Film production in Tartu
Between June and December, usable daylight in Tartu moves by 11h 50min — from 18h 15min down to 6h 25min. 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 Tartu rises at 04:07 and sets at 22:22; the evening golden hour starts at 21:10 and runs for 72 minutes. By December that shifts to 08:57–15:21, with a 97-minute golden-hour window from 13:44.
In practice, a spread of 11h 50min 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 | 08:50 | 15:56 | 7h 06min | 14:33 |
| February | 07:47 | 17:09 | 9h 21min | 16:09 |
| March | 06:31 | 18:15 | 11h 44min | 17:22 |
| April | 06:03 | 20:25 | 14h 22min | 19:31 |
| May | 04:48 | 21:33 | 16h 45min | 20:30 |
| June | 04:07 | 22:22 | 18h 15min | 21:10 |
| July | 04:31 | 22:08 | 17h 37min | 21:01 |
| August | 05:35 | 21:02 | 15h 27min | 20:05 |
| September | 06:43 | 19:36 | 12h 53min | 18:44 |
| October | 07:49 | 18:10 | 10h 22min | 17:15 |
| November | 08:02 | 15:55 | 7h 54min | 14:44 |
| December | 08:57 | 15:21 | 6h 25min | 13:44 |
Blue hour and shooting windows
Blue hour in Tartu starts at 23:05 in June and ends at 23:40 — a window of 35 minutes. In December it is 19 minutes from 15:55. If you need a city view with lit windows, that window is all you get.
Sunset moves fastest around the equinoxes: between March (18:15) and September (19:36) there are 81 minutes of difference. A schedule running over several weeks cannot work from one fixed "sunset" time.
Weather and washout risk
Tartu averages 15 rain days in July and 10 in March. A three-day exterior shoot in July statistically loses 1.5 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 | -3.6 °C | 13 | 1.4 |
| February | -2.3 °C | 11 | 3.2 |
| March | 0.4 °C | 10 | 6.6 |
| April | 5.4 °C | 11 | 9.4 |
| May | 11.6 °C | 10 | 12.7 |
| June | 16.9 °C | 11 | 13.7 |
| July | 17.9 °C | 15 | 12.9 |
| August | 17.4 °C | 14 | 10.6 |
| September | 12.9 °C | 10 | 8.3 |
| October | 6.7 °C | 13 | 4.9 |
| November | 2.3 °C | 12 | 1.8 |
| December | -1.2 °C | 12 | 1.2 |
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 Tartu?
In June it starts at 21:10 and lasts 72 minutes; in December it starts at 13:44 and lasts 97 minutes. The table above lists all twelve months.
How much daylight does a shoot day in Tartu get?
Between 6h 25min in December and 18h 15min in June. The 11h 50min difference is worth four to eight setups depending on your pace.
Which month is best for exteriors in Tartu?
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.