Filming in India: Guidelines

We at India EU Film Initiative (www.iefilmi.com) have received some requests to publish the guidelines for filming in India. Well, shooting in India can be both fun and taxing. All together, it could be a life-changing experience. It happens only in India, say the locals! Ask Brad Pit and Angelina Jolie who surely returned with an incredible experience after filming for 'A Mighty Heart'. There were thousands of people waiting for them in the streets and hundreds of TV news crews aiming for a glimpse of the Hollywood couple.

The secret of a successful shoot lies in total secrecy! DO NOT announce it to the media that you're going to India for filming. Plan in advance. Your best help can come from your Indian embassy/high commission. They are genuinely keen to promote India but remember they are civil servants as well.

National Film Development Corporation Ltd., (NFDC), a Government of India Enterprise, was established in 1975 with a view to promoting and organising an integrated development of the Indian Film Industry and to foster excellence in cinema, says NFDC. However, NFDC is yet to act like a film professional, producers complain.