Film production in Vancouver
Between June and December, usable daylight in Vancouver moves by 8h 00min — from 16h 13min down to 8h 13min. An exterior day in December is a different day from one in June. This page carries sunrise, sunset and golden-hour times for all twelve months, the climate profile.
Light and shooting hours
On 15 June, the sun in Vancouver rises at 05:07 and sets at 21:21; the evening golden hour starts at 20:30 and runs for 51 minutes. By December that shifts to 08:02–16:15, with a 56-minute golden-hour window from 15:19.
For scheduling, that means the window for the one shot that lives on light runs between 42 and 56 minutes across the year. Put it last in the day and the first overrun takes it.
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight | Golden hour (evening, from) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 08:03 | 16:42 | 8h 39min | 15:49 |
| February | 07:22 | 17:33 | 10h 10min | 16:47 |
| March | 07:27 | 19:18 | 11h 51min | 18:36 |
| April | 06:21 | 20:05 | 13h 44min | 19:22 |
| May | 05:30 | 20:49 | 15h 19min | 20:03 |
| June | 05:07 | 21:21 | 16h 13min | 20:30 |
| July | 05:24 | 21:14 | 15h 50min | 20:25 |
| August | 06:05 | 20:31 | 14h 26min | 19:46 |
| September | 06:50 | 19:27 | 12h 38min | 18:46 |
| October | 07:34 | 18:24 | 10h 50min | 17:40 |
| November | 07:24 | 16:32 | 9h 08min | 15:42 |
| December | 08:02 | 16:15 | 8h 13min | 15:19 |
Blue hour and shooting windows
Blue hour in Vancouver starts at 21:46 in June and ends at 22:04 — a window of 17 minutes. In December it is 14 minutes from 16:38. If you need a city view with lit windows, that window is all you get.
Sunset moves fastest around the equinoxes: between March (19:18) and September (19:27) there are 9 minutes of difference. A schedule running over several weeks cannot work from one fixed "sunset" time.
Weather and washout risk
Vancouver averages 21 rain days in December and 5 in July. A three-day exterior shoot in December statistically loses 2.1 days — not a forecast, but the basis for deciding whether a cover set belongs in the budget.
| Month | Mean temperature | Rain days | Sunshine hours/day |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 4.1 °C | 19 | 3.7 |
| February | 3.8 °C | 16 | 5.2 |
| March | 6.0 °C | 17 | 7.1 |
| April | 8.7 °C | 16 | 9.0 |
| May | 13.0 °C | 9 | 11.5 |
| June | 15.9 °C | 10 | 12.3 |
| July | 18.7 °C | 5 | 13.4 |
| August | 19.0 °C | 6 | 12.2 |
| September | 15.3 °C | 12 | 9.2 |
| October | 10.7 °C | 16 | 6.3 |
| November | 6.4 °C | 19 | 4.1 |
| December | 3.6 °C | 21 | 3.3 |
Filming permits
The responsible body is das Film and Special Events Office der City of Vancouver. Provided without warranty. Permit and incentive conditions change; the responsible authority is always the binding source.
As of: 2026-08 · Source: vancouver.ca
Incentives and rebates
British Columbia gewährt den Production Services Tax Credit auf BC-Arbeitskosten; Beratung über Creative BC. Provided without warranty. Permit and incentive conditions change; the responsible authority is always the binding source.
As of: 2026-08 · Source: creativebc.com
Planning a shoot here
A schedule that ignores these numbers looks fine on paper and falls over on the day. TillyGen folds sun position, travel and crew availability straight into the schedule — if the exterior no longer fits before sunset in December, the plan says so, not the wrap report.
Frequently asked
When is golden hour in Vancouver?
In June it starts at 20:30 and lasts 51 minutes; in December it starts at 15:19 and lasts 56 minutes. The table above lists all twelve months.
How much daylight does a shoot day in Vancouver get?
Between 8h 13min in December and 16h 13min in June. The 8h 00min difference is worth four to eight setups depending on your pace.
Which month is best for exteriors in Vancouver?
Combining daylight and rain days, July comes out ahead: plenty of usable light with comparatively few rain days. June has the longest days but not necessarily the steadiest weather.