A Filmmaker’s Guide
to Shooting in Malaysia
Our company works with local professionals to make sure you
are getting the right help throughout media production.
Permits in Malaysia: What You Need to Know
All foreign crew and cast members will need a film permit for shoots taking place in public areas in Malaysia. Working with a local film fixer company, you will have to apply to PUSPAL, which is the Central Agency Committee for Application for Filming and Foreign Artists Presentations, within the Ministry of Communications and Multimedia in Malaysia. Expect your permits to take up to two months to be signed off on.
Timing Your Malaysia Film Production around the Weather
Malaysia has two different monsoon seasons. These affect different parts of the country at different times. If you’re planning a film shoot here, it really helps to know when these rainy periods happen.
The Northeast Monsoon runs from November to March. During this time, the East Coast, which covers areas like Pahang, Terengganu, and Kelantan, gets a lot of heavy rain. The Southwest Monsoon lasts from May to September and is on the West Coast, in areas like Langkawi and Penang. In these areas and during theese months, can expect intense though short thunderstorms.
To avoid these difficult weather conditions, pencil in your shooting schedule on the East Coast soemtime from late March to September, when it’s drier and better for long days outdoors. On the West Coast, December to February is usually the most reliable time for filming.
Planning Filming Equipment Rental & Local Crew Logistics
While you can rent video gear in Malaysia, particularly if you’re working with an experienced film fixer like Fixer Malaysia that has plenty of contacts, the film equipment rental houses will not have all the most recent or specialized gear. If that’s what you need, you must organize to bring your own film equipment.
Finding fluent English crew members is not difficult here as there is a wide pool of experienced film professionals who speak mutliple languages.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it an ATA carnet country?
Yes, it is.
Is it safe for me and my team to film there?
Yes.
Do I need a visa or a work visa to film there?
Yes, unless it’s a small project with a crew of 5 people or less.
Do I need a local company to film or get visas there?
Yes, you do. This entails getting a sponsor letter from a local production company in order to apply for permits and a visa.
Do I need a permit for drones?
Yes.
Is there a cash rebate/tax exemption or any other fiscal advantage?
Yes. The Malaysian Government offers a tax rebate of 30% to foreign productions filmed here. Productions must spend a minimum of RM5 million (approximately USD 1.1 million) locally to be eligible.
Can I shoot in a national park and, if so, under what circumstances?
Yes. However, you will need a valid PUSPAL filming permit before you can apply to shoot in a national park. The application for this must be made to PERHILITAN or the relevant State Forestry Department and you might have to pay a fee.
Working with Fixer Malaysia
If you work with us as your production partner in Malaysia, you’ll get the skilled service that your production requires. Over the years, we’ve worked with a wide range of global companies and big-name directors and media platforms.
Among the projects we’re most proud of we include the very successful Daz Games YouTube series (9 million followers), and the acclaimed documentary by filmmaker Jess Kohl for Dazed and Confused Magazine.