Laos
Film Locations. Mountains, rivers, caves, hot springs, waterfalls, forests, and lush jungles. Rare wildlife such as the Irrawaddy dolphins that inhabit the Mekong River. Four thousand Islands of the Mekong River. Colourful hill tribes and street markets. Buddhist temples. Archaeological sites such as the Plain of the Jars. Picturesque towns of Luang Prabang and Vang Vieng. Rice paddies. Poppy plantations.
Permits. Permitting is a straight forward process. Most locations are possible given time, money and the right approach.
When to shoot? The climate is hot and tropical, with the rainy season between May and October when temperatures are at their highest. The dry season runs from November to April. The mountainous areas can be very cold at this time.
For monthly weather statistics please see here.
Please contact us for more specific weather and sun path information.
Costs. Locations, local talent and support crew are inexpensive but since little to no filming infrastructure exists all key crew and equipment must be brought in from abroad. This can add considerably to the cost of shooting.
Talent is non-union and buyouts are negotiable. Laos offers mainly ethnic Lao looks with some hill tribes also living in the north. All other talent looks need to be brought in from abroad.
Laos has no pool of directors, directors of photography and stills photographers.
Please contact us for recommended directors, DoP's and photographers for your project.
Crews are non-union. Key crew should be brought in from abroad.
Fringes and Premiums. No hidden extras. No fixed premiums apply. We package deals for local crew / talent.
Equipment. Some very basic equipment is available locally. You will need to bring in most equipment from abroad.
Art department and set construction is very basic.
Studios and backlots. None exist at present.
Tax Incentives. At present there are no tax incentives for foreign
commercials or films shooting in Laos.
Film Stock. Must bring from abroad.
Post Production. No labs exist locally. We post abroad.
Visas and Work Permits. Entry is subject to regulations from country of origin. Contact your local Laos embassy or representative for more information.
Transportation Infrastructure. Main roads are up to international standards. Several international airlines service flights to Laos.
Accommodation. Recommended options in Laos include:
Vientiane:
Green Park Boutique Hotel
Ansara Hotel
Salana Boutique Hotel
Luang Prabang:
3 Nagas
La Residence Phou Vao
Please contact us for corporate rates.
For longer stays we can also organize serviced apartments.
Communication. Web posted casting, scouting and videoconferencing.
Safety. On the whole Laos is very safe for foreigners to visit. Laos still has many unexploded bombs from the Vietnam War so it's safer to not wander too far from well trodden paths.
Projects. For an example of TV commercials, online advertising, corporate videos, stills campaigns, feature films, TV series and documentaries shot in Laos, 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 Laos, please contact us.
We are able to provide you with answers, references and bids quickly.
