North Korea

[Bismarck]

Have any of you ever shot in North Korea? What kind of process did you have to go through to get your gear into the country? I'm going to go out on a limb and assume that standard shipping carnets will not work with them.

There is a distinct possibility that we will have a crew traveling to North Korea late next month, and I'm at a bit of a loss as to how to facilitate this.

[Shootblue]

I read on some general travel stuff for there one time...they basically dont grant anyone who is a journalist a visa as a tourist...so I'm guessing this has a special arrangement for your group. Whether they are a US crew or not will probably matter...You might try reaching a consulate in Canada if they have one there to find out more.

[ewink]

Oh lordy! I've seen documentaries and heard bits from the filmmakers about shooting there. You got an uphill battle ahead. Good luck!

[Bismarck]

Ugh. This is what I expected. The producer who's working on the trip said they're flying to China, then to South Korea, then to North Korea. So I don't know if I'll have to deal with the Customs of all three countries or not. And like I said, I doubt a carnet will be honored in North Korea, and possibly even China.

This sounds like it's going to be a pain in the ass.

[Foxwood]

There will probably be an escort/guide/intrepreter assigned to you. I would think about taking a camera that will not hurt you too much if it doesn't make the return trip. (Z-1, etc.)

In sending crews to the former Soviet Union, I arranged to have a "fixer" to go with the crew. He arranged all the money transfers (bribes) and the like. He also had lights and audio equipment that precluded us from having to bring our own stuff in and out. It was costly, but worth it. I got his name from CBS network people I knew there. You may want to put out inquiries for similar people in NK.

A side note.....our HR person insisted on getting his SS# for tax purposes. She couldn't understand the Soviet citizen part!

Sounds like a great once in a lifetime assignment though.

Good luck.

[Bismarck]

Yeah, I plan to send them with a single HVX200 and have them shoot on MiniDV. That, with the sticks and peripherals, will add up to about $7500 if we don't get it back.

[must-c-tv]

South Korea is no problem.

China is, officially, a carnet country but they don't accept carnet's for television gear.

North Korea has no such thing as fixers. If you are granted a visa, you can bring in equipment. But nothing that can 'transmit' such as wireless mics. Or cellphones. Or Blackberry's etc.

[Bismarck]

Right. I think I've figured out how to get the gear in, but like I said, I'm giving them the bare-bones stuff in case some of it doesn't come back.

[must-c-tv]

All your gear will come back.

No North Korean bureaucrat will steal it - there is no crime at all against foreigners - as everyone is watched all the time.

Your phones will kept at the airport, for example, and returned when you leave - completely untouched.

Anyone found trying to sell stolen broadcast equipment will be assumed to be a spy - which is an automatic prison sentence. There aren't any trials.

Remember, this is the most paranoid, isolated, insular regieme in the world.

As an example, anyone caught doing something against the state there suffers the '3 generation rule' - they go to prison or are executed, along with their father and son to set an example.

[Bismarck]

Well, it turns out the trip was cancelled. Thanks for the help though. Who knows when we'll plan to do this again? Ugh.

[Ace Of Nothing]

Check out the film "a state of mind". The DVD behind the scenes gives you a glimpse at what it was like for two British doc makers working in North Korea. An interesting film in general if you like docs.