Night market in Taipei
Shooting in studio
Yangminshan, Taipei
On location in Kaohsiung
Jiufen area drone shots
Taipei riverside bike paths
Xinyi District, Taipei
Taiwan’s film industry is absolutely booming. If you’ve never considered it as a filming location, then it’s time to think again. From its stunning natural landscapes to its thriving metropolises, Taiwan offers filmmakers a treasure trove of cinematic opportunities.
Every year Taiwan adds to its list of updated technical and location advances in its film industry. From multiple grip companies offering the latest in cranes and robotic gear to its latest 180-degree virtual studios ( AUO x Reno Studio and Cyans LED Virtual Studio) or Shih Hsin University’s 270 degree oval LED studio or perhaps one that has multiple spaces from a hospital to a subway car in it (Artwork Studio), your imagination is the only thing holding you back from shooting here.
Since the pandemic Taiwan has seen a dramatic rise in both local and international production happening within the country. There are more co-production opportunities thanks to TAICCA (Taiwan Creative Content Agency) and existing funding from the Taipei Film Commission and Golden Horse Film Project Promotion that are all well worth looking at if you have the time to apply and take advantage of these platforms for extra funding. 2023 also saw popular Taiwanese Netflix films ‘Over My Dead Body’ ‘Miss Shampoo’ staying on their top 10 list for months.
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Taiwan has seen several noteworthy projects from abroad in recent years, including Luc Besson’s Lucy, Martin Scorsese’s Silence and Eddie Huang’s Fresh Off the Boat. These are just a taste as to the plethora of international shows and movies that have been shot on this tropical island. We also recetnly colaborated with Sony Affirm Pictures on an independent feature film 'Sun Moon' earlier in 2022.
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Netflix’s hit TV Series ‘Somebody Feed Phil’ chose Taipei as one of their locations for season 7 and shot in March of 2023.( Season 7 came out on March 1st 2024 ) They partnered with local production company Stone Soup Production for local crew and logistics services. The director of Somebody Feed Phil, John Bedolis had this to say about Taiwan, ‘After shooting all over Asia, shooting in Taiwan with Stone Soup was a revelation. In the other places we heard a lot of “no”, but in Taiwan, the fantastic crew, mind-blowing locations, and wonderful people enabled us to accomplish even more than we'd hoped for.’ Be sure to check out the SFP episode on Netflix if you’re looking for interesting locations and food ideas for your visit here.
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Taiwan offers a diversity of locations in close proximity to each other. The country is home to vibrant cities, modern industrial parks, a mix of Chinese and Japanese architecture, Buddhist temples, sports stadiums, night markets, luscious green mountains, rugged gorges, bamboo forests, rice paddies, tea plantations, lakes/waterfalls, beautiful beaches, and offshore islands.
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Taiwan offers a good alternative to filming in mainland China. As well as Chinese-looking locations and talent, and a first-world infrastructure, visiting productions can count on being protected by a system of stable and predictable laws.
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Taiwan is still quite new to foreign production but with the aforementioned projects that have recently shot here, its popularity as a filming location is starting to catch on. The Government has production incentives but like any country they have an extensive checklist that you will have to adhere to and it might be cheaper to just do it on your own or with a local production company like us anyways. One of the most compelling reasons to choose Taiwan as your filming destination is its cost-effectiveness. Compared to western countries, expenses in Taiwan, such as accommodation, food and equipment rentals are significantly lower, allowing you to stretch your budget further without compromising on quality. There are large sound stages in all 3 main cities now with rental houses in each and all kinds of production services here to assist any kind of production.
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Getting around the island is also very easy. There is a high-speed train (THSR) that goes from Nangang, Taipei to the southern most city of Kaohsiung. It takes roughly one hour and 40 minutes and is only USD55 per-person each way. If you pre-book through a site called KK Day and have a foreign passport, you can get unlimited three day passes for USD75. Both Kaohsiung and Taipei have a subway system that is easy to use and figure out. Taxis operate in every city and start at roughly USD2.50 USD, and UBER is in most cities as well which is easier if you don’t speak Chinese.
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Please don't hesitate to contact us with more specific location requests or images.