Fixer in Amsterdam, The Netherlands (Holland)
5 REASONS WHY THE NETHERLANDS MIGHT JUST BE PERFECT FOR YOUR NEXT PRODUCTION!
Some call it the modern Sodom and Gomorra. Others might refer to it as the pearl of the North. By day a home to Rembrandt, Mondriaan and Van Gogh and at night a refuge for Sex, Drugs & Rock & Roll.*
It’s Amsterdam!
The National and Van Gogh Museum, the Red Light District, beer brewing windmills, some of the world’s best DJs, Rembrandt’s famous “The Night Watch”, The Anne Frank House, wooden shoes, famous architecture, flowers and cheese, revolutionary Smart City projects, hidden clubs, medieval drinks and quirky food. More canals than Venice, more bridges than Paris and definitely more bikes than …
Amsterdam
“Alright, we get it Amsterdam is awesome. But enough with your city promo. How about filming there”?
Well … filming in Amsterdam is as easy as it is difficult. Let me explain.
Amsterdam has a thriving television/film/media industry and a wide variety of highly capable professionals and service companies at hand. From low-budget to super-duper high-end, you will have no trouble finding what you need in Amsterdam (The Netherlands). And conveniently serviced by Amsterdam Schiphol Airport everything is within a short driving distance.
In recent years the Amsterdam government has embraced the film- and creative industry as a valuable contributor to the city. Legislation was simplified and a Film Commissioner was installed. All in acknowledgement of the importance of this industry to the city marketing and economy. Local government tries to support and facilitate media productions, in and around the city, as much as possible.
However Amsterdam also has more and more limitations and challenges as times are changing. A few examples:
Due to current affairs around the globe there is for instance a ZERO tolerance on drones throughout the inner city. Any use of drones may result in high fines, confiscation (of gear and footage) and even possible arrest. But there are still possibilities for aerial shots with the use of helicopters and Amsterdam finds itself having more and more high rooftop facilities for great panorama views.
Amsterdam is also extremely (!) popular and this also brings along a wide range of difficulties.
The numbers of people living, working and especially visiting the city keeps increasing explosively. But at the same time Amsterdam remains this rather small and maze-like city. Hence at times the place is overcrowded.
The traffic is congested like never before so moving through the city may proof to be one of the biggest challenges. Permits for tourist hotspots are less easy given. Safety regulations are tightened and the inhabitants of Amsterdam are becoming more and more reluctant to cooperate.
On of the most run into problems I encounter is combining a role of fixer and driver. When you come to Amsterdam bear in mind that you can not have a person driving you around and constantly jumping out of the car with you to arrange stuff on the spot. The crazy traffic, parking, routing and regulations make it next to impossible to have one person to fulfill this role.
So when you come to Amsterdam with a production make sure to get the right person (company) on board. People who truly know the city. Know the (right) people, the restrictions and the possibilities. And definitely know the short-cuts and the back-alleys. And who can lift the veil and show you the real Amsterdam.
Because one thing is for sure, Amsterdam still has a lot of Off the Beaten Track hidden-gems and will continue to surprise you!
*Although one might of course argue that the night never really ends in Amsterdam!
アムステルダム Amsterdã আমস্টারডাম อัมสเตอร์ดัม Άμστερνταμ آمستردام
阿姆斯特丹 Amsterdamas ஆம்ஸ்டர்டம் Ámsterdam อัมสเตอร์ดัม ಆಂಸ್ಟರ್ಡ್ಯಾಮ್
καθαρεύουσα Amsterodam 암스테르담 אמסטרדם Amszterdam ایمسٹرڈیم
एम्स्टर्डम Амстердам એમ્સ્ટર્ડમ ആമ്സ്ടര്ഡ്യാമ് Amstardam Amesterdão