Should You Bring Your Own Crew or Hire Locally for Shoots in France?

When planning a commercial shoot in France, many UK and international agencies wonder: Can we bring our trusted crew, or should we hire locally?

The answer depends on your goals, budget, and legal requirements.

Bringing Your Own Crew

• Pros: Familiarity with your brand, established working relationships, consistent workflow.

• Cons: Travel and accommodation costs, work visa requirements, and the need to navigate French employment laws.

Hiring Local Crew in France

• Pros: Access to highly skilled professionals, many with international experience. Local crew understand the unique requirements of French locations, regulations, and suppliers. In smaller cities like Marseille, Lyon or on the Côte d'Azur using local crew is strongly encouraged and helps support the community.

• Legal Note: Most French crew work under the intermittent du spectacle system. To hire them legally, you must contract through a French-registered company and pay social charges.

Hybrid Approach

Many productions bring a few key team members and hire the rest locally. This ensures continuity while benefiting from local expertise.

How And So Production Supports You

We can facilitate both approaches, handling permits, contracts, and logistics for international crew, while connecting you with the best local talent wherever you shoot in France.

Conclusion

Bringing your own crew is possible, but hiring locally often makes practical and financial sense. Either way, And So Production ensures a seamless, compliant, and successful shoot.

Need advice on crew for your next French shoot? Contact And So Production or by email production@andsoproduction.com for expert guidance.