Film production in Indianapolis
Between June and December, usable daylight in Indianapolis moves by 5h 36min — from 14h 58min down to 9h 22min. 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 Indianapolis rises at 06:17 and sets at 21:15; the evening golden hour starts at 20:35 and runs for 41 minutes. By December that shifts to 07:59–17:22, with a 43-minute golden-hour window from 16:39.
For scheduling, that means the window for the one shot that lives on light runs between 36 and 43 minutes across the year. Put it last in the day and the first overrun takes it.
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight | Golden hour (evening, from) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 08:05 | 17:45 | 9h 40min | 17:03 |
| February | 07:38 | 18:21 | 10h 43min | 17:44 |
| March | 07:57 | 19:52 | 11h 55min | 19:16 |
| April | 07:08 | 20:23 | 13h 15min | 19:47 |
| May | 06:31 | 20:53 | 14h 22min | 20:14 |
| June | 06:17 | 21:15 | 14h 58min | 20:35 |
| July | 06:30 | 21:13 | 14h 43min | 20:33 |
| August | 06:57 | 20:43 | 13h 45min | 20:06 |
| September | 07:26 | 19:55 | 12h 29min | 19:20 |
| October | 07:55 | 19:07 | 11h 11min | 18:30 |
| November | 07:30 | 17:30 | 10h 00min | 16:50 |
| December | 07:59 | 17:22 | 9h 22min | 16:39 |
Blue hour and shooting windows
Blue hour in Indianapolis starts at 21:35 in June and ends at 21:48 — a window of 13 minutes. In December it is 12 minutes from 17:41. If you need a city view with lit windows, that window is all you get.
Sunset moves fastest around the equinoxes: between March (19:52) and September (19:55) there are 3 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 Indianapolis?
In June it starts at 20:35 and lasts 41 minutes; in December it starts at 16:39 and lasts 43 minutes. The table above lists all twelve months.
How much daylight does a shoot day in Indianapolis get?
Between 9h 22min in December and 14h 58min in June. The 5h 36min difference is worth four to eight setups depending on your pace.
Which month is best for exteriors in Indianapolis?
On daylight length alone, June is strongest with 14h 58min of usable light.