Filming in Malawi

Information about filming in Malawi. Officially known as the republic of Malawi, the country is located in south eastern Africa. It is landlocked and borders Tanzania in the north, Zambia in the west, and Mozambique in the east and south west. The country was given the name the warm heart of Africa because its people are very friendly and welcoming. The official language used in the country is English other languages used include Chichewa which is the national language. Several tribes in the country have their different languages but the major ones are English and Chichewa. If you are interested in Filming in Malawi, you will have to take note of the following

Filming locations in Malawi

Malawi has various filming locations categorized in National Parks, Reserves, Cities, Lakes among others.

National Parks; Kasungu National Park, Lake Malawi National Park, Lengwe National Park, Nyika National Park.

Reserves; Kuti Wildlife reserve, Lilongwe wildlife centre, Majete Game Reserve, Mwabvi Wildlife Reserves, Nkhota kota Game Reserve, Ntchisi Forest Reserve.

Cities; Lilongwe City, Mzuzu City.

Lakes; Lake Malawi, Lake Chilwa.

Location permits

The filming permits of places in Malawi are different according to the kind of location being filmed in. for example national parks are charged differently compared to other places. The filming permits also depend on the number of days for filming, the kind of project being films and the number of people on the filming crew and the purpose of the project

At times filming on a private lease property is a better alternative compared to public property. Our local fixer will always negotiate the best rate for you. Allow enough time (up to 6 weeks) for permitting. Same goes for shoots that require exclusive use of public space, such as a project that shuts down a street in Harare. B-roll shoots that do not take exclusive use of public space do not require additional permits beyond the shoot accreditation card you need to get before you go to Malawi.

Visa and work permit

For your entry into the country, a visa should be applied for. You can opt for a business or tourist visa Film crews prefer getting there visa before coming into the countries and this is possible through the evisa system of Malawi. Proof of yellow fever and vaccination and a Covid 19 free negative certificate are necessary for entry. The prices of visas and work permits change regularly. For updated information regarding travel to Zimbabwe, you can contact us or your embassy.

A passport is required for all foreign visitors and has to be valid for at least six months
Passports must have at least three empty pages
Citizens of most countries require a visa, which can be obtained at arrival
A list of countries who don’t require visa here https://visaindex.com/visa-requirement/malawi-passport-visa-free-countries-list/ .
A list of countries who need a visa can be found here https://www.onlinevisa.com/visa-policy/malawi/ the application can be made online.
When arriving from a yellow-fever-infected country, a yellow fever vaccination certificate is required

Media accreditations. This is a very vital process that one must go through in order to film in Malawi. The application is made to the media council of Malawi. Once applied for, and payment given the media cards are then processed. Contact film crew fixers to help you will filming permits and media accreditation.

Drone regulations

Drones can imported into the country and can be used while filming. For one to use a drone, you will need to have acquired permission from Malawi’s department of civil aviation. Key factors to note if you’re planning to use a drone

Permission is needed for each flight
Do not fly near aircrafts airports, and airfields. if operating near these spaces stay 10 kilometers away
Do not fly near groups of people, social gatherings, private property , schools and road races unless you have been given permission
You’re not allowed to fly the drone vertically higher than 45 meters
The drone should be registered with the department of civil aviation
The operator should obtain an operator certificate from the department of civil aviation

Best time to shoot in Malawi

For any filming project to succeed, one needs to know the climatic seasons in Malawi. November to March is the rainy summer season. Rains stop by April / May turning the landscape green and verdant. June to October is the hot, dry season with blue skies and excellent wildlife photography options as animals congregate around limited water sources towards the end of the season making it the best time to visit the national parks. Overall the best time to film is during the dry season.

Local talent in Malawi

Malawi has a limited number of local directors, videographers and stills photographers. It is advisable to bring in crucial members of the crew from abroad.

Contact us if you are looking for a director, DP, photographer, videographer (cameraman / camera operator), camera assistant (focus puller), sound operator, grip, gaffer, stylist, hair and makeup, PA / runner, production driver, or any other kind of specialized personnel required for your shoot.

Transport and Accommodation in Malawi

Major roads between tourist destinations are in an excellent condition. Rural roads are in a poorer condition and one should avoid travelling at night. Our Malawi film fixer organizes safe and reliable 4WD transport. Police checkpoints are common throughout the country. Several international airlines service flights to Malawi.

Hiring a local film fixer in Malawi

Film Crew Fixers has a group of well-trained fixers to handle all your production logistics in Zimbabwe. Our fixers act as drivers and are multi lingua. They are very knowledgeable in as far as locations and filming in Malawi are concerned. Depending on your film project requirement, we will assign a fixer who knows exactly what you want.

Why use film crew fixers to film in Malawi

Film crew fixers is a company based in Uganda that assists production agencies and filming companies in South, central and East African countries as a whole. We handle all fixer services required with our professional team of local fixers and driver guides. . We have offered all pre-production and production fixer services to hundreds of production companies all over the world and our POTIFOLIO speaks volumes. We have all the relevant connections with other service providers and government agencies to make sure that accreditation and filming permits are processed in a short time. Contact us for details and all relevant information you would like to know for successful filming in Malawi.