Around the World with Compass Rose: Capturing the Best of the Seasons

The world of production never really stops (just ask any producer!) but it ebbs and flows. Summer definitely ebbed this year and now that autumn is well and truly here, ushering in that ‘back to school’ feeling regardless of your age; it’s back to the flow. 

At Compass Rose (CR) – an umbrella for a group of best-in-class service production companies – the new production season is well underway across the group and with CR’s presence over three continents, clients can benefit from lush greenery or long, sunny days throughout the entire autumn/winter season, alongside a whole host of other unmissable benefits, such as a variety of stunning locations and professional, award-winning crews.

In South Africa, things are heating up for their Spring and Summer season, and Charlie Hey - Stillking Cape Town’s Executive producer - is getting ready for the company’s historically busiest time. And it’s no wonder as this time of year has ideal conditions for filmmakers looking for up to 15 hours of daily sunlight. Charlie shares that different cities in South Africa have their own microclimates.

“Cape Town has a Mediterranean climate, characterised by hot, dry summers. The summer months are known for their warm temperatures and minimal rainfall. This is the dry season in Cape Town, making it an ideal time for outdoor filming. Johannesburg, situated inland on the Highveld plateau, experiences a different summer climate. Summers in Johannesburg are typically very warm to hot with afternoon thunderstorms being relatively common, but these dissipate quickly. Durban, located on the eastern coast of South Africa, has a subtropical climate. Summers in Durban are all high temperatures and high humidity with frequent rainfall,” he explains. 

That’s a whole lot of flexibility for filmmakers so Charlie, who knows the South African landscape inside and out, has shared some of his favorite scenic locations with LBB: “It’s hard to only mention a few places to someone who has not shot in South Africa before, so I’d like to highlight four around Cape Town, and then the more obvious mountains, coastal roads and city streets across the country.

Beachfront and ocean settings: Cape Town boasts some of the world's most stunning beaches. Locations like Clifton Beach, Camps Bay Beach, and Llandudno Beach offer pristine white sands, turquoise waters, and striking rocky formations. The Western Cape has some stunning coastal areas along the Atlantic and Indian oceans. These pristine shorelines provide filmmakers with a range of settings, from rugged cliffs and dramatic seascapes to tranquil beaches and picturesque coves.

Dunes: Cape Town and its surrounding areas offer various stunning dunes and sandy landscapes that are perfect for filming. Among others, Atlantis Dunes, situated only 45 minutes from Cape Town, is a favoured filming location for the variety of landscapes, including rolling sand dunes and flat, desert-like terrain.

Cape Winelands: just a short drive from Cape Town (less than one hour), the Cape Winelands offer a complete contrast to the urban setting. This region, nestled among the mountains, has rolling vineyards and charming small towns including picturesque countryside, and European-style vineyards, showcasing the diversity of landscapes that can be found in close proximity.

Karoo Desert: For something entirely different, the Karoo Desert in the Western Cape (three-four hours from Cape Town itself) provides a starkly beautiful and remote landscape. Its arid plains, rugged mountains, and unique flora create a cinematic canvas perfect for a desert or frontier setting. The Karoo is striking similarities to the deserts of the southwestern United States.

Cape Town's coastal roads provide breath-taking backdrops, with the endless expanse of the Atlantic Ocean on one side and rugged cliffs on the other. These roads are perfect for capturing the beauty and drama of coastal scenes while the city streets in Cape Town come in a wide variety of styles, from narrow, winding lanes in historic neighbourhoods to wide, modern boulevards.”

As if the benefits of shooting in South Africa weren’t already clear, Charlie adds that it’s a great destination because filmmakers can take advantage of everything above while also benefiting from the availability of fantastic diverse talent, cost-effective services, and global appeal. 

While things are heating up in SA, they’re cooling down, but only temperature-wise, for Entity Films and its founding partner and EP, Jernej Krivic. Entity Films’ strategic location means the company can cover production not only in Slovenia and Croatia but also in Italy and Austria, making the region a hidden production gem.

