Albania offers a wonderful mix of natural scenery with modern and preserved ottoman architecture in both rural and urban settings. All of these are complemented by favorable climate with warm and humid summer weather in the areas bordering the sea and typically mountainous climate in the inland regions. This is why filming in Albania is desirable all year long.
Filming Permits
Location permits to shoot in Albania are governed by relevant authorities depending on the municipalities involved. Sometimes you might also need to get a general police permit.
Usually, filming permits require about 2 weeks to process. Special regulations and sometimes fees may be required for filming in Albania when it comes to major historic locations. If you are looking at shooting in public spaces or major historical sites in Albania, always ensure that you allow sufficient lead time for our Albanian fixers to arrange the required permits for shooting.
Contact Fixer Albania for information about specific filming locations and we will respond shortly.
Access for Foreign Journalists
Filming in Albania for news pieces or documentaries is relatively easy. The country does not have strict laws against filming by foreign media as long as you get the required permits and legal consents of individuals in cases where such apply.
However, you should note that Albania ranks 75th on the World Press Freedom Index. This means there are indeed some restrictions on press activity in the country. This is especially true on local media although a good part of it is self-imposed and politically motivated.
No formal work permits are required for crews and journalists on a short visit to Albania. However, it will be a good thing to have an Albanian fixer around to help with your research, quick fact-finding, crew hiring and so on.
Tax Incentive
Local costs for filming in Albania are among the lowest you will find anywhere in Europe. Our local fixers in Albania can even help you with negotiating better deals to further reduce production costs and help you stay within your budget while filming.
There is little filming infrastructure available in the country. This means for big projects you might have to bring in crew and equipment from abroad which is what the bulk of the cost for filming in Albania will cover.
There are currently no tax incentives being offered by the government for foreign productions, which means all of the production cost will be borne by you.