Film production in Santiago
Between December and June, usable daylight in Santiago moves by 4h 24min — from 14h 21min down to 9h 57min. 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 Santiago rises at 07:46 and sets at 17:42; the evening golden hour starts at 17:04 and runs for 38 minutes. By December that shifts to 06:28–20:49, with a 37-minute golden-hour window from 20:13.
In practice, a spread of 4h 24min 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 | 06:49 | 20:56 | 14h 07min | 20:20 |
| February | 07:19 | 20:36 | 13h 17min | 20:02 |
| March | 07:43 | 20:02 | 12h 19min | 19:29 |
| April | 07:05 | 18:21 | 11h 16min | 17:48 |
| May | 07:28 | 17:52 | 10h 24min | 17:16 |
| June | 07:46 | 17:42 | 9h 57min | 17:04 |
| July | 07:45 | 17:53 | 10h 08min | 17:16 |
| August | 07:22 | 18:14 | 10h 52min | 17:40 |
| September | 07:43 | 19:35 | 11h 52min | 19:02 |
| October | 07:02 | 19:56 | 12h 54min | 19:23 |
| November | 06:33 | 20:24 | 13h 51min | 19:49 |
| December | 06:28 | 20:49 | 14h 21min | 20:13 |
Blue hour and shooting windows
Blue hour in Santiago starts at 17:59 in June and ends at 18:10 — a window of 11 minutes. In December it is 11 minutes from 21:07. If you need a city view with lit windows, that window is all you get.
Sunset moves fastest around the equinoxes: between March (20:02) and September (19:35) there are 27 minutes of difference. A schedule running over several weeks cannot work from one fixed "sunset" time.
Weather and washout risk
Santiago averages 6 rain days in June and 0 in January. A three-day exterior shoot in June statistically loses 0.6 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 | 21.9 °C | 0 | 13.5 |
| February | 21.8 °C | 1 | 12.7 |
| March | 20.3 °C | 1 | 11.6 |
| April | 16.7 °C | 2 | 9.7 |
| May | 13.4 °C | 5 | 8.0 |
| June | 10.8 °C | 6 | 6.8 |
| July | 10.3 °C | 5 | 7.6 |
| August | 11.2 °C | 6 | 8.4 |
| September | 12.9 °C | 6 | 9.2 |
| October | 15.0 °C | 5 | 11.0 |
| November | 18.3 °C | 2 | 12.3 |
| December | 20.7 °C | 1 | 13.5 |
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 June, the plan says so, not the wrap report.
Frequently asked
When is golden hour in Santiago?
In June it starts at 17:04 and lasts 38 minutes; in December it starts at 20:13 and lasts 37 minutes. The table above lists all twelve months.
How much daylight does a shoot day in Santiago get?
Between 9h 57min in June and 14h 21min in December. The 4h 24min difference is worth four to eight setups depending on your pace.
Which month is best for exteriors in Santiago?
Combining daylight and rain days, January comes out ahead: plenty of usable light with comparatively few rain days. December has the longest days but not necessarily the steadiest weather.