What a producer needs to plan a shoot in Alaska: permits, drones and aerials, seasons and light, weather, logistics, safety and cost, checked against agency sources.
By Brendan Wells · Last checked November 2026
Alaska at a glance
Daylight
Anchorage gets about 19 hours of sun at the June solstice and about 5½ hours in December.
Golden hour
Around the June solstice it never gets fully dark in Anchorage or Fairbanks. In winter the sun stays low all day.
Northern lights
Dark enough to film from late August to mid-April.
Permits
Small crews often need no federal permit. State Parks permits can take up to 30 days.
Drones
Banned in national parks. There we film from the Cub Cam or a helicopter instead.
Getting here
Anchorage is the main hub, and its airport is the busiest cargo airport in the US.
Film incentive
None. Alaska ended its film tax credit in 2015.
Lead time
Plan 1 to 2 months ahead for June to September. We can often have a crew ready within 24 hours.
Do I need a permit to film in Alaska?
It depends on who manages the land, and one shoot can cross several. A 2025 federal law, the EXPLORE Act, means small crews on most federal land now generally need no permit. State, city and private land each have their own rules.
National parks
Generally no permit for 8 or fewer people in areas open to the public, with hand-carried gear and no impact on visitors. Bigger crews, sets or closed areas need one. Denali charges a $200 application fee plus daily location fees. Wilderness areas can have extra limits.
National forests
On the Chugach and Tongass, since March 19, 2026: 5 or fewer people need nothing, 6 to 8 get a free authorization, and 9 or more may need a permit and a fee.
BLM land & wildlife refuges
Covered by the same 2025 law. Larger or disruptive shoots go through the local field or refuge office.
Alaska State Parks
A commercial filming permit is required. Allow up to 30 days. Everyone working under it needs current first aid.
State land
Overnight filming on general state land uses a Commercial Recreation Permit from DNR, registered each year. Longer stays need a Land Use Permit.
Cities & boroughs
Anchorage may require a permit to film on park land. Mat-Su Borough land use permits, for longer uses, take more than 30 days.
Alaska Native corporation land
Private land. You need written permission, and usually a paid permit, from the corporation.
Alaska Railroad
Any work near the tracks needs a permit: $750 to apply and $750 at issuance. Allow 4 weeks, or 2 weeks with a $10,000 rush fee.
Private land
Written permission from the owner. Often the fastest option on short notice.
We pull State Parks and state land permits most often, and we also handle Forest Service and National Park Service permits. Fees, links and lead times for each are in our Alaska film permits guide.
Can I fly a drone for filming in Alaska?
Yes, with an FAA-certified drone pilot (Part 107), Remote ID, and FAA approval to fly near airports. Anchorage has a lot of controlled airspace, so check early. Two big exceptions:
National parks ban drones without Park Service approval, which is rarely given.
Alaska State Parks keeps drones away from campgrounds, trailheads and parking lots, and at least 100 feet from people and wildlife.
Where drones aren't allowed, we film from the Cub Cam, a stabilized 8K cinema camera on our Piper Super Cub, or from a helicopter, within FAA and park rules. For government and federally funded work, we fly an NDAA-compliant drone that's fit for the project. Wildlife has its own distance rules too, like 100 yards from humpback whales. More in drone and aerial filming in Alaska.
When is the best time of year to film in Alaska?
Any month works if you plan for the light and the weather. Alaska is famous for its long golden hour. Near the June solstice the sun sets slowly and it never gets fully dark around Anchorage, so warm, low light lasts for hours. In winter the sun stays low all day.
Winter (November–January)
Short days, golden light from sunrise to sunset, snow and northern lights. It works, but we like to start winter shoots in February.
Late winter (February–April)
Days get longer fast, with deep snow, frozen lakes and aurora. Fur Rondy and the Iditarod run in late February and March.
Breakup (mid-May)
Snow and river ice melt, and trails and back roads turn to mud. Plan around it.
Summer (June–July)
Green country, 19-plus hours of sun and nights that never get fully dark. Peak season for lodging, boats and air taxis.