Jernej says: “In Slovenia and Croatia, autumn usually starts at the beginning of October when leaves start to change colour. This becomes the setting for some amazing sights in nature, with leaves turning from golden to dark red before dropping down to the floor creating a blanket covering the land. Weather at this time of year is still pretty stable with daytime temperatures reaching 20°C (68°F) on sunny days. Morning mists roll in and create beautiful setups. Autumn and the beginning of winter are normally quite dry; snow in the mountains and rain in the lowlands start after New Year’s. White or winter shooting season starts at the end of November, and it lasts till end of March. Even though snow in April mostly disappears, it is still possible to find and shoot snow on glaciers.”

“On the coast of Croatia forests stay green for longer, some losing leaves only close to the end of December, some are even evergreen and offer shooting green nature all through the year. Days are naturally shorter, same as everywhere on this latitude, from Vienna and Milan to Lyon. In southern Slovenia and Croatia it’s possible to shoot there without snow all year around and continental climate is present in mid parts of countries, like in Ljubljana and Zagreb. This area has a mix of Mediterranean and Alpine climates. In northern Slovenia and Austria, the Alpine climate makes winter come earlier and last a bit longer, especially in mountains.”

For Jernej, the benefits of shooting in these locations are many, like “stable weather, availability of locations that are too busy in the summer seaside tourist season such as Piran, Rovinj, Venice or Dubrovnik, and the availability of crew and accommodation at reasonable prices.” His favourite locations to shoot in during autumn and winter are the aforementioned ones that are practically inaccessible during the warmer months. His other highlight is that “you can shoot in the mountains in the morning and be at the seaside in a mere two hours! Whatever you are looking for, the chances are that you can find it in the Adriatic.”

Autumn and winter is also on its way in Mexico but the mild and comfortable weather conditions during the upcoming months make it a perfect location for outdoor shoots without the extreme weather that can be present during these months in other climates.

“Days are usually warm in Mexico in October and November, with temperatures ranging from the high 60s to mid-70s Fahrenheit (20-24°C),” shares Concepcion 'Conchita’ Taboada, Spectrum Mexico’s executive producer. “Still, this is highly dependent on where in the country you are. The coastal regions, for example, such as Cancun and Puerto Vallarta, experience average temperatures ranging from 25°C to 30°C (77°F to 86°F), while inland cities like Mexico City and Guadalajara have temperatures ranging from 12°C to 23°C (54°F to 73°F),” she adds.

Conchita highlights the unique lighting conditions in Mexico that more filmmakers need to have on their radar. “The autumn and winter sun angles in Mexico can create beautiful lighting conditions for photography and filming, with very good warm and soft natural light,” she explains. 

The diversity of landscapes is another benefit, according to Conchita. “Mexico boasts a wide variety of landscapes, from beautiful beaches to lush jungles, arid deserts, and cities of all sizes. The autumn and winter seasons allow you to capture these diverse settings with extremely good weather.”

For filmmakers venturing out to Mexico for the first time, Conchita wants them to know about the four types of locations that they can take advantage of during the autumn/winter season: 

“Of course, there’s Mexico City that has become a super hub for service productions in the past few years and a go-to destination, boasting inspiring and versatile locations with urban architecture, charming streets and lush oasis, alongside a fountain of qualified and experienced crews, award-winning art department and established studios with a world-class technology. We obviously have beach resorts and coastal settings including the Mayan Riviera, which offers a unique blend of white sandy beaches, and crystal-clear waters and the Nayarit Riviera providing the off-the-beaten-path beach experience. Then there are jungles with milder climates, lush rainforests and waterfalls where the autumn and winter seasons provide comfortable weather for shooting in these landscapes. Finally, we also have different kinds of deserts, from the traditional sandy dunes to arid region deserts with semiarid conditions that feature a unique landscape of vast plains, volcanic plateaus, and dramatic canyons.”