Written by Rowena Carr-Allison on Mar 29, 2010. Posted in On Location

Amsterdam as a location for filming

Amsterdam is famous the world over for its crazy nightlife and tolerant attitude, but there’s a lot more to it. Beyond the infamous red light district and the 'coffee shops' packed with tourists lies a city crammed with history, art and culture.

Amsterdam’s electric atmosphere has inspired many. Legend has it Quentin Tarantino wrote Pulp Fiction here. Tarantino also owns a home in the city as does Brad Pitt who filmed Ocean's Twelve in town – a clear sign some key industry players feel right at home in the Dutch capital.

Settled in the late 12th century as a small fishing village, Amsterdam soon became one of the world’s busiest harbours during the country’s trading Golden Age.

Today, with a population of 745,000, it’s the sixth-largest metropolis in Europe. Compared to an onion, with its layers of canals surrounding the city’s heart, its layout means it’s easy to navigate by foot, tram or boat.

The mostly unspoiled historic city has welcomed everything from commercials to major movies including Layer Cake, Discovery Of Heaven, The Rules of Attraction and Girl with a Pearl Earring, as well as TV shoots ranging from America’s Next Top Model to numerous World War II documentaries.

Film-friendly, Amsterdam has a thriving professional industry, with the full range of services on hand, from mini-cams to crane-operated helicopter cameras. Experienced crew are readily available too. The fact that virtually everyone speaks English here is another non-negligible bonus.

According to the most recent figures, the Dutch themselves produced 24 domestic feature films, 15 documentaries, half a dozen shorts and a handful of animation films in 2008. This achievement was in no small part due to the continuing support of the Netherlands Film Fund. Subsidies are also available from many other sources such as the CoBO fund, the Media Fund and Eurimages, as well as the Media Plus programmes, amounting to a yearly budget of EUR11.75 million.

Jan Scholte, a local Location Manager, says: “Everyone recognises the canals, windmills, and beautiful houses, but what makes Amsterdam unique is its great infrastructure, rich history and scenery, from ultra-flat landscapes to city skylines, industrial zones, Rembrandtesque skies, railroads, beaches and nature – all within a 30km radius!”

Amsterdam’s highlights include the floating flower market, the East India House, the central Dam square, the chic Vondelpark and the aptly-named Museum Plein, home to the Van Gogh and Rijksmuseum.

Popular shooting locations also include the Brouwersgracht, the brewer’s canal lined with 17th Century beer storage warehouses in the Jordaan neighbourhood. Another favourite location is the Magere Brug, known as the ‘skinny bridge,’ over the river Amstel. Lit by 1,200 lights at night, it’s first taste of the limelight was in the James Bond classic Diamonds are Forever.

The city also hides a few surprises, like its Historical Museum, once the city’s main orphanage, secret churches and the charming Begijnhof courtyard, a 14th Century sanctuary for single women which is still running today! But the clichés are true too: from the raw herring trucks to the thousands of bicycles and the Keukenhof gardens where 4.5 million tulips bloom in Spring.

Jan adds: “Permit-wise, Amsterdam is welcoming as long as you take time to prepare. You have to remember that the city is pretty small and crowded so you need to give clear information letters about your plans to all involved including inhabitants, shopkeepers etc. Having said that, for documentaries we tend to just give two weeks notice!”

Things don’t always run smoothly. When Ocean’s Twelve was shooting in a canal house on the Herengracht, they managed to upset the entire neighbourhood by chopping down a tree to set up their equipment!

Jan’s insider tip? “A local Location Manager, Fixer or Producer can be very helpful!”