique cultural
issues that can
trip up your shoot.
For many people,
INDIA can stand
for I'll-Never-Do-It-Again.
Hire a good production
service company,
however, and the
colour, diversity
and chaos of India
is there for you
to capture on film.
India
offers a modest
selection of
highly skilled
film technicians
who have had
international
production experience.
Local talent
can be sourced
out of Mumbai,
Chennai, Hyderabad,
Kolkotta, Bangalore,
Delhi, and Trivandrum
to support an
international
quality production.
Most heads of
department are
brought from
abroad and supported
by local crew.
However there
is a selection
of very talented
and recognized
DOP's, Production
Designers, Art
Directors, Grip,
Gaffers and
Make-Up Artists.
India
has a diverse
pool of acting
talent with
a wide range
of ethnicity's
available to
the international
production.
Local casting
agents and modelling
agencies can
offer African,
Caucasian, Asian
and Hispanic
looking talent.
Note: There
are no restrictions
or quotas on
bringing international
cast to film
in India.
As
India is the world's largest producer of feature films there is a large
range of studio sound stages and backlots to select from depending on
the needs of the production. The main centres are Mumbai (Bombay),
Chennai (Madras), Hyderabad, Bangalore and Kolkatta (Calcutta). There
are 10 film studios in Mumbai that collectively have around 40 shooting
stages/floors that cater to feature films and commercials. In addition
there are another 15 stages that are suitable for television serials
and other TV products. The Mumbai studios offer some backlots with
existing scenery and sets. Chennai has 15 studios with approximately 50
shooting stages/floors and some fixed sets.
India's
competitive labour costs enable international producers to considerably
reduce costs on the design and construction of large-scale sets. For
example for the film Gladiator (2000) producers sourced props from
India for creating the Roman ambience in the film and transported to
Morocco in order to avail of the skilled labour and cost benefits. The
resources and expertise that are available can help you create the
settings of your choice, whether it is a Masai village or a street in
Switzerland. The artists, artisans, and architects do more than just
create physical structures. They are trained to work closely with art
directors/production designers.
India's
prodigious output of films has ensured that a large inventory of props
exists. From Uzi machine guns to ukulele, Ramoji stocks authentic
replicas of every conceivable item needed for a film shoot. So whether
a production is set in the Stone Age or in the imagined milieu of the
future, the necessary props are readily available.
Vibrant
and elaborate
embroidered silks,
handloom and natural-dyed
fabrics, handcrafted
jewellery, turbans
embroidered with
jewels and pearls
are few reason
why films like
Oliver Stone's "Alexander
The Great",
Ridley Scott's "Gladiator" and "Kingdom
of Heaven" and
HBO's "Rome" have
sourced India
for costumes and
accessories. The
cost of fabric
and labour encourage
international
producers to source
India for their
costumes.
Most
feature films
produced in India
are shot on 35mm
Cinemascope. Almost
all commercials
are produced on
35mm standard
formats if not
on Video. There
is a wide selection
of Arriflex III's
and Arriflex 435's
and 4 Arriflex
535's between
Mumbai, Chennai
and Hyderabad.
Individual equipment
suppliers in India
have a basic Camera
set-up with Camera
body, 5 or 6 standard
Prime Lenses (some
435 owners have
now upgraded to
Ultra Primes),
a couple of Zooms,
standard filters
in each Camera
Package. Most
Camera packages
are available
out of Mumbai.
Chennai and Hyderabad
have several packages,
which are well
maintained. (Strongly
recommend lenses,
filters, gels
and other consumables
be got from abroad
- as there is
a short supply
in India).
There
is a wide selection
of Post-production
facilities available
to international
productions filming
in India. The
main Post-production
centres are in
Mumbai, Chennai,
Hyderabad, Bangalore
and Delhi. There
is a comprehensive
range of digital
film services
offered on state-of-the-art
equipment and
software. The
equipment and
hardware is comparable
to anywhere in
the world. As
most films produced
in India are shot
with non-sync
sound, it is advised
that Audio Post
Production be
done elsewhere
as the infrastructure
to facilitate
such work is limited.
This
thick,
roughly triangular
peninsula defined
by the Bay of
Bengal to the
east,
the Arabian Sea
to the west, and
the Indian Ocean
to the south.
IndiaÍs
puzzle board of
26 states holds
virtually every
kind of
landscape
imaginable. From
its northernmost
point on the Chinese
border,
India extends
a good 2000 miles
(3200 km) to its
southern tip,
where
the island nation
of Sri Lanka seems
to be squeezed
out of India
like
a great tear,
the synapse forming
the Gulf of Mannar.
Mostly
Nepal
and
the Himalayas,
the worldÍs
highest mountain
chain, dominate
IndiaÍs
northern border.
Following the
sweeping mountains
to the
northeast,
its borders narrow
to a small channel
that passes between
Nepal,
Tibet, Bangladesh,
and Bhutan, then
spreads out again
to meet
Burma
in area called
the "eastern
triangle." Apart
from the Arabian
Sea,
its western border
is defined exclusively
by Pakistan.
The
climate
in India
varies considerably,
with average
temperature
ranging from
50oF to 86oF.
The
northern state
of Jammu and
Kashmir and
the Himalayan
region will
experience
snowfall
in winter
with the temperature
going below
the freezing
point while
in southern
part, the
temperature
can rise
up to 114oF
in summer.
The
Thar Desert
in the northwest
region of
India experiences
less than
10 inches
of rain where
as
the Shillong
plateau in
the northeast
receives
more than
450 inches
of
rain. The
town of Chirapunji,
in the northeast
state of
Assam has
recorded the
highest rainfall,
in one year,
in the world
(1, 042 inches).
The
climate
in India
is greatly
dominated
by the two
monsoon
winds
- the Northeast
monsoon
wind
and the
Southwest
monsoon
wind.
The most
important
of these
is
the Southwest
monsoon
wind.
The
progress
of this
wind
can be used
to divide
the year
into six
seasons:
winter,
spring,
summer,
summer
monsoon,
autumn,
and the winter
monsoon.
India
is the second
most populous
nation in
the world
with over
1 billion
citizens.
English is
the major
language of
trade and
politics,
but there
are fourteen
official languages.
There are
twenty-four
languages
that are spoken
by a million
people or
more, and
countless
dialects.
India has
7 major religions.
Hinduism is
the dominant
faith of India,
serving about
80 percent
of the population.
Ten percent
worship Islam,
and 5 percent
are Sikhs
and Christians;
the rest (a
good 45 million)
are Buddhists,
Jains, Bahai,
and more.
ACCOMMODATION
India
has
a wide selection
of accommodation
options available
to film crews
and visitors.
Depending on the
production budget
there is a vast
selection
of 4 & 5
Star Hotels, Guesthouses
and private housing
available
in both metros
and regional areas.
From
beach resorts
in Goa to Heritage
listed Royal Palaces
in Rajasthan,
most international
hotel chains are
located throughout
India including:
SHERATON
INTER-CONTINENTAL
HYATT
REGENCY
JW
MARRIOTT
TAJ
GROUP OF
HOTELS
OBEROI
LE
MEREDIAN
HOLIDAY
INN
Although
the well-known foreign chains can be found throughout the country,
India boast some of the world's most spectacular heritage listed
locally owned hotels such as The Rambagh Palace Hotel in Jaipur and the
Lake Palace in Udaipur, Rajasthan.
COMMUNICATION
Recent deregulation and liberalization of
telecommunications laws and policies have prompted rapid change in
local and long distance service provided throughout all regions of the
country, with services primarily concentrated in the urban areas
Main Lines:
India
has an extensive telephone network ranking six in the world for the
number of main lines available (48.917 million, 2003). There has been
an increase in competition and dramatic reductions in price recently
due to the admission of private and private-public investors.
Cellular:
India ranks 13th in the world with 26,154,400 million
cellular phone users. Both CDMA and GSM were introduced in 1994 and
organized nationwide into four metropolitan cities and 19 telecom
circles each with about three private service providers and one
state-owned service provider; in recent years significant trunk
capacity has been added in the form of fibre-optic cable and one of the
world's largest domestic satellite systems, the Indian National
Satellite system (INSAT). Mobile cellular phones are highly available
and coverage is excellent in cities and major centres, however service
is limited in more remote areas. Prior to travel, mobile phone users
should investigate connecting to a GSM international network to enable
use within India. The Country code for India is: +91.
Internet Connection:
With the significant increase in the
bandwidth available for both voice and data traffic a modest range of
service providers offering dial-up and broadband services exists. India
ranks number 10 in the world for number of Internet users - 18,481,000
(2003).
Walkie Talkie:
The Indian Government
regulates Walkie-Talkie communication and permits are easily granted
for film crews.
TRANSPORT
India is an enormous country and roads can be
in a terrible condition outside urban centres. Getting from point A to
point B for scouting or shooting takes time. On the other hand, the
train transportation system traverses large swaths of the country
fairly reliably. The country is also well serviced by domestic
airlines, which fly to all major and many minor cities. No matter what
transport you rely on, it's best to plan ahead.
AIR:
International
The main international airports are
Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Thiruvananthapuram. Limited
international flights operate to other cities. From London
international carriers with direct flights to India are British
Airways, Air India, United Airlines and Virgin Atlantic. All British
Airways flights are direct non-stop and it is possible to land at one
port and return from another. Air India has the next largest number of
flights and also covers the four metro cities, in addition to some
other cities including Trivandrum, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Bangalore.
