Film production in Geneva
Between June and December, usable daylight in Geneva moves by 7h 06min — from 15h 45min down to 8h 39min. 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 Geneva rises at 05:44 and sets at 21:29; the evening golden hour starts at 20:43 and runs for 46 minutes. By December that shifts to 08:12–16:51, with a 50-minute golden-hour window from 16:00.
In practice, a spread of 7h 06min means a schedule that works here in summer does not work in winter at the same location — with the same setup count, the hours simply are not there.
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight | Golden hour (evening, from) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 08:15 | 17:16 | 9h 01min | 16:28 |
| February | 07:40 | 18:01 | 10h 21min | 17:19 |
| March | 06:50 | 18:41 | 11h 51min | 18:01 |
| April | 06:50 | 20:22 | 13h 32min | 19:42 |
| May | 06:04 | 21:01 | 14h 58min | 20:18 |
| June | 05:44 | 21:29 | 15h 45min | 20:43 |
| July | 05:59 | 21:25 | 15h 26min | 20:40 |
| August | 06:35 | 20:47 | 14h 12min | 20:05 |
| September | 07:14 | 19:49 | 12h 36min | 19:10 |
| October | 07:53 | 18:51 | 10h 59min | 18:10 |
| November | 07:37 | 17:05 | 9h 28min | 16:19 |
| December | 08:12 | 16:51 | 8h 39min | 16:00 |
Blue hour and shooting windows
Blue hour in Geneva starts at 21:53 in June and ends at 22:08 — a window of 15 minutes. In December it is 13 minutes from 17:12. If you need a city view with lit windows, that window is all you get.
Sunset moves fastest around the equinoxes: between March (18:41) and September (19:49) there are 68 minutes of difference. A schedule running over several weeks cannot work from one fixed "sunset" time.
Weather and washout risk
Geneva averages 14 rain days in May and 9 in August. A three-day exterior shoot in May statistically loses 1.4 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 | 2.6 °C | 13 | 5.4 |
| February | 4.1 °C | 11 | 7.0 |
| March | 6.9 °C | 12 | 8.6 |
| April | 10.4 °C | 11 | 10.3 |
| May | 14.2 °C | 14 | 10.8 |
| June | 19.2 °C | 13 | 12.3 |
| July | 21.9 °C | 10 | 13.1 |
| August | 21.5 °C | 9 | 11.7 |
| September | 17.0 °C | 10 | 10.0 |
| October | 12.3 °C | 11 | 7.9 |
| November | 6.8 °C | 13 | 6.0 |
| December | 3.8 °C | 13 | 5.3 |
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 Geneva?
In June it starts at 20:43 and lasts 46 minutes; in December it starts at 16:00 and lasts 50 minutes. The table above lists all twelve months.
How much daylight does a shoot day in Geneva get?
Between 8h 39min in December and 15h 45min in June. The 7h 06min difference is worth four to eight setups depending on your pace.
Which month is best for exteriors in Geneva?
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.