Film production in Berlin
Between June and December, usable daylight in Berlin moves by 9h 06min — from 16h 48min down to 7h 42min. 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 and the local production landscape.
Light and shooting hours
On 15 June, the sun in Berlin rises at 04:44 and sets at 21:32; the evening golden hour starts at 20:36 and runs for 56 minutes. By December that shifts to 08:11–15:53, with a 64-minute golden-hour window from 14:49.
In practice, a spread of 9h 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 | 08:11 | 16:22 | 8h 11min | 15:22 |
| February | 07:24 | 17:19 | 9h 55min | 16:29 |
| March | 06:22 | 18:10 | 11h 48min | 17:25 |
| April | 06:10 | 20:04 | 13h 54min | 19:18 |
| May | 05:12 | 20:56 | 15h 44min | 20:05 |
| June | 04:44 | 21:32 | 16h 48min | 20:36 |
| July | 05:02 | 21:24 | 16h 22min | 20:30 |
| August | 05:49 | 20:34 | 14h 45min | 19:47 |
| September | 06:41 | 19:24 | 12h 43min | 18:39 |
| October | 07:32 | 18:14 | 10h 42min | 17:27 |
| November | 07:29 | 16:15 | 8h 47min | 15:20 |
| December | 08:11 | 15:53 | 7h 42min | 14:49 |
Blue hour and shooting windows
Blue hour in Berlin starts at 22:01 in June and ends at 22:22 — a window of 21 minutes. In December it is 16 minutes from 16:19. If you need a city view with lit windows, that window is all you get.
Sunset moves fastest around the equinoxes: between March (18:10) and September (19:24) there are 74 minutes of difference. A schedule running over several weeks cannot work from one fixed "sunset" time.
Weather and washout risk
Berlin averages 13 rain days in January and 7 in September. A three-day exterior shoot in January statistically loses 1.3 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 | 1.8 °C | 13 | 3.0 |
| February | 2.9 °C | 11 | 5.2 |
| March | 5.2 °C | 11 | 7.1 |
| April | 9.2 °C | 8 | 9.8 |
| May | 14.5 °C | 9 | 11.5 |
| June | 19.4 °C | 10 | 12.5 |
| July | 20.0 °C | 11 | 12.0 |
| August | 20.6 °C | 8 | 11.1 |
| September | 16.2 °C | 7 | 9.3 |
| October | 11.1 °C | 11 | 6.0 |
| November | 5.8 °C | 11 | 3.9 |
| December | 3.5 °C | 13 | 2.6 |
Production landscape
Our production database holds 27 companies in Berlin with verified film or video production activity, plus 4 training institutions. That is not an industry estimate but the count of vetted records — an entry is only kept when at least two citable production credits back it up.
Filming permits
The responsible body is das Straßen- und Grünflächenamt des jeweiligen Bezirks (Sondernutzungserlaubnis für öffentliches Straßenland); die Berlin-Brandenburg Film Commission des Medienboards berät und vermittelt vorab, quoting a processing time of nach Angaben der Bezirke in der Regel mehrere Werktage, bei Verkehrsraum und Sperrungen deutlich länger. Provided without warranty. Permit and incentive conditions change; the responsible authority is always the binding source.
As of: 2026-08 · Source: medienboard.de (Film Commission) / Bezirksämter Berlin
Incentives and rebates
Regionale Förderung läuft über das Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg; bundesweit kommt der DFFF hinzu. Provided without warranty. Permit and incentive conditions change; the responsible authority is always the binding source.
As of: 2026-08 · Source: medienboard.de
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 Berlin?
In June it starts at 20:36 and lasts 56 minutes; in December it starts at 14:49 and lasts 64 minutes. The table above lists all twelve months.
How much daylight does a shoot day in Berlin get?
Between 7h 42min in December and 16h 48min in June. The 9h 06min difference is worth four to eight setups depending on your pace.
Which month is best for exteriors in Berlin?
Combining daylight and rain days, June comes out ahead: plenty of usable light with comparatively few rain days. June has the longest days but not necessarily the steadiest weather.