Filming in Madeira

Your fixer in Madeira

Filming in Madeira is a straightforward process, as the archipelago is part of Portugal and the administrative rules of the country apply here as well. While on the islands, your fixer in Madeira becomes your helping hand, offering support with everything related to media production. We will assist you with your visas, film permits, sorting out locations to film, finding the right equipment you might need, and other services. Madeira Fixer also takes care of the logistics and the tax incentives for your project.

Visa for Madeira

As part of the European Union and the Schengen Area, most visitors flying into Madeira from Europe will not require a visa to enter the archipelago. Visitors from outside the European area might need a visa depending on their citizenship. To make sure you are ready for filming in Madeira, check the visa status based on your country of origin before you board your flight to Funchal. US citizens can enter Madeira without a visa for stays up to 90 days.

Film Permits in Madeira

While filming in Madeira, you will require a permit for shooting a professional production on public property. Applying for film permits is done through the City Hall in Funchal or any other city you film in while on the islands. Your fixer in Madeira will take care of the documents and the application for these permits, as processing them takes up to a week. Thanks to our fixers, you will get the permits easily and can start working right away.

Special equipment renting info

Funchal is the main city in Madeira where you will find gear, should you need any for your shoots while on the islands. Ask your film fixer to point you to local filming equipment rental shops. Here, you will benefit from local prices regardless if you want to rent or buy the gear that you need. When it comes to drones, smaller ones can be flown without a permit. For larger drones, you will have to apply for a license with the aviation authority of Portugal.

Cultural facts

While at the chapter about rules and regulations, such as dealing with film permits in Madeira, another important factor to be mentioned is the cultural norms in the archipelago. Nicknamed “The Festival Island”, Madeira hosts countless festivities year-round, most of them related to wine, crops, and agriculture, all crucial parts of local culture. Football, or soccer, is big with kids starting from as early as age 4 in the sport, dreaming to become the next Cristiano Ronaldo, a native of Madeira.

Weather when filming in Madeira

Hosting a diverse landscape, you can expect both sunshine and heavy rain while in Madeira. The higher you go, the colder it gets, and the closer to the sea you stay, the warmer the days and nights. Madeira has a mild climate throughout the year, making it the right choice for filming crews regardless of when they travel here for work. Filming in Madeira is easier in regards to weather from April to October, as the weather is pleasantly warm and there is plenty of daylight.

Tax rebate in Madeira

According to the Portugal Film Commission, media productions developed in Madeira are eligible for tax rebates. Portugal has one of the leading incentive systems in Europe for film production. If your project qualifies for the rebate, you will be able to get up to 25% cashback on expenses made while in Portugal. Ask your fixer in Madeira for further details on how to apply for an incentive, what are the requirements for the application and where to submit the documents to get the rebate.

Conclusion on filming in Madeira

Filming in Madeira is easier with the help of local professionals who will assist you throughout your production. Hiring a fixer in Madeira is the right way to go when sorting out visas, film permits on the islands, managing shooting locations, as well as other services and products for media production.

When it comes to production support, Madeira Fixer will provide a broad range of services designed to make your production easier and more efficient. If you are ready to start your media project in Madeira, let us know. Send Madeira Fixer an email with the brief of your project. A team representative will reply as soon as possible, with a time and date for a discovery call.

Get in touch

hello@madeirafixer.com