Video and Photo Crews in Australia

Distance is the real issue

Australia's main business cities are a long way apart. Perth is several hours' flight from the east coast, and a national roadshow can easily lose days to travel if one crew follows it around the country. Equipment, flights and accommodation all add to the bill, and they do nothing to improve the footage.

Fame Crew solves this by booking someone local in each city. A Sydney shoot goes to a Sydney crew member, and a Perth shoot goes to someone in Perth. Fame stays accountable for what comes back, with one production manager and one invoice for the whole run. If your location is outside the main cities, we will flag any travel costs upfront.

Keeping a national project consistent

When different people shoot in different cities, footage can drift apart in style. The safeguard is a single brief that everyone works from, and it should be more specific than you might assume:

• Reference shots showing the framing and look you want.
• One interview setup, including background and how the subject faces the camera.
• A standard list of questions, with space for local stories.
• Your logo rules and any lower-third wording.
• Whether you want footage landscape, vertical or both.
• One person on your side who can approve the first frame in each city.

Drones in Australia

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) is explicit that flying a drone for work brings extra rules: you must register the drone and get a licence or accreditation. Its published recreational rules also give a useful sense of the baseline. Among other things, they set a maximum of 120 metres above ground level, a 30 metre distance from other people, and a ban on flying in populous areas, which include beaches, parks, events and sports ovals during games.

Those are recreational rules, not a complete statement of what a commercial operator can do. CASA also says that flights in a place or way outside the drone safety rules need a flight authorisation. So a drone shot above a busy city or an event should not be assumed to be possible. Mention aerial work when you ask for a quote, and give the exact location. Fame's add-on uses a licensed operator, subject to local flight rules on the day.

Filming on public land

If you are staying inside your office or a booked venue, the conversation is usually with the building or venue manager. Filming in a public space can be different, and permission varies by state, council and land manager. There is no single national permit to rely on.

Victoria is a useful example. According to VicScreen, the Filming Approval Act 2014 advises Victorian councils and public agencies on standard processes for filming applications and for assessing permits on public land. VicScreen's Film Friendly page also links to a standard filming permit application form and to separate information on filming on roads, in parks and on Crown land. For other states, check with the council or land manager for your location.

Timing across time zones

Teams coordinating from the UK, Europe or North America often lose a day to the time difference. A question sent at the end of your day may land on a Saturday morning in Sydney. Send your brief early and agree who can make decisions during local hours, including during the pre-shoot call.

The difference can work in your favour after a shoot. A shoot finishing in the Australian afternoon can have files ready when a European team starts work. If you want this for an event, mention it in your brief. Same-day social clips and raw file transfers should be requested in advance.

Prices, quotes and what you own

Australian shoots are quoted in Australian dollars. Current prices are on the pricing page, and your quote is fixed before you commit. Your deposit is fully refundable, and you can reschedule free up to 48 hours before the shoot.

Once your invoice is settled, you hold full commercial usage rights to the final assets and raw footage. Edited assets can be delivered within 48 hours, and standard editing packages include two rounds of revisions. If you need photography as well, a photographer can be booked with your video crew, or one hybrid shooter on a smaller job.