Photo & film production Q&A: Milan & Italy
Welcome to the Courage Production Q&A page. We’ve written this page as a resource for our clients: agencies from around the world, Italian and international brands, and production companies and their producers who need to produce high-level photo and film shoots in Italy for their clients. We believe in transparency and direct collaboration with all. Here you'll find a few clear, direct answers to some possible logistical, technical, and service questions about our production process.
Q: Do you have your own photo studio in Milan, or do you also work with external ones?
A: Courage Production runs a private 320sqm photo studio in central Milan, 200m from Lodi metro, with an 8m ceiling and a 6.5m cyc wall. We also work across every major studio in the city for larger photo and film sets. Both options are available on any project.
This dual approach gives us the flexibility to scale to any project's needs.
1. Our Private Studio
For many photo, e-commerce, and lookbook shoots, our in-house studio is the perfect solution. It is a 320m2 + production-ready space in the center of Milan, just 200m from Lodi tube station, featuring:
- An 8-meter high ceiling
- A 6.5m wide cyc wall (limbo)
2. Our Network of Studio Partners
When a project requires a specific large-scale set, or a location in a different part of the city, we have long-standing relationships with every major studio in Milan, allowing us to manage the entire studio production in the space that is most suitable for your campaign.
Q: Your company is based in Milan. Can you manage productions in other parts of Italy, like Tuscany, Sicily, or Venice?
A: Courage Production is a full-service photo and film production company operating across all of Italy, not only Milan. We manage location scouting, permits, and crew in Venice, Tuscany, Sicily, the Amalfi Coast, Lake Como, and the Alps, with the same crew quality on every shoot.
Our production team and our local location manager and line producers are ready to handle all logistics in key destinations, including:
- Venice (quite peculiar for its “on water” logistics and special transportation and permits)
- Rome (managing permits for historical landmarks)
- Tuscany (incredible villas on its iconic hills or on the sea)
- Naples & the Amalfi Coast (cliffside villas, vertical logistics, and maritime access)
- Lake Como (historic lakeside villas, Riva boat logistics, and scenic winding roads)
- Italian Alps (high-altitude passes, accessible glaciers, lakes and pine forests)
- Liguria & Portofino (The Italian Riviera, narrow coastal logistics, and exclusive harbor access)
- Puglia, South Italy (historic Masseria estates, whitewashed towns, and limestone coastlines)
- Sicily (Baroque architecture, ancient ruins, and wild Mediterranean landscapes)
We handle all location scouting and public permitting nationwide as part of our production service.
Q: Do you provide single 'fixers' or basic crew, or do you only manage the entire production?
A: Courage Production does not work as a single fixer or crew-only rental. We run two models: production service, where we handle local logistics for your photographer, director, and talent, and full production, where we manage the entire campaign.
We act as your dedicated local partner in Italy. This is ideal for clients who prefer to handle their own 'art buying' (like the main photographer, director, or talent). We then manage all essential local production services, including location scout and permits, local set design, equipment rentals, transportation logistics, catering, local photo, film and glam crew (styling, hair and make up). If needed we also handle casting and models/actors and accommodations and meals.
2. Full Productions
We regularly partner with local clients, Italian fashion brands, and creative agencies seeking a local production company for a more traditional, end-to-end workflow.
Every campaign is unique. With an average of 100 shoot days a year, we are equipped to handle a diverse range of budgets and creative needs, tailoring our approach to fit your project while maintaining our high production standards.
Q: Can your team and the local crews you hire on the jobs work on a shoot in fluent English?
A: Courage Production works in fluent English on every shoot. All in-house producers are fluent, and key crew (1st AD, DoP, gaffer, stylist, hair and makeup) speak strong English. This ensures communication is clear from pre-production meetings to the shoot days on set.
For specific client needs, our main producers can also be assisted by professionals who can communicate fluently in French, Korean and Chinese.
Q: Do you have your in-house location database, or do you rely on external agencies or location managers?
A: Courage Production keeps its own location archive across Italy, covering Lake Como villas, Milan design apartments, northern modernist villas, Tuscan estates, plus public decks for Rome, Sicily, Venice, Puglia, the Alps, and the Amalfi Coast.
This archive (covering both private and public spaces, such as streets, cute towns, or beaches) allows us to respond to initial briefs without the need to start a location scout which requires the project to have been confirmed. We are usually able to share some location ideas in the first stages of the pitch without costs or the project being awarded. Just drop us a line to see what we have in mind for your campaign
Q: How long does it take to get public permits for shooting in Italy?
A: Courage Production manages public shooting permits across Italy in-house. Permit time starts once final locations are approved. Fast municipalities like Milan or Portofino take 1 to 10 days (plan for 2 weeks). Slower ones like Rome and Florence take 20+ days.
Our Service: We manage this entire timeline internally, directly with our production team for some areas, or via freelance location managers we have in other regions in Italy, ensuring all scouting, applications, and paperwork are handled correctly to avoid last-minute risks or copyright infringement.
Q: Do some cities or landmarks in Italy require specific image rights (buyouts) to be paid?
A: Courage Production clarifies and manages image-right buyouts during budgeting. Around 90% of Italian municipalities need only standard public permits. These rights are separate from standard public permits and have been established due to decades of high-profile film and photo use.
The three most notable examples are:
- The Colosseum (Rome): Commercial use can require a significant buyout, with costs starting at 20k euros, depending on the usage.
- The City of Venice and the island of Capri: As of mid-2025, Venice has implemented a general image rights policy for most commercial shoots within the city, regardless of the monuments or squares featured in the shots. The same rule is now being applied to Capri.
As your production partner, we navigate and clarify these specific costs during the budgeting and location scouting phase to ensure there are no surprises once your work is published.
Q: What are the standard working hours and overtime rules for film and photo crews in Italy?
A: Courage Production budgets crew hours to Italian union standards. Only film crews are unionized, under CPA and APMAL. The film day is 12 hours max (11+1), or 13 with travel. Photo crews run 9+1. Sundays and holidays are charged double.
We always provide a detailed budget breakdown of all crew costs based on your schedule. This avoids surprises and ensures your production complies with all local standards. For a complete breakdown of the 11+1 rule, night shift structures, door-to-door travel logistics, and cancellation fees, see our Italy Film Crew Rates Guide.
Q: Can our team (e.g., from the US or UK) just use Uber or local taxis instead of dedicated production transport?
A: Courage Production strongly advises against Uber or local taxis for crew and talent. Ride-hailing runs only in central Milan and Rome, as a premium service. In areas like the Amalfi Coast or Lake Como, taxis are scarce and unreliable. Private vans and drivers are part of our standard workflow.
Relying on them creates a high risk of delays. Teams can get stuck at hotels, arriving late to set. Our transportation logistics with private vans and drivers is not an 'extra'. It is an essential part of the workflow to ensure your entire team and talent are on set, on time, every time.