18 Sep A UK Production Team’s Guide to Local Irish Crew & Fixers
Ireland is a common location for UK productions thanks to proximity, English-language crews, and a wide range of landscapes and locations within a small area. Local crew hire avoids the cost and logistics of flying a full crew and equipment across the Irish Sea for every shoot day. Filming permissions in Ireland are typically arranged directly with landowners, local authorities, or bodies like the OPW for state-owned sites. A local production partner can supply crew, equipment, and fixer-style logistical support as a single point of contact. For a UK production team, Ireland is close enough to visit for a scout on a Tuesday and be filming by the following week, but far enough that local knowledge — locations, permissions, crew, transport — genuinely speeds things up. Here’s what to plan for if you’re bringing a shoot to Ireland.
Deciding what to bring and what to source locally
Flying a full crew and full kit list from the UK for every shoot is rarely the most efficient option once you factor in flights, excess baggage on camera gear, and accommodation. Many UK productions bring a core creative team (director, DoP, producer) and source camera operators, sound, lighting, and grip support locally in Ireland — which also means the local crew already know the specific locations and permission requirements.
Permissions and access
Filming permissions in Ireland are handled differently depending on the location: private property requires direct owner permission, local authority areas (streets, parks, public buildings) typically go through the relevant County or City Council, and state-owned heritage sites go through the Office of Public Works (OPW). Permit lead times vary from a few days for straightforward private locations to several weeks for public sites, so building this into your schedule early avoids last-minute delays.
Local crew and equipment
Dublin has a working pool of freelance camera operators, sound recordists, and production support used to both narrative and corporate/broadcast work, along with rental houses for additional camera, lighting, and grip equipment. A local production partner can usually assemble a crew for a specific shoot day faster than trying to source individually from the UK, and avoids duplicate costs on equipment you could hire locally instead.
Insurance and compliance
Confirm whether your existing UK production insurance extends to shoots in Ireland, or whether local cover is needed — this is worth checking with your insurer directly rather than assuming. If your shoot involves a drone, note that aerial filming in Ireland is regulated separately by the Irish Aviation Authority, with its own registration and airspace requirements distinct from UK drone rules.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a full fixer, or just local crew?
If your team already has locations confirmed and just needs camera operators and equipment on the day, local crew hire alone may be enough. If you need help with location scouting, permissions, or logistics you don’t have existing contacts for, a fixer-style production partner is worth building into the budget.
How much notice do I need to arrange a shoot in Ireland?
For a straightforward single-location shoot with crew and equipment already sourced, two to three weeks is often workable. For projects needing location scouting, public permits, or multiple locations, four to six weeks gives enough room to secure access properly.
Can Irish crew work to UK production formats and workflows?
Irish broadcast and corporate crews commonly work across UK and Irish productions and are generally familiar with UK-standard workflows, codecs, and delivery formats — it’s worth confirming specifics (frame rate, delivery codec, file-naming conventions) on the brief either way.
Get In Touch
Idiosync Films works with UK production teams filming in Ireland, providing local crew, equipment, and fixer-style logistical support from a single Dublin-based point of contact. Get in touch at hi@idiosyncfilms.com to talk through your shoot.