Most producers arriving in Lapland for the first time ask the same thing: who do we call? The honest answer is that there are three kinds of local help, and they do different jobs.

This guide sets out who does what, using published information from Film Lapland, Film in Finland, Metsähallitus and the Sámi Parliament of Finland. We are Joona and Alla, a couple living in Rovaniemi, and we say clearly where our help starts and stops.

Who does what: film commission, fixer, local creator

Producers arriving in Lapland for the first time often ask the same question: who do we actually call? There is no single answer, because three different kinds of local help exist, and they do different jobs. In short: the regional film commission points you to locations, crew and service providers and does not charge for it; a fixer or local production coordinator works for you on the ground during the shoot; and a local creator or photographer knows a place and its light from living there. Mixing these up is the most common cause of disappointment, so it is worth being clear about which one you need before you write the first email.

The second and third rows describe typical roles as we see them, not an official classification; always agree scope, rights and costs with whoever you hire.

Start with the free service: Film Lapland

Film Lapland is the Finnish Lapland Film Commission. On its About page it says its mission is to promote Lapland as a film location, provide guidance to productions and develop the local film industry. It lists what it does: helping productions find locations, connecting them with local partners and service providers, putting them in touch with local location scouts and helping them find crew. It also says that all of its services are free of charge and that it always works with a non-disclosure attitude, which matters if your project is not yet public.

Film Lapland is equally clear about what it leaves to others: filming and producing audiovisual material, and co-production and funding. On its Practical Information page it also says that you can contact it to get access to its crew and service provider catalogue. For most producers this is the right first message: a short description of the project, rough dates, the type of landscape you need and any special requirements. If you only need one town, tell them which; the commission works with a network of municipalities, which is why its area pages cover places such as Enontekiö, Inari, Kittilä, Muonio and Sodankylä.

Rovaniemi is not the only base for filming in Lapland, and a good commission contact will tell you honestly when another municipality fits your story better. Our own guides can help you picture the options before you write: see the practical guide to filming in Rovaniemi and the season-by-season locations guide.

Money questions: the production incentive

Producers also ask about financial support. Film Lapland’s funding pages describe a national 25% cash rebate through Film in Finland for production costs accrued in Finland, available to Finnish and international production companies, and an additional local cash rebate of up to 15% in some Lapland municipalities. For example, the page says the Muonio Production Incentive offers up to 10% of eligible costs incurred in the municipality of Muonio.

• Eligible costs include pre-production, production and post-production in Finland, and the page lists feature films, documentary films, serial fiction and animation as the covered types.
• Eligible costs incurred in Finland can be a maximum of 80% of the total production budget, and rebates are paid against actual costs.
• Commercials, promotional products, reality and talk shows, music videos, sports events and training videos are listed as ineligible.
• If there is no Finnish co-producer, foreign applicants must use a Finnish production coordinator company, and the online application requires a Finnish business ID from the co-producer or coordinator.
• Applications are handled first come, first served until the annual budget is used up, and Film in Finland recommends contacting them while you are still planning.

These are the conditions as published by Film Lapland at the time we checked in November 2026; conditions change, so confirm them with Film in Finland before you build a budget around them. We cannot advise on eligibility and do not handle funding.

Working respectfully with Sámi people and culture

If your story touches Sámi life, the most important local step is not a logistics one. Film Lapland points productions to Pathfinder, guidelines developed by the International Sámi Film Institute, the Sámi Filmmakers Association and the Pathfinder filmmakers reference group. According to Film Lapland’s page, the guidelines are an introduction to Sámi values, an invitation to respectful and mutually beneficial collaboration, and a guide for avoiding misrepresentation and stereotypes. They emphasise including Sámi filmmakers and advisors in key roles, and list common stereotypes to avoid and themes to treat with caution.

The Sámi Parliament of Finland adopted its Principles for Responsible and Ethically Sustainable Sámi Tourism on 24 September 2018. The Parliament states that their primary purpose is to end tourism that exploits Sámi culture and to eliminate incorrect information about the Sámi spread through tourism; they are aimed mainly at actors outside the Sámi community and at visitors. They were written for tourism, but a visiting crew is a visitor, and the principles are a useful guide to behaviour. The Parliament also publishes a Responsible Visitors’ Guide with illustrations.

