Frequently Asked Questions
Film Paris Region can provide council and guidance regarding state or regional financial aids, locations, appropriate rental companies, adequate technicians, or VFX/Post companies. Simply send an email to contact@filmparisregion.com
You may get all the information you are looking for by sending an email at contact@filmparisregion.com. We shall get back to you in the shortest possible time.
We attend several markets throughout the year physically or on-line (Paris Images Production Forum-Paris, European Film Market-Berlin, Filmart-Hong Kong, Marché du film-Cannes, Mifa-Annecy, SIFF-Shanghai). You can meet us on these markets or get an appointment with us throughout your favorite platform (Teams, Zoom, WhatsApp…).
The Paris Region Council defines the goals and funds of Film Paris Region, an organization working as a film commission. Film Paris Region provides information regarding means to produce and shoot. The Paris Region Council runs on the other hand the different film funds which it put in place over the last 20 years in particular the Co-production Paris Region Film Fund (the Co-Pro PReFFund). For more information, contact us at contact@filmparisregion.com
The ReFFund is a program for international co-productions spending between 100 000 and 500 000 € on Paris region soil. The potential aid, granted by a jury, amounts to 50% of these expenditures. Therefore, it oscillates between 50 000 and 250 000 €. Get more information on this page.
The TRIP is a program for international projects consisting of a Tax Rebate of up to 40% granted the production spends at least 250 000 € on French soil. It covers almost 95% of the expenses and is capped at 30 million per project. It excludes co-productions with a French partner.
Paris region is constituted of the city of Paris at its core and of around 1 100 suburban, country cities and villages. All the cities are film friendly, having been trained by Film Paris Region to accommodate in the most amiable way TV, series and film productions. The most important locations such as historical landmarks, public buildings (city halls, schools, gymnasiums and stadiums, libraries, and cultural venues) and recent architecture have been scouted and can be found in our Locations database. Rates and conditions have been reviewed getting the teams ready to welcome production staffs in the most favorable way.
The cities and villages have established, a long time ago, a process to welcome productions. One is supposed to send a dossier with details regarding the opus and requested locations. Then the mayor’s office studies and delivers the authorization for public space such as streets and parcs and organizes the filming in the buildings owned by the commune itself. It also plans parking for trucks and space for canteens. The City of Paris has a specific Film bureau, Paris Film, which usually delivers an authorization in 2 to 3 weeks for a regular location.
Most, except Paris for streets, charge a reasonable fee in accordance with the time their staff spend on arranging all a production needs. The quote often includes different extra services the commune may offer.
For the City of Paris, one can file on-line to get a permit. The form is in French though.
Any other city or village should be approached by calling the mayor’s office.
Therefore, and for obvious reasons, we warmly recommend one hires a location manager or line producer to handle these administrative tasks which are not complicated but like anywhere in the world peculiar to France. The local technicians run these requests daily for 120 years now and are more than broken to the art of obtaining what a production wishes, even the most extravagant dreams of the most demanding director.
Filming has been going on in France ever since cinema was invented. French technicians have always been on the edge of inventiveness. Also, the camera companies look for the approval of these demanding creators. Therefore, one finds the latest but also some old devices which help deliver the appropriate images serving the goal the directors set up.
France is the third country in the world as far as films and Tv hours are concerned. The technical tools are used every day of the year, hence reducing their rental fees.
Paris region has nurtured through its school system and research of its most daring VFX companies the evolution of Post-production and VFX. Some of the most complicated and demanding achievements have been produced by French companies which inspire the rest of the world. Some of these companies are now owned by foreign groups, mainly American which want to benefit of the latest, control the production line-up and be sure of mastering the evolution. If the companies are foreign, the staff and the inspiration remain French.
Like in the US, post-production companies work at night and are able to deliver next-to-finished images overnight.
Producing images entails from now on much VFX work to meet the 2020 standards. Unwanted objects in the camera field, addition of objects, transformation of objects, even addition of characters have become usual. Also mixing living and cartoon characters has become recurrent. All this are now a specialty of the Paris region and many new technics are invented and developed here. One shall surely find the company providing the dream images the director looks for.
Film Paris Region has been a forerunner of eco-production in France. Some 10 years ago, it created a working force called Ecoprod to which all French major TV networks and producers guilds have adhered to since. Ecoprod issues guidelines gathered in a Guide which is regularly updated. The different professions are now fully aware one needs to preserve the planet. Cost is no longer a restraint since experience has now allowed to integrate new behavior saving superfluous expenses allowing all to adopt the most respectful behavior for the preservation of the planet.
Most companies tending to the sector propose new tools and services which integrate the latest of Ecoprod guidelines. Some, gathered on this webpage, are even specialized in interventions during the prep, on set, on location, or in studios. They act as soon as the project is greenlighted, suggesting ways to organize the shootings with the least impact.
Most technician to be hired in Paris region are now following the Ecoprod guidelines as if part of everyday life. Over the last decade, these became obvious and adopted as part of the appropriate way of working.
The major historical landmarks, owned by the state or local collectivities, are obliged to follow State rules which strictly frame the way Green running of such places should go. Which includes the shooting of images. They therefore provide all one needs to comply with these requirements. And if one wants to go further, most agents will be more than happy to get things done the way you want it since then they can suggest to their hierarchy a new way of working which will improve things.
Despite travel restrictions, foreign productions (cast & crew) are welcome to France. For more and specific information regarding your specificities, contact us at contact@filmparisregion.com
The French government issues permanently renewed Guidelines which can be found here.
The French government has established very clear rules which you find the details of here.
Depending on where you come from, rules are different.
A specific Guideline for productions has been established and permanently revised to allow all staff members to work. Ever since May 2020, all productions work as usual.
Of course, all health measures are enforced if one or several cases are emerging within a team. The production is postponed. Cost is kept to a minimal considering health insurance is covering staff salaries and health cost. It may even cover health cost of foreign representatives, depending on the agreement between France and your country. Also special insurance programs backed by the French state help the producers get over the extra-cost and damage.