Filming in Gabon

Filming in Gabon

Filming in Gabon is underrated, and we’re sure you’ll think so too. The Gabonese Republic is situated on the west coast of Central Africa, and is located on the equator. It is known for its coastal wildlife parks, beautiful deserted beaches, rivers, lakes, rainforests, and waterfalls. Gabon shares its borders with 3 other countries, namely Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and the Republic of the Congo. French is the sole national language, the capital is Libreville, and the main currency is the Central African franc.

The Gabonese Republic can be divided into 10 provinces, namely: Estuaire, Haut-Ogooué, Moyen-Ogooué, Ngounié, Nyanga, Ogooué-Ivindo, Ogooué-Lolo, Ogooué-Maritime, and Woleu-Ntem.

At Film Fixers, we have the knowledge and experience to make sure you and your crew get the most out of Gabon, and all it has to offer. Which is a lot.

Customs and Equipment

Gabon is not known for its sophisticated film industry. For this reason, we recommend that crews bring or outsource any equipment from other countries, especially more specialized film equipment when filming in Gabon.

Gabon is not a member of the ATA Carnet system, meaning all equipment coming into the country is subject to a temporary import permission process. This will require an advance application – with equipment type, description, serial number and value. We use reliable clearing agents who will manage all the paperwork and clearance process – subject, obviously, to a fee that is generally calculated based on the value of the equipment.

Access and Affordability

The Gabonese Republic has 42 official airports, with Leon-Mba International Airport being located in the capital: Libreville. The next biggest airports are located in Gamba and Franceville.

Gabon is known to have generally poor roads, which are even worse to navigate during heavy rain.

As one of the top oil producers on the continent, Gabon has been experiencing steady economic growth over the last decade. It must be stated that Gabon tends to be a surprisingly expensive country compared to its’ continental contemporaries, especially in the capital, Libreville.

Weather

Gabon has a typical tropical climate-it is hot and moist all year round, and experiences consistent rain throughout the year. The annual temperature is between 26 and 32 degrees Celsius, with June to August being the coldest months. The annual rainfall is between 1500-3500 mm per year. This makes filming in Gabon predictable as far as weather goes, and anyone who has had to film in unexpected weather knows how much of a blessing this is.

Why film in Gabon?

  • Amazing tropical climate

  • Incredible diversity of animals

  • Wide diversity of natural landscapes

  • Home to rare animals such as the leatherback turtle, western lowland gorilla, mandrill and many more

Top Film Locations

Ivindo National Park – known for its diversity in wildlife and birdlife, and of course its waterfalls.  The Koungou, Mingouli and Djidji Waterfalls are fantastic locations, and one might still encounter animals such as gorillas, chimpanzees, buffalos and elephants. The nearest city is Makokou.

Akanda National Park – found in the north coast. It sports beaches and mangroves and plenty migrating birds. More uniquely, it is home to nesting green turtles. It is located about 16km outside of Libreville.

Loango National Park – situated on the coast and boasts lagoons, savanna, beaches, forest and mangroves. White sand beaches, and wild animals such as leopards, gorillas, elephants, hippos and buffalos. It is about a 3 hour drive from Port-Gentil.

Minkebe  National Park – in the far northeast. It is characterized by towering rock domes overlooking the swamps and rainforests below. It has an abundance of wildlife and is situated 150km away from Makoukou.

Crystal Mountains National Park – situated in the high altitude of the northwest crystal mountain ranges. Home to a plethora of animals, it also houses pretty flowers such as begonias and orchids. It is also known to contain hundreds of butterfly species.

Apart from the various national parks in Gabon, there are also a plethora of industrial locations due to the countries resource and oil industries. Let us know what you want, and we’ll get it for you.

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