Practical consequences for a producer:

• Plan Sámi-related content together with Sámi people from the start, not after the footage exists.
• Agree in advance who you are filming, what for, where it will be shown and who owns what; do not assume an interview partner is a spokesperson for everyone.
• Ask before filming private or ceremonial occasions, and accept a no.
• Credit and pay Sámi advisors and contributors as you would any other professional or contributor.

We are not Sámi and we do not speak for the Sámi. What we can do is point you towards the published guidance and the organisations behind it, and tell you honestly if a plan sounds like it will run into the problems those guidelines describe.

How to brief a local fixer or creator

Whoever you work with, a clear brief saves days. These are the questions we would answer first if we were producing a visit to Rovaniemi:

1. What is the story? One paragraph. A good local will often suggest a better location or a better person than the one you first had in mind.
2. When can you actually shoot? Winter daylight is short; check our daylight table before fixing a date, and write down the hours of usable light, not just the dates.
3. Who needs to say yes? Landowners, Metsähallitus, a reindeer herding cooperative, a tourism business, a private person. Ask your local contact to name the owner of each place on your shot list.
4. What is the weather plan B? Our cold-weather guide explains why a warm indoor fallback is part of the schedule, not an afterthought.
5. What are the rights? If you hire a local photographer or creator, agree in writing what you may use, where and for how long, and what the credit is.
6. Who pays for what? Fees, travel, accommodation, insurance and equipment. Say it up front. We cannot quote for other businesses, and anyone who does should do so in writing.
7. What is the language? English works well in tourism, but ask your fixer or contributor which language suits an interview best.

Permissions, land and a lighter footprint

A local helper will not remove the need for permissions; they will make sure you ask the right people early. Metsähallitus, which manages state-owned land and water, says that film productions often need a permit in its areas, and that applications should be made well in advance; in busy periods processing can take up to a month, and some permits have a one-month appeal period. Off-road driving, for example by snowmobile, also needs a permit in many areas. For drones, check Traficom’s rules and read our drone guide. For travel planning, see our post on getting a crew and gear to Rovaniemi.

Film Lapland also encourages productions to plan for sustainability and points to the Ekosetti guide and the ALBERT toolkit. It notes that in the Finnish study it describes, air travel was the biggest driver of productions’ emissions. A local contact can help by cutting repeat trips: if you can use local crew, a local base and one well-planned journey instead of two scouting visits, you save time and travel.

Where we can help

We are a couple living in Rovaniemi and working in tourism marketing in Lapland. We are not a fixer agency and we do not sell production services. What we can do is help journalists and producers with research, locations, introductions to local people and, where it fits, joining a shoot. We will tell you honestly what we know and what we do not, and we will point you to Film Lapland and the official sources above for everything that needs a formal answer. Our press page explains how to reach us, and our guide to the northern lights shows the kind of local detail we can add.

FAQ

Does Film Lapland charge for its help?

Film Lapland says all of its services are free of charge and that it works with a non-disclosure attitude.

Is there a production incentive in Finland?

Film Lapland’s funding pages describe a national 25% cash rebate through Film in Finland, plus local rebates of up to 15% in some Lapland municipalities. Commercials, reality and talk shows and some other formats are listed as ineligible, so check the conditions.

Where can I find guidance on filming with Sámi people?

Film Lapland points to the Pathfinder guidelines from the International Sámi Film Institute and the Sámi Filmmakers Association, and the Sámi Parliament of Finland publishes ethical guidelines and a visitors’ guide.

Do I need a permit to film in a Lapland national park?

Metsähallitus says film productions often need a permit in the state-owned areas it manages and that applications should be sent well in advance. Check its film production page for your case.

Can you act as our fixer?

No, we are not a fixer agency. We can help with research, introductions and local knowledge, and we will point you to the right professional or official body when you need one.