“The Great Rift Valley” a wild life documentary series about the famous bird emigration.

We are happy to bring you pictures from the new film “The Great Rift Valley” a wild life  documentary series  about the famous bird emigration.

Biblical Productions provided the production services in Israel:

This is an ORF/ARTE/WDR/NDR Production Produced by: www.cosmosfactory.at

 Production crew included: Producer/Director: Harald Pokieser Director in Israel: Paul Reddish Camera man: Harald Mittermüller Sound Assistant: Hermann Winklhofer Scientist consultant: Dr. Yossi Leshem Cineflex Provided by Media House Austria,

Filming in Israel

 The film was shot in the Jordan Valley, Top locations were Beit She’an, Northern Jordan valley, Hula Agamon, Ