A land of extremes … Africa’s youngest nation, however the world’s oldest desert, the planet’s highest sand dunes and the largest underground lake, earth’s largest intact meteorite and second biggest canyon … and the best locations.
“Namibia … Africa’s Gem …
The World’s Undiscovered Location”.
For the filmmaker Namibia remains a paradise of locations… a veritable undiscovered Eden.
Namibia is a unique and fascinating country, its hot, arid climate offering 250 days of sunshine throughout the year. Cosmopolitan cities and colonial and ghost towns make for exciting locations. Desert landscapes, volcanic outcrops, river canyons and natural sculptures provide unique backdrops for the astute filmmaker, while a unique population and bountiful wildlife ensure an unforgettable experience.
All of this, plus the added advantage for production companies coming to Namibia is that it is easy to access a wide variety of “generic” locations resembling other parts of the world that would be more expensive and complicated to work in.
"The outstanding desert locations of Namibia are better than those on offer in the United States, Mexico, Tunisia and Morocco."
An article from The Age (March 23, 2004) sums up the location that is Namibia, “Namibia reportedly beat other locations scouted in China, Chile, South Africa and the United States… Apart from its natural attractions, Namibia has decent infrastructure and a government eager to help international film productions get what they need. Its biggest selling point, however, is the Namib dunes which are the highest in the world.”
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So much more than dunes and diamonds…
Besides the world–famous dune sea–gravel plains, mountain desert and riverine desert provide spectacular locations all within a 50km radius of Swakopmund, the hub of the Namibian film industry.
Further appealing locations situated a comfortable distance from Swakopmund are the Spitzkoppe, Rossing Mountain and the Moon Landscape. The red dunes south of Walvis Bay and the ghostly beaches of the Skeleton Coast add to the unique locations all within close proximity of the coastal towns. This ideal, inaccessible desert look, on the doorstep of a town that can accommodate the large crews working on feature films and commercials, has attracted a number of films to Namibia in recent years including “The Young Black Stallion” (2002), “Beyond Borders” (2003) and “Flight of the Phoenix” (2004).
The wide diversity of Namibia’s natural resources and the unique nature of some of the country’s inhabitants make it an extremely appealing destination for documentaries, while the dramatic backdrops of the Fish River Canyon, second in size only to Colorado’s Grand Canyon, and the towering dunes of Sossusvlei, one of the world’s most impressive geological wonders, continue to entice commercial and feature filmmakers from across the globe…
“ We got what we came for – harsh, beautiful desert, massive, untouched landscapes as alien as they are breathtaking, vast stunning vistas”.
(John Moore – Director “Flight of the Phoenix”).
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