Film production in Chengdu
Between June and December, usable daylight in Chengdu moves by 3h 56min — from 14h 07min down to 10h 11min. 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.
Light and shooting hours
On 15 June, the sun in Chengdu rises at 06:02 and sets at 20:08; the evening golden hour starts at 19:33 and runs for 35 minutes. By December that shifts to 07:54–18:05, with a 36-minute golden-hour window from 17:29.
In practice, a spread of 3h 56min 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 | 08:02 | 18:25 | 10h 23min | 17:49 |
| February | 07:46 | 18:52 | 11h 06min | 18:19 |
| March | 07:15 | 19:12 | 11h 57min | 18:40 |
| April | 06:38 | 19:31 | 12h 54min | 18:59 |
| May | 06:10 | 19:51 | 13h 41min | 19:18 |
| June | 06:02 | 20:08 | 14h 07min | 19:33 |
| July | 06:12 | 20:09 | 13h 57min | 19:34 |
| August | 06:31 | 19:48 | 13h 17min | 19:15 |
| September | 06:49 | 19:12 | 12h 23min | 18:40 |
| October | 07:06 | 18:34 | 11h 28min | 18:02 |
| November | 07:30 | 18:08 | 10h 38min | 17:34 |
| December | 07:54 | 18:05 | 10h 11min | 17:29 |
Blue hour and shooting windows
Blue hour in Chengdu starts at 20:25 in June and ends at 20:36 — a window of 11 minutes. In December it is 10 minutes from 18:21. If you need a city view with lit windows, that window is all you get.
Sunset moves fastest around the equinoxes: between March (19:12) and September (19:12) there are 0 minutes of difference. A schedule running over several weeks cannot work from one fixed "sunset" time.
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 Chengdu?
In June it starts at 19:33 and lasts 35 minutes; in December it starts at 17:29 and lasts 36 minutes. The table above lists all twelve months.
How much daylight does a shoot day in Chengdu get?
Between 10h 11min in December and 14h 07min in June. The 3h 56min difference is worth four to eight setups depending on your pace.
Which month is best for exteriors in Chengdu?
On daylight length alone, June is strongest with 14h 07min of usable light.