Your Namibian film services provider

Namibia is every bit as harsh as it is inviting. Because Namibia beckons like a siren, you need to know your stuff. Awesome Chapters provides expert professional guidance and support for your production, making your production a success! Everything you can imagine, can be provided.

Experience in providing film support

Dead vlei close to Sossusvlei — Petrified trees at the Dead Valley, close to Sossusvlei.

Assist Project Planning

The 7 P’s of success: “Proper Prior Planning Prevents Pretty Poor Performance”. In project planning, this is the meme to live by. Film productions in Namibia require an extra level of care and dedication.

Due to the long lead times on permits and visas, mistakes made during the planning phase become very costly, endangering the entire production. Assumptions are especially dangerous in Namibia, as it has some singular pitfalls not found in other countries. So, don’t assume. Awesome Chapters leverages a wide support network in Namibia consisting of film makers and tour guides to remove expensive guesswork from your planning phase.

Years of project planning and management experience with exquisite attention to detail is at your disposal. With a proper plan, you have the added bonus of no surprises which means that you will also stay in your budget.

Because this film service is to crucial to your project’s success, this service is provided free of charge.

Gobabeb research station in the Kuiseb river — Gobabeb research station in the Kuiseb River

Work Visas

Namibia is generally easy to get into, if you follow all the rules and regulations. Realistically speaking, lead times on work visas are around one month, even though the government’s web page advertises a shorter time. While you can do this yourself, why bother? The handling fee is nominal. Imagine having an agent on your side knowing all the ins and outs of the country that you are applying for a work visa in. Awesome Chapters is that agent.

With this film service you can concentrate on your production free of the distraction of worrying about important step in your production is taken care of. Feedback on progress of the visas through the system is relayed to you up to the point where you have the visa in hand.

Namibia Film Commission (NFC) permits

Namibia Film Commission controls all filming in Namibia. Without a permit from the NFC you are not allowed to film in Namibia at all.

This permit is also not available to the general public any more. Only an agent registered with the Namibia Film Commission can apply. Awesome Chapters is such a registered entity with the Nambia Film Commission. Lead time is generally a couple of weeks, but can take up to a month.

This permit is also a prerequisite for any other types of permits, including park and drone permits. With this film service, you are kept in the loop with all developments during the approval process until the permit is in your hand. Pricing is per shooting day, and varies with the type of production.

Zebra at a watering hole in Etosha National park

National Park Filming permits

Namibia is covered by national parks, and if you want to film in one of Namibia’s national parks, you will need special permit for it. Awesome Chapters has experience in obtaining these permits.

The price of these permits change depending on the type of production, and is also priced per day. As with the other permit film services, you are kept up to date with progress as they work their way through the system. Lead times are advertised as two weeks, but we have seen them take up to a month.

Yacht club of Walvis Bay at sunset — Yacht Club of Walvis Bay at sunset

Drone Permits, including restricted airspace

Of the more interesting film services that Awesome Chapters provides is drone permission. Operating a drone in Namibia is regulated by the Namibia Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). These are the same people who regulate regular aircraft with a famously anal attitude to paperwork.

Awesome Chapters obtains permission from this authority for regular flying, as well as enables flying in restricted airspace. A prerequisite of the flight approval is insurance on the drone.

As an added film service, the flight insurance of the drone can also be done with Awesome Chapters.

Location Scouting

One of the most essential film services to keep costs down. Describe the scene you are looking for, and with the vast knowledge of Namibia at your fingertips you will have a range of suitable locations in no time.

Before you set foot in Namibia, you can have VR shots, accessibility assessment and accommodation casing. As always done in an open and transparent way, with you being kept in the loop and given the final say over every detail of the location.

To look at the short list of locations in person, you have all the transportation options you need for your own scouting trip.

Talent

Do you require extras? Models? With contacts at the talent houses of Namibia, you have access to professionals. If your needs are not quite that sophisticated finding local talent on each location is easy with this film service.

Local knowledge of the culture and customs of the tribes in Namibia works to your advantage when planning to film the locals.

Naukluft Mountains from the desert lodge — The Naukluft Mountain Range from the Desert Lodge

Accommodation

Accommodation can be a problem in Namibia. As Namibia is a wildly popular tourist destination, you are competing with well funded tourists for a place to stay near the location.

Working within your budget and needs, you will know even before you set foot in Namibia exactly where you will be staying. Information on the accommodation like what it looks like and which amenities are available to you before the bookings are made.

Transportation

You have a choice of Awesome Chapters’ vehicles which are cheap and well suited for film productions in the Namib desert. Vehicle rental negotiations with local companies are also available, should you require a special vehicle. You will be provided with a professional drivers used to the country and it’s roads, for your safety and peace of mind.

As an extra film service, chaperones for your talent are also available! Professional and courteous, your talent will have an awesome time with them, as they are tour guides in their day job. 🙂

Fixer

As the owners of Awesome Chapters, Evert is an experienced fixer/driver, and Isolde a good chaperone, and be happy to provide this crucial film service. Evert has 20 years of experience in the Oil and Gas industry as a technical troubleshooter, project planner and team leader. Time off was spent traveling and camping in Namibia, with photography and film as serious hobbies.

All this knowledge and expertise is at your disposal for your Namibian projects.

Translation services

Namibia has a lot of local languages. Having a translator on hand is a priceless film service when you want to get things done, or when you want to tell you audience what is being said. Namibia has a lot of local languages, and when working with local tribes this is an unmissable film service.

Awesome Chapters has the equipment and expertise to translate video from any of the indigenous languages into English.

You can read a review of the work done on Evert’s profile at Worldfixer.com, or on the Blog Post here.

Alternatively, drop us a line on the contact form below and we will come back to you!