Fixer in Malawi

Welcome to Africa Fixers Ltd a sister company to Encounter Africa Safaris majoring in production and fixer service provision in Malawi and other locations in Africa. Malawi, known as the "Warm Heart of Africa," this is a stunning destination that stands out as prime location for filmmakers. The country’s breathtaking landscapes, crystal-clear lakes, rugged mountains, and authentic African culture make it a must film in location. But, before embarking on a filming journey in the country, there are several key details you need to consider.

Its important to understand the necessary permissions, the best time to film, and all the essentials to make your shoot a success and to help you navigate this, we’ve compiled some of the key information that you should know about filming in Malawi. These insights will guide you in starting your preparations.

Whether you’re planning to shoot a film or documentary, this information will help streamline your preparation and be prepared for the shoot.

Best time of year to film in Malawi?

Film making and documentary shooting in Malawi is an all year round activity but as a filmmaker, you need to know the climatic seasons in Malawi in order to have a successful shoot.  The rainy season is from November to March. These Rains come to a stop by April / May turning the landscape green and vibrant. From June to October is the hot, dry season with blue skies and excellent wildlife photography as animals congregate around limited water sources towards the end of the dry season making it the best time to visit the national parks. Overall filming and the best time is a choice of the film make and you can come any time that you feel works for you but for further advice on when to come, feel free to contact us will advise you.

Top filming locations in Malawi

Malawi might seem to be a small country, but the country is blessed with a variety of beautiful sceneries to work with. From the vibrant cities to natural features like the lakes, rivers, and mountains to the national parks and wildlife reserves. Some of the notable areas of interest include;

• Lake Malawi
• Mount Mulanje
• Nyika Plateau
• Zomba Plateau
• Liwonde National Park
• The Great Rift Valley
• Mangochi District
• Viphya Plateau
• Nkhata Bay
• Kasungu National Park
• Lilongwe
• Chinteche
• Karonga

Local customs or etiquette to be aware of when filming in Malawi?

Basically there is not much but Respect for local Cultures: be respectful and mindful while working in local communities, seek permission and show respect to local communities.

When people don’t want to be filmed, observe and respect their privacy and do not use any content without getting the consent of the person in question as the consequences might be hush on you and the production group as well.

When dealing with nature shoots, observe the rules and regulations that govern the area where your working, national parks have rules that protect and conserve both the environment and the wildlife together.

Malawi visa and work permit?

Getting a tourist visa or business visa works for your entry into the country. We advise film crews to get their visa before coming into the countries and this is possible through the Evisa system of Malawi. Proof of yellow fever is necessary for entry. The prices of visas and work permits change regularly. For updated information regarding travel to Malawi, you can contact us or your embassy.

Requirements for getting a Malawi Vise to come and film.

• 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 upon arrival
• A list of countries that don’t require visa here https://visaindex.com/visa-requirement/malawi-passport-visa-free-countries-list/ .
• A list of countries that 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

Permits and permissions to film in Malawi

Film production in Malawi requires you to first seek for permission and get approvals and permits the permits as a Filmmaker and television broadcaster and pay the applicable fees as required.

Media Accreditation: Everyone on the team will be required to have their media accreditation worked on and approved before they start to do any filming work in the country. Requirements: Formal application letter on company headed paper, passport copies of all crew members, a digital copy of passport photo for each crew member, and a list of gear they are traveling with. Media accreditation fees for filming in Malawi is USD50.00 per person.

Filming permit: Further on top of the media accreditation, you will have to get the general filming permit for the location where you are going to be filming. This has to be requested in a formal request letter and fees charged depend on the length of the project, a number of crew coming. Once we submit this they will respond and a fee will be established which we will pay. Some locations are private and might require you to even seek for further authorization to access them. Contact us for your shoot arrangement and we will secure this for you. Our local fixer will always negotiate the best rate for you. Allow enough time (up to 3 weeks) for permitting. The 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 and film permit you need to get before you go to Malawi.

Temporarily import or Customs clearance for Malawi

When planning a shoot, you should consider temporarily importing the gear to use for the shoot for the best results and use of gear that you are more familiar with. We have customs agents that we work with to facilitate the process of clearing the gear through customs. The whole process will take you not more than 30 minutes at the Airport on arrival to do it.

