End-to-end ops for international shoots in Mainland China—compliance, finance, crew, data, and multi‑city logistics handled by a bilingual team.
Filming approvals vary by city/district. There are no single “city‑wide” permits—procedures differ by region and location type. We scope public‑space, road use, and landmark requirements and route filings to the correct bodies via our location scouting & permits producers.
Reference: differing procedures across regions and need for experienced local producer/fixer.
For foreign crews, project‑appropriate business/filming categories and invitation paperwork are required; timelines depend on scope and locations. Our production coordination team prepares letters and itineraries and aligns embassy lead times with scout/shoot schedules.
China accepts ATA Carnets for professional equipment. For parity kits or when time is tight, we often recommend local equipment rental + carry‑on essentials, using the carnet only for unique pieces.
We support clients that require Chinese VAT fapiao (electronic or special VAT), and can mirror overseas invoicing. Align tax treatment early to avoid reconciliation delays.
Public liability for public spaces and road units; employer’s liability/accident cover for crew; equipment and data cover; and UAV liability when applicable.
| Corridor | Fastest HSR time (indicative) | Ops notes |
|---|---|---|
| Shanghai ⇄ Guangzhou | ~6.5–7 h | Two crew rotations feasible with one overnight; kit can rail freight or day‑ahead courier. |
| Guangzhou ⇄ Shenzhen | ~29–55 min | Acts like a metro; same‑day lens/body swaps are realistic. |
| Beijing ⇄ Shanghai | ~4.5–5 h | Schedule around peak departures; allow transfer buffers to Hongqiao/South. |
Rail legs quoted from national operators and travel portals; plan extra time for station transfers and baggage checks.
When the schedule leans heavily on Shanghai days, we route creative and permitting through our Shanghai production agency team; south‑China days often pair with a local Guangzhou cinematographer for continuity of look.
Baseline in Mainland China is 8 hours/day, 40 hours/week. Overtime is commonly budgeted at 1.5× (weekdays), 2× (rest days), and 3× (statutory holidays). Local caps (e.g., monthly limit) apply.
Hot meals, potable water/ice, rest shuttles, and night premiums included as needed. Road units follow reflective PPE and lighting plans.
Usage fees and consent/releases are handled in bilingual forms. Additional approvals apply for minors or sensitive uniforms/props. For North‑China blocks, we tap our Beijing camera crew bench for fast onboarding.
We design an on‑set/off‑site data plan that works within China’s network environment: verified cloud buckets (Aliyun/Tencent) or offline courier for masters; optional overseas mirrors following applicable cross‑border data rules. For review and finishing, our post‑production service delivers mainland‑friendly links and fail‑safe local web servers when needed.
Where cross‑border transfers are needed, we evaluate current CAC guidance and free‑trade zone pilots and choose the compliant route.
2.4 GHz systems are convenient but can be crowded. We prioritize licensed UHF blocks and avoid deprecated ranges (e.g., China discontinued 700 MHz band for sale/import).
Frequency coordination, antenna distro, directional paddles for street work, and on‑set spectrum sweeps. Hold 2–3 backup blocks for dense venues.
| Holiday | 2025 dates (PRC) | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Spring Festival | Jan 28 – Feb 4 | Vendors/permits closed or limited; plan pre‑lights before holiday. |
| Labor Day | May 1 – May 5 | Travel surges; hotels/transport premiums. |
| National Day + Mid‑Autumn | Oct 1 – Oct 8 | Extended closures; long‑lead permits only. |
Add Dragon Boat (May 31 – Jun 2), Qingming (Apr 4 – 6), New Year’s Day (Jan 1) as soft blackout checks.
| Bucket | Cost drivers | Levers |
|---|---|---|
| Crew | Night premiums, bilingual HODs, overtime caps | Smaller units; staggered call times; ADR loop |
| Gear | Parity cameras, lenses, lighting, backup kits | Local rental; ship only unique items; carnet vs rent |
| Permits | Road control, landmark fees, site security | Route low‑impact paths; early stakeholder briefings |
| Travel | HSR vs air; hotel class; baggage | HSR where feasible; consolidate cases; courier non‑critical |
| Data | Dailies hosting, couriers, mirrors | China‑based buckets; delta exports; staged uploads |
Need parity kits city to city? For east‑China builds, coordinate via Shanghai camera rental; in the south we anchor kits through Guangzhou equipment rental.
Brief: Rapid content capture across Shanghai, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu, and Beijing.
Approach: Two mobile camera kits + one lighting truck; HSR hub‑and‑spoke plan; bilingual HODs with regional day‑players; casting run locally per city; mainland‑hosted dailies; overseas mirrors post‑wrap.
Outcome: 1x 60s hero + 8x socials per city; zero RF/audio dropouts; smooth cross‑border data release using FTZ pilot rules.
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