Late summer (August)
Salmon runs, the Alaska State Fair, and fall color starting mid-August at higher elevations and in the Interior.
Fall (late August–September)
Fall color reaches Southcentral and lower elevations in late August, with first snow on the peaks around the same time.
Daylight at the solstices
Anchorage, June
19 hours 21 minutes of sun, and twilight all night.
Anchorage, December
5 hours 27 minutes of sun.
Fairbanks, June
21 hours 49 minutes of sun, and twilight all night.
Fairbanks, December
3 hours 41 minutes of sun. It climbs only 2° above the horizon, with about 6½ hours of usable twilight.
Month by month in our guide to the best time to film in Alaska, plus filming the northern lights.
What's the weather like for filming in Alaska?
Southcentral is milder than most people expect: Anchorage averages highs around 66°F in July and 23°F in January. The Interior swings much further. Fairbanks averages highs around 73°F in July and lows around -17°F in January. Southeast is wettest in fall. Weather changes fast everywhere, so we build backup locations and flexible days into every schedule. For cold shoots, see winter filming in Alaska.
How do we get crew and gear to Alaska, and around the state?
Most crews fly into Anchorage (ANC). Fairbanks (FAI) serves the Interior and Arctic, and Juneau (JNU) serves Southeast. Much of Alaska is off the road system, so remote shoots move by small plane, floatplane, boat, helicopter or snowmobile. Small planes have strict weight limits (some allow as little as 50 pounds of bags per passenger), so plan gear by weight.
The easiest fix is renting here. Visiting crews can rent all of our gear: RED cinema cameras, lenses, lighting, grip, audio, the Black Arm camera truck, snowmobiles, drones and more. See rentals.
Can international crews film in Alaska?
Yes. We've hosted foreign crews many times, including a French documentary crew for France 5. Foreign media making news or documentaries usually need a US media (I) visa. Media workers can't use the Visa Waiver Program or a tourist visa, and commercial shoots may need a different visa, so check with an immigration lawyer. The US accepts ATA carnets, a customs document that lets you bring professional gear in temporarily without paying duty. Or skip shipping and rent everything here. More in bringing a foreign crew to Alaska.
Does Alaska have a film incentive?
No. Alaska ended its film tax credit in 2015, and none has passed since. The best way to control cost here is a local crew: you skip most of the flights, freight, hotel nights and per diem. More in Alaska film incentive.
What drives the cost of filming in Alaska?
Access
The biggest swing. A road-side location costs far less to reach than one that needs a boat, small plane or helicopter.
Season
June to September lodging, boats and air taxis cost more and book up early.
Travel days
Every crew member you fly in adds flights, hotel nights and per diem. Local crew don't.
Freight
Shipping gear and paying excess baggage often costs more than renting it here.
Permits & insurance
Some land managers set insurance minimums. Denali asks for $500,000 to $1 million, and the Railroad more.
Weather days
Build in buffer days. They're cheaper than coming back.
More in what drives the cost of filming in Alaska.
How do you keep a crew safe in the Alaska backcountry?
We plan safety before we leave town. Our lead safety manager, Brian Burger, is an IFMGA mountain guide, the highest international guiding certification. Everyone on our crew holds current first aid, and most have Wilderness First Responder training. Across the team we have professional avalanche rescue and forecasting experience, plus swiftwater rescue, glacier and mountaineering, and wildlife safety training.
Every remote shoot carries satellite phones and Garmin inReach devices, and every shoot has an emergency evacuation plan. In bear country we carry bear spray and follow Alaska's bear safety guidelines. In winter we check the avalanche forecast every day. See glacier and winter filming.
Can you set up a shoot in Alaska on short notice?
Yes. Last-minute shoots are a big part of our work. Our crew, cameras, vehicles and aircraft are all here, and we work with a large network of local contractors. A shoot on road-accessible public or private land can often be ready within 24 hours.