What are the requirements for customs equipment clearance on arrival?

You are required to send through a list of all the gear that you intend to bring in when filming in Malawi prior to the shoot dates. You will have to include serial numbers and gear prices of each item on the list. Our customs agent will then work with the government agents and process a non-refundable bond for the gear. Which will have to be paid and a permit printed. On arrival, he will be there at the airport to assist you with this entire process. For fees and charges of both the customs agent and gear please get in touch and we will get you this information.

Application of filming permit in Malawi

Application for the Malawi filming permit has to be submitted after filling in the application to the Malawi Film and Television Board. They will assess the application and what you are trying to film and a response either positive or negative will be given. If approved, you will be required to make payment for the media accreditation and filming permit. The whole process takes about 1-2 weeks to have the approval coming through provided all required documents are submitted in time. Sometimes an on-site inspector might be attached to the team.

What should I include in my filming permit application for Malawi?

• Project Details: synopsis, objectives, and locations.
• Crew Information: their roles on the shoot and passport copies
• Equipment List:
• Insurance Proof:

Drone filming in Malawi.

You can use a drone while filming in Malawi. 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 aircraft 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.

Local crew and equipment hire in Malawi

It’s possible to hire local production support in Malawi for your film and we as local Malawi film fixers will assist with hiring a crew, just provide us with the specifications of the crew you need.

For equipment, we have a lot of high-end gear in the country and that which we do not have we can hire from our neighboring countries as we have a network with other production companies around South African region. Provide us with a list of the gear you want and we will source it for you and what we don’t have we will get the next best alternative that works.

Local film fixer or production service filming in Malawi.

Its very important to have or hire the services of a local fixer while working in Malawi. First, it’s getting the media accreditation and permits to manage things on the ground without the fixer it can be time-consuming and also sometimes hard to get exactly what you want.

Africa Fixers has a group of well-trained fixers to handle all your production logistics in Malawi. Our Local 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.

Park regulations while filming in Malawi

Malawi has a number of national parks that are home to several wildlife species. To Film in Malawi National Park, you will be required to have a general filming permit and in addition to that, you have to get the respective location permits for every national park. In addition to this, you have to follow the respective rules and regulations that are put in place to protect the wildlife. When filming wildlife, a code of conduct must be followed. Some regulations include keeping a safe distance from the animals, not damaging the environment, refraining from animal disturbance, etc

Accommodation in Malawi

The accommodation options in Malawi are many and available from one area to another. Depending on where the shoot is going to take place, we will arrange or suggest to you options that meet and fit the budget of our clients. These options include Hotels, Lodges, Guesthouses, Campsites etc which also come in various price ranges for you to choose from. As a client it's important to work within a budget and we will do our best to help you stay within Budget, midrange to luxury options we have it all.

Transport and Logisitics in Malawi

We provide comprehensive transport services for film crews across Malawi and across the region. Our fleet consists of Land Cruisers and 4×4 minibusses, specifically customized for photography and filming needs. Recognizing that film crews require additional space to transport their equipment, our vehicles are adjusted for that. We offer tailored transport solutions to match your budget and requirements. Whether you need Land Cruisers or 4×4 minibusses, we have it all. Contact us for all your transportation needs.

Our fleet is driven by trained driver guides and local fixers who possess extensive experience and in-depth knowledge of the destinations. These professionals have guided numerous film crews, making them invaluable for providing logistical support and direction. Their familiarity with local terrain and conditions ensures smooth navigation and enhances the overall efficiency of your shoot. With their expertise, you can focus on the creative aspects of your project, while we handle the practicalities of transportation.

In addition to ground transport, we offer other options of charter flights to most of the destinations in and around Malawi which are available upon request. These flights can be arranged to provide quick and convenient travel to remote or otherwise difficult-to-reach filming locations. Contact us for assistance.

Film location scouting in Malawi

Yes, you can location scouting assistance when doing production work in Malawi. We have a team of local film fixers and producers in Malawi and there role is to provide any kind of shoot assistance for you. There is no set big that they can not manage and there is no location too far that they can’t reach. Contact us with your shoot requirements and our team will be on standby to provide all the assistance that you need and also help with securing permits and permissions necessary to got ahead with the shoot.

Why use Africa fixers to film in Malawi

Africa 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 production and 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.