Filming in Türkiye – Production Starter Kit

Your first 10 steps with the Turkish Film Commission

Türkiye is one of the few countries where you can shoot a “Mars-like” landscape in Cappadocia, a European metropolis in Istanbul, a Mediterranean town on the Aegean coast and a desert-like valley in Eastern Anatolia – all within a single schedule.

This starter kit is designed to help international producers turn that potential into a safe, legal and on-time production – with a clear sequence of steps and realistic expectations.

In this article you’ll find:

• The first 10 steps to plan your shoot in Türkiye

• How to think about permits, drone, ATA Carnet, locations, budget and timing

• A clear answer to the key question:

  “When should we contact the Turkish Film Commission?”

Who is this guide for?

This starter kit is written for:

• Producers, line producers, production managers and location managers

• Fixers and service producers planning to bring projects into Türkiye

• Teams working on:

  • Feature films and series

  • Documentaries and factual entertainment

  • TV shows and formats

  • Commercials and branded content

Whether this is your first time in Türkiye or you have shot here before and want to formalise your process, this guide is meant to be your baseline.

The first 10 steps to plan your production in Türkiye

1. Define your project through a “Türkiye lens”

Before you talk to anyone, align internally on a few core questions:

• Format & scope
  Is it a feature, series episode, TV show, doc, commercial or branded content?

• Shooting days & locations
  How many shoot days? In how many cities/regions? Only Istanbul, or also Cappadocia, the Aegean, Southeast, Black Sea, etc.?

• Sensitive elements
  Are you involving:

  • Cultural & religious sites (mosques, churches, monasteries, synagogues)?

  • Museums and archaeological sites?

  • Drone or helicopter work?

  • Military, security or government-adjacent locations?

  • Vehicles, crowd scenes or stunts?

Having this clarity up front allows the Turkish Film Commission (TFC) to give you a much more accurate and honest first read on feasibility and timing.

2. First contact: share your project with the Turkish Film Commission

Your second step should be a short, structured first email to the Turkish Film Commission.

Include:

• Project type and a brief synopsis

• Preferred shoot window (month/year, not just “spring”)

• Approximate size of the team (cast & crew)

• Target regions/cities in Türkiye

• Any special elements you already know about (drone, sensitive locations, traffic control, major set builds, etc.)

From this, TFC can:

• Assess the legal and practical feasibility

• Map which authorities are likely to be involved (ministries, governorates, municipalities, museums, religious authorities, etc.)

• Suggest suitable local production partners/fixers where needed

This early “reality check” is often the difference between a smooth production and a rushed, high-risk one.

3. Choose your season and dates strategically

Türkiye has four very distinct seasons. That’s an asset on screen, but it also impacts logistics and budget.

When picking dates, consider:

• High vs low season

  • Coastal areas in summer: high tourism, higher room rates, busier locations.

  • Eastern and central regions in winter: snow and road conditions can be beautiful, but demanding.

• Public holidays and religious festivals
  Certain periods can slow down permit processes and make some locations extremely busy.

• Daylight and weather

  • Summer: long daylight, easier for extended exterior schedules.

  • Winter: shorter days, more night work and interior coverage needed.

A short calendar review with TFC and your local partner early on can save days of schedule pressure later.

4. Select a credible local production partner / fixer

The backbone of a successful shoot in Türkiye is a reliable local production service, usually acting as your on-the-ground line producer.

When choosing:

• Prefer companies that work in coordination with TFC and have verifiable international credits.

• Be clear that you need a partner who takes real production responsibility, not just a “middleman”.

• Put in writing:

  • Scope of services (permits, crew, locations, logistics, accounting, etc.)

  • Insurance and risk allocation

  • Payment milestones and deliverables

The right local partner will:

• Translate your creative and schedule into realistic on-site plans

• Manage day-to-day set operations

• Liaise with TFC and authorities throughout the process

5. Build your permit strategy from day one

Türkiye’s permitting framework is structured but multi-layered. The exact route depends on your content.

Typical categories:

• General filming in public spaces
  Streets, squares, parks, bridges, public transport, etc.

• Cultural & historical sites
  Museums, archaeological sites, UNESCO locations, religious buildings.

• Private property
  Hotels, malls, venues, private houses, villas, marinas, theme parks.

• Traffic and crowd control
  Road closures, convoys, large extras, controlled crowd scenes.

Work with TFC and your local partner to clarify:

• Which scenes trigger national-level authorities

• Which scenes are handled by local authorities

• The lead time for each permit type (in weeks, not days)

From there, build a permit calendar that becomes the backbone of your production timeline.

6. Plan drone and aerial work carefully

Aerial work in Türkiye is highly regulated. Done properly, it is absolutely possible – but it must be planned, not improvised.

Key points:

• Drone and aerial filming fall under civil aviation and specific security regulations.

• Some zones (borders, strategic infrastructure, military areas, certain government districts) are heavily restricted or off-limits.

• Foreign pilots may require additional licensing or special arrangements.

Best practice:

• Declare all intended aerial shots from the very start to TFC and your local partner.

• Define where, what and how you intend to shoot from the air; don’t leave this as a vague “maybe we’ll add some drone later”.

• Build an A-plan/B-plan for locations in case of weather, security or airspace restrictions.

7. Decide on ATA Carnet and equipment strategy

For serious productions, equipment entry and exit is a mission-critical topic.

In most cases:

• ATA Carnet is the cleanest and fastest way to move professional gear in and out of Türkiye.

• Special items (certain drones, specialist rigs, vehicle rigs) may require additional planning.

• Locally-rented gear (camera, grip, lighting, generators, trucks) should be locked in early with reputable rental houses.

Your key decision:

What do we bring with us, and what do we rent in Türkiye?

To answer that, you’ll balance:

• Budget & currency exposure

• Insurance and risk

• Availability and support for specific brands/models on the ground

• Customs and transport time

TFC and your local partner can help you benchmark local rental options and reliability in different cities.

8. Do proper location scouting and tech recces

Photos on the internet are never enough for a real production decision.

We strongly recommend:

• Phase 1 – Remote / desk scouting
  Using your script and treatment, TFC and your local partner propose locations, visual references, photos and basic logistics notes.

• Phase 2 – On-the-ground recce
  For significant projects, a short recce with the director, DoP and/or senior producer often pays for itself in time and risk saved.

During recces, you should review:

• Light direction and sun path

• Access, parking, unit base and support areas

• Power, sound, noise and crowd control

• Proximity to accommodation, hospitals and key services

All of this feeds into your final schedule, shot list and permit applications.

9. Structure your budget, currency and payment plan

When budgeting for Türkiye, be mindful of:

• Currency
  Most local costs are in Turkish Lira, while your top-line budget is likely in EUR or USD. You will want a plan for exchange-rate fluctuations.

• Local vs foreign crew
  Decide which positions are brought from abroad and which are hired locally. This affects budget, visas/permits and sometimes approvals.

• Contingency
  Always reserve a realistic contingency for:

  • Additional permit fees

  • Security or crowd-control upgrades

  • Traffic-related overtime

  • Location changes due to weather or operational reasons

Work with your local partner to outline:

• Main cost blocks (permits, locations, crew, cast, equipment, travel, accommodation, catering, insurance, security, post-services, etc.)

• A clear payment schedule aligned with production milestones and permit deadlines.

10. Address risk, safety and insurance upfront

Türkiye is a production-friendly country, but professional risk management is non-negotiable on any serious shoot.

Key areas:

• Set safety
  Stunts, car work, crowd scenes, water work, night shoots, challenging terrains.

• Health & medical readiness
  Set medic or doctor, nearest hospital info, emergency protocols.

• Context & sensitivities
  Public gatherings, political or social context around your chosen dates and locations, cultural sensitivities in religious or historic sites.

Make sure:

• Your global insurance coverage is valid and understood locally.

• Local contracts (with crew, vendors, locations) properly define responsibility and liability.

• Your local production partner has a clear emergency and escalation plan.

So… when should you contact us?

This is the question we hear most often.

As a rule of thumb:

• For large or sensitive projects
  (multiple cities, cultural/religious sites, extensive drone work, traffic control, major builds):

  Contact the Turkish Film Commission 3–6 months before your intended shoot dates.

• For smaller, flexible projects
  (limited locations, straightforward permits, compact crew):

  Aim for at least 8–10 weeks of lead time before cameras roll.

The earlier you come to us:

• The more calmly we can navigate permit and institutional processes

• The better we can optimise your schedule and budget

• The more options we have to reduce risk around weather, airspace and public events

Turn this starter kit into a full production plan

This article is the starting point of a more detailed resource:
“Filming in Türkiye – Production Guide” produced by the Turkish Film Commission.

If you are considering Türkiye (often searched as “filming in Turkey”) for your next project:

• Contact the Turkish Film Commission to discuss your project and feasibility

• Ready to plan your shoot in Türkiye?

• Share a short brief, your preferred dates and format.

• We’ll help you map the right permits, partners, locations and timelines for your production. When you’re ready, Türkiye is ready to host you.

Ask anything about your production in Türkiye