What takes longer: State Parks permits (up to 30 days), the Alaska Railroad (2 to 4 weeks), and peak-summer lodging, boats and air taxis. For June to September, plan 1 to 2 months ahead when you can. More in last-minute shoots in Alaska.
Where are the best places to film in Alaska?
A few of our favorites, most within a day of Anchorage:
Knik Glacier
A huge glacier and iceberg lake east of Palmer, reached by helicopter, small plane or airboat.
Matanuska Glacier
A glacier you can drive to, about two hours from Anchorage. Access is through private land, with a fee.
Talkeetna Mountains
Alpine valleys, old mine buildings at Hatcher Pass and early snow, about 90 minutes from Anchorage.
Denali & the Alaska Range
North America's tallest peak. Glacier landings from Talkeetna and the park road from the north side.
Katmai
Brown bears fishing for salmon at Brooks Falls in July and September. Fly-in only.
Turnagain Arm
Steep mountains over tidal flats along the Seward Highway, 30 minutes from Anchorage.
Cook Inlet coast
Big tides, wide beaches and volcanoes across the water.
Prince William Sound
Tidewater glaciers, fjords and islands, by boat from Whittier or Valdez.
Kenai Peninsula & Kenai Fjords
Rivers, salmon, small harbor towns, and the fjords out of Seward.
Access, land managers and best seasons for each: filming locations in Alaska.
Who have you worked with?
Hulu · Blood and Myth
Location scouting, drone and camera operation.
KUIU · Here to Hunt
Alaska production partner: scouting, permits, local crew, gear and drones.
Red Bull · Originate
Skier Michelle Parker in the Wrangell–St. Elias, reached only by bush plane. Cub Cam air-to-air and on-slope filming.
Newsweek · Unconventional
Director of photography for the Alaska episodes, with the Alaska Air National Guard.
France 5 · Le rêve de Léonard
Drone, audio and camera operation in Alaska for a French documentary crew from Magnéto Presse.
Skycar Creative · Gold Star Peak
Shot by our team in Alaska for a visiting production company.
All of our work · Production services for visiting crews
Filming in Alaska: questions
How far ahead should we book a shoot in Alaska?
For June to September, plan 1 to 2 months ahead for lodging, boats and air taxis. Outside peak season, or on road-accessible locations, we can often have a crew ready within 24 hours.
Do we need a fixer to film in Alaska?
Not by law, but a local team saves days. We know who manages each piece of land, which permits take longest, and when to call a weather day, and we bring the crew, gear and vehicles.
Can we rent cameras and gear in Alaska?
Yes. Visiting crews can rent all of our gear, including RED cinema cameras, lenses, lighting, grip, audio, the Black Arm camera truck, snowmobiles and drones.
Do we need insurance to film in Alaska?
Many land managers require a certificate of insurance naming them as additional insured. Denali, for example, asks for $500,000 to $1 million. We carry liability insurance and send certificates on request.
How many hours of daylight does Alaska get?
In Anchorage, about 19 hours 21 minutes at the June solstice and 5 hours 27 minutes in December. Fairbanks ranges from about 21 hours 49 minutes to 3 hours 41 minutes.
Which airport should our crew fly into?
Anchorage (ANC) for Southcentral and most shoots, Fairbanks (FAI) for the Interior and Arctic, and Juneau (JNU) for Southeast.
What to send us
Your dates, and how flexible they are
Locations, or the look you're after
Who's coming, and what crew you need here
Aerial needs: drone, Cub Cam or helicopter
What you need delivered
We reply within one business day. Start a project or call (907) 521-8133.
More planning guides
Every land manager, with fees and lead times.
Where you can fly, and what to use where you can't.
Light, weather and events, month by month.
Access, season, freight and travel days.
What's possible in 24 hours, and what isn't.
Our favorite places to shoot, and how to reach them.
Where Alaska stands in 2026.
When, where and how to film the aurora.
Visas, carnets and getting gear here.
Local crew, permits, gear and logistics for your shoot.
A cold-weather plan for each department.
Famous Alaska stories filmed somewhere else.
