UK crew going to Germany post Brexit?

[Paul Osborne]

Hi I have a sniff of a project that may require I travel from UK to Germany, Netherlands and Turkey with lightweight interview kit. Has anyone travelled from the UK to shoot in the EU since Brexit? What was the routine?
Do I need a Carnet? Will a duplicate list suffice? or can I go in as a business traveller and have all the kit in my personals?

I appreciate Turkey is outside the EU, and years ago I went in with a Carnet but is that still the way to go for Turkey?

Alternatively I hire crew in Germany, Netherlands and Turkey - ideally dual lingual as the interviews will be in the local language but I'll need to liaise in English. So if anyone has recommendations for corporate shoot lighting cameraman - I'd be pleased to hear them.

Any recent experience of travelling to EU would be appreciated.


The kit I travel with will be FS5 or A6400 plus single wheelie case of lights and lightweight foldable tripod.

[Paul R Johnson]

One of my friends is doing a tour soon and much time will be in Germany. He's had Visa and permit issues and part of his job will be being the responsible person for firearms. Lights, sound, cameras and staging - somebody had to be nominated person and the production company chose him. He's been tooing and froing to London to get the permits and other documents - and almost everything is a nightmare. Nothing has been straightforward. On top are the medical issues and almost every day he is having to apply for things he didn't remotely expect - nor did the production company. The armoury requirement - which is not really that 'risky' now needs him to do a course on real guns, not the imitations that fire blanks that are using for a few minutes. It's absolutely ludicrous that everyone so far is basically a guinnea pig for a system that nobody has really tested.

[Paul Osborne]

Hi Paul,

Thanks for the speedy reply. I'd hope that the scale of our production (a day of single camera shooting) would differentiate us from the big productions that would invoke a mountain of consents and hoop jumping.

I could argue that a business man with a briefcase containing a DSL camera would prompt no reaction from customs nor authorities, so myself with 2 bags containing kit would be no different... From my experience if you ask for the correct process the authorities throw barriers in the way expecting a 20 man crew and flight cases. When I have previously jumped through the official hoops it is often the case the border officials don't even want to see documentation and you wonder what was the point. So that is why I am keen to hear from single-man travellers who have gone over in the last few months.

[Paul R Johnson]

Are you a member of the GTC? Almost daily members report their troubles going into EU countries? The snags for one man and a bag seem to be more with work visas. Claiming vacation or visiting friends when you have a document that gives away you are working, then leap frogs to the other issues. Answering "Purpose of you visit?" is a critical question. If you are a sole trader, then your work equipment is personal possessions - but if it's work, then it's visas now. You can wing it of course. Flying into Berlin with kit was interesting even before Brexit - God knows what that is like now.

The Guild of Tv Camera Professionals is worth a look and they do have loads of help services for international travel. They're a mix of broadcasters and independents.

[Paul Osborne]

Thanks Paul,
I was a GTC member years ago.
It is a dilemma - I have shot in Norway (non-EU) with the same kit and not had any obstructions, so I'd hope that Germany and Netherlands are the same. Or I drive across and run the gauntlet with French customs.