Burundi
Film Locations. Nature reserves, Saga's white sand beach, waterfalls, Lake Tanganyika, hot springs, rivers.
Bujumbura is the capital although it only has the most basic of infrastructure. If you are working in the region Nairobi is a more established service centre and better base for your production.
Permits. Most locations are possible given time, money and the right approach.
When to shoot? Burundi has a tropical highland climate with temperatures varying depending on the altitude. The long dry season lasts from June to August, the short wet season from September to November, the short dry season from December to January, and the long wet season from February to May.
For monthly weather statistics please see here.
Please contact us for more specific weather and sun path information.
Costs. The favorable exchange rate means that your currency goes far in Burundi. There is no established film community so the greatest cost is the need to bring in your equipment and key crew. Burundi is landlocked country so all goods must travel in from neighboring countries, which are often politically unstable. As a result Burundi is at least twice as expensive for all goods and services as other East African countries.
Talent is non-union. Contracts are offered by the producer which provides latitude for negotiations.
All talent is paid, in cash, as a buyout for Africa/worldwide rights in all formats. Occasionally, a performer will ask that his/her work not be shown in Burundi (for an HIV documentary, let’s say) but this is rare. There are no average talent fees. The professional actors and actresses in Burundi and those brought from countries such as Kenya will negotiate their fee based on the overall budget and the role they are being offered. For television series, they will require a per episode fee which, again, is all contingent upon how much production is offering versus what they would like. Your service provider can clarify for you the exact rates you should pay. Typically, talent is paid directly by the client for contractual reasons but the service provider can also do this if requested.
The Burundian talent pool is limited to African looks. The Hutu and Tutsi are the main ethnic groups. All other looks need to be brought in from abroad. The talent base is quite basic offering mainly featured extras at best.
Creative talent. There are no directors or directors of photography or stills photographers in Burundi.
Please contact us for recommended directors, DoP's and photographers for your project.
Crews are non-union. There is no established film community. Crew must be brought in from abroad. Local supporting crews can help with basic projects. Some more experienced crews exist in nearby Kenya.
Fringes. You are not required to contribute to any fringes as this system does not exist in Burundi.
Premiums. Shoot days run 12 hours, 7 days a week although shooting on Sundays should always be cleared with crew prior to booking the day as many Burundians attend some sort of church service on Sunday. Holidays make very little difference to all crew save for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. If you need to shoot between December 15th and January 5th of any year, give yourself as much lead time as possible.
Equipment. No equipment exists locally. Some basic equipment can be brought in from nearby Kenya otherwise all else must be improvised or come from abroad.
Art department and set construction. Art department is best sourced from abroad as there is no sophisticated depth in this field in Burundi.
Studios. None exist at present.
Backlots. There are currently no backlots in Burundi.
Tax Incentives. At present there are no tax incentives for foreign
commercials or films shooting in Burundi.
Film Stock. Bring from abroad. A small customs fee applies for all stock brought into Burundi. Do not trust stock available within the region, as there is no guarantee that it has been purchased from a reliable source and/or stored properly.
Post Production. Burundi has no post facilities. Nearby Kenya has some basic facilities but best to post abroad.
Visas and Work Permits. Entry is subject to regulations from country of origin. Contact your local Burundian embassy or representative for more information.
Please note that it is advised to have your International Certificate of Vaccination for Yellow Fever with you upon entry. Although it may not be stipulated as a requirement on any official website, procedures at the airport fluctuate and you could be denied entry.
Transportation Infrastructure. Major roads are paved, sealed roads. However, once you leave city centres, all roads are unsealed and that will affect your travel time. Some international airlines service flights to Burundi.
Accommodation. Recommended hotels in Burundi include:
Hotel Botanica
Hotel Residence Ubuntu
Please contact us for corporate rates.
For longer stays we can also organize serviced apartments.
Communication. Web posted casting, scouting and videoconferencing.
Be sure to check with our producer if the local Burundian cell operator offers coverage in the area where you’re filming as not all companies have coverage everywhere. We strongly recommend you purchase a local SIM and phone upon arrival as roaming anywhere in Africa is outrageously expensive. Voice-mail is not a typical service with local providers. Pre-paid scratch cards can be purchased all over the country and offer the simplest way to top up. Post-paid use is only provided to Burundian residents. Satellite phone time charges at a minimum of $10.00US/minute.
Safety. At present Burundi is not a safe place for foreigners to travel on account of ongoing civil unrest and high levels of serious crime. While the security situation has stabilized somewhat across the country, the risk of armed violence, banditry, kidnapping and cross-border attacks by rebels remains high.
If you must shoot in Burundi appropriate personal security measures are essential.
Projects. For an example of TV commercials, online advertising, corporate videos, stills campaigns, feature films, TV series and documentaries shot in Burundi, please see below:
Our production service companies, line producers and fixers have serviced TV commercials, online advertising, corporate videos, stills campaigns, feature films, TV series and documentaries for:
AXA Belgium, BBC UK, Canon Singapore, Coca Cola Indonesia, Concord Canada, Dove Malaysia, Deutche Bank Germany, Dressman Sweden, Evian France, HBO USA, Heineken Ireland, Hyundai Korea, Intercontinental Hotels Global, ITC India, Kirin Japan, Kraft USA, Landrover UK, LG Korea, Meunil China, McDonalds Australia, MUFG Japan, Nikon Hong Kong, Nokia China, Orange Moblie Slovakia, Philips Netherlands, Proctor & Gamble USA, Chery Riich China, Rimowa Germany, Samsung Korea, Sinoland Hong Kong, Skipper Italy, Smirnoff USA, Sony United Arab Emirates, Stella Russia, Telefonica Spain, Vidal Sassoon China, Virgin Media UK, and much more.
If you are looking for a film or photographic production service company, line producer or fixer in Burundi, please contact us.
We are able to provide you with answers, references and bids quickly.