The flights to Delhi and Bombay are direct while those to other
destinations are indirect.
Domestic
Travelling by air around the country is
convenient and comfortable. Three large domestic airlines fly across
the country. The government corporation, Indian Airlines and a number
of other private well-maintained airlines such as Jet Airways &
Sahara, operates domestic air services. Indian Airlines links 61 cities
in India and 16 in neighbouring countries including Bangladesh, Sri
Lanka, Maldives, Oman, Malaysia, Nepal, Thailand and Singapore. Road:
A
large network of National Highways, State Highways and subsidiary roads
makes road transport the main means of travel after the railways.
Although the road network is extensive, travelling by vehicle is time
consuming and potentially hazardous at night because of poorly
maintained roads. There is a wide selection of vehicles to satisfy the
needs of each production. Rental vehicles are predominantly chauffeur
driven.
Rail:
India has the largest
rail network in Asia and the second largest in the world. Over 62,300
km of track lay between 7000 stations and over 11,000 locomotives.
KEEP
IN MIND WHEN SHOOTING IN INDIA
Applications regarding shooting of Features Films, TV
Films and Commercials are processed at the Ministry of Information and
Broadcasting. Applications must be sent directly or through the
Cultural Department / Press Office of your nearest Embassy or High
Commission of India. It is only on recommendation of this Ministry that
the other Ministry's will provide facilities to film units.
Proposals regarding shooting of documentary films however are to be
sent to the Ministry of External Affairs (External Publicity
Division).
After the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has
granted permission the next stage is to obtain the necessary approval
and assistance from the Local Collector (Mayor) of the area where the
selected locations are situated. It is only after obtaining his/her
permission that the Production Service Company can approach the Police
and local authorities for their assistance and permission.
PERMITS & PERMISSIONS
For Feature IMB Ministry permission is required and it take min. 8 weeks
For Documentary, T.V or advertisement we need M.E.A permission it takes 4 weeks
Shooting in Forest area a permission from Forest Ministry is needed along with MEA or IMB permission. It takes min. 4 weeks
For Defense Forces area a permission from Defense Ministry along with MEA or IMB permission . It takes min. 8 weeks
For shooting in Railway premises permission from Railway Ministry along with MEA or IMB permission. It takes min. 4 weeks
Foreign crew is not allowed to shoot in restricted areas if they want to shoot they have to apply in respected depts. and depends on the department's judgement
For Leh-Ladakh, J&K and Andaman it requires min. 8 weeks for permission
CUSTOMS AND DUTY
Should you wish to bring shooting equipment, props &
costumes a list of the equipment to be temporarily imported should be
provided to the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting. This will
enable them to make a recommendation to the customs authorities to
exempt the temporary import from customs duty.
OPTIMUM TIME TO FILM / CLIMATE
Keep in mind that climatic conditions in the far north
are distinctly different to those of the extreme south. India's climate
can be defined by three seasons - the hot, the wet (monsoon) and the
cool, each of which can vary in duration from north to south. Monsoon
starts around 1 June in the extreme south and sweeping north to cover
the whole country by early July. Around October the monsoon ends for
most of the country. This is when India sees most tourists - however,
it's too late to visit Ladakh (May to October is the optimum period).
During October and November it's generally not too hot and not too cool
In general filming is fine year round, however it is best to avoid
filming in the north of India in the summer months when average
temperatures reach 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit).
RAW STOCK
Kodak film is available directly from Kodak in Mumbai.
However, order in advance, as stock is not always available especially
1000ft/300 meter cans.
PROCESSING
Most service companies recommend that you process your
film outside of the country. They do this more for their own comfort
level than because of any real problem with the labs in the country.
However we highly recommend Prasad Labs, Adlabs and Rainbow at Ramoji
Film City, which are assessed as meeting Kodak Imagecare standards.
Capital:
New Delhi
Population:
1 billion (UN, 2004)
Area:
3.17m sq km (1.2m sq miles)
Major languages:
Hindi, English and 17 other official languages.
Major religions:
Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Sikhism, Buddhism, and Jainism
Time:
GMT +5.5/4.5 hrs
Currency:
Indian Rupee (Rs)
Monetary unit:
1 Indian Rupee = 100 paisa
Credit Cards:
Visa, American Express, MasterCard. (When/where accepted)
Television:
PAL
Voltage:
220 volts, 50 Hz
Measurements:
Metric System
GNI per capita:
US $530 (World Bank, 2003)
Internet domain:
.in
International dialling code:
+91
Working Hours Offices:
(Mon - Fri) 09.00 - 17.00 (Varies to region and State)
Working Hours Banks:
(Mon - Fri) 10.00 - 14.00.
Exports:
Agricultural products, textile goods, gems and jewellery, software services and technology, engineering goods, chemicals, leather products.
Cell phones:
GSM mode. European phones should work. Cell Phones
are available for rent or purchase and calls abroad should not be that
expensive.
Clothing:
Travel as light as possible. Clothing and laundry are
both quite inexpensive. Dress codes for religious places can include
covering your head, being barefoot etc. Ask, so that you don't
unwittingly give offence. Its better for women to avoid tank tops or
short skirts / shorts. The best outfit, especially during the hot
summers, is a T-shirt worn with loose cotton trousers.
Currency:
Approx 45 Indian Rupees to 1 us $. Floating Currency.
Currency should be changed only at the authorized dealers. (Airports,
most banks and many hotels) They will issue an encashment certificate,
which is later required to reconvert local currency into foreign
currency. Credit cards like Visa and Master cards, as well as American
Express and Diners, are accepted in many establishments in the major
towns and cities. All foreign nationals have to pay their hotel bills
in foreign currency only, in cash or by travellerÍs cheques.
(However Indian rupees are accepted if supported by proof of
certificate of encashment in India of foreign currency or travellers
cheques).
Driving & Drivers License:
Forget about it. Really do you want to carry the
insurance? Indians drive on the left hand side of the road. Almost all
rental cars throughout India are chauffer driven. However if you wish
to drive yourself you require an International Driving Permit. This is
usually obtained from your local transit department or road
associations before arriving in India. However, we recommend you avoid
driving yourself. Indian roads can be dangerous if you are not
accustomed to them. Seatbelts are compulsory for passengers seated in
the front of an automobile. OTR recommends that everyone in the vehicle
should use seatbelts.
Health & Medical:
Adequate to excellent medical care is available in major
urban centres across India are comparable to the west. However regional
facilities are usually under-equipped or unavailable. OTR Productions
ensures adequate support and proximity to health facilities and/or
practitioners is available to the production should the need arise.
Internet:
Service
is just being upgraded to DSL in the cities. In the countryside,
service is expensive and slow, if it exists at all.
Shopping & Bargaining:
India is a shopperÍs dream. Shopping is
recommended from fixed price Government Emporiums/Shops and from
suggested shops on the list of the Department of Tourism. In small
shops, and in small towns and cities, bargaining is a standard
practice, and is enjoyed by all concerned. Do not crowd to many places
in your itinerary. Make sure that you get a free half-day at every
major centre for shopping or to explore and wander around on your own.
While Shopping avoid touts and brokers.
Time:
Everything in India
takes time - longer than in most places. So always give yourself extra
time for whatever you may have to do - even it is just a visit to the
Post Office or changing money. Indians joke about the concept of
"Indian Stretchable Time" (IST). Certainly, if you're a super-punctual
sort, India can be frustrating. Make allowances for this.
Tipping:
In hotels and restaurants, tips are not normally included
in the bill. Some hotels include service charges on their bills. In
such cases tipping is not necessary. The standard tip is 10%. In
hotels, porters and room service attendants are normally tipped at the
end of the stay, though an early tip is likely to get you better
service.
Toilets:
In India, public toilet
facilities are few and far between. Take every opportunity you can to
use a clean toilet in places such as hotels and restaurants. Make this
a habit wherever you go.
Entry
will not be allowed
into India without
the appropriate
visa being issued.
Overseas personnel
wishing to work
in India will
require an Employment
Visa. For further
information regarding
the appropriate
visa please contact
the nearest Indian
Consulate.
Tourist
Visa: Is issued
for 6 months,
1 year and 10
years. The period
of stay in India
(for each visit)
is 6 months
only.
Business
Visa:
Valid
for 6-months/one
year with multiple
entries. A letter
(on company
letterhead)
from Sponsoring
Organization
indicating the
nature of applicant's
business, probable
duration of
stay, places
and organizations
to be visited
incorporating
therein a guarantee
to meet maintenance
expenses etc.
should accompany
the application.
Long
term Business
Visa for ten
years (multiple
entries) in
case of US Citizens
and five years
(multiple entries)
for other nationals
are available
only to those
who have set
up industrial
/ business joint
ventures in
India. This
fact, along
with the details
of joint venture
in India must
be mentioned
in the sponsorship
letter.
Employment
Visa: Employment
Visa is initially
issued for one-year
stay subject
to fulfilment
of certain conditions.
This can be
extended at
Foreigners Regional
Registration
Office in India
if the job contract
continues.
Journalist
Visa: Issued
to journalists
and film crews
the period of
time specified
by the Ministry
of External
Affairs and
The Ministry
of Information
and Broadcasting.
Restricted/Protected
Areas: For visit
to Restricted/Protected
Areas, a separate
application,
giving details
of the places
to be visited,
should accompany
the visa application.
All foreign
nationals are
required to
obtain permits
for each visit
to a restricted/protected
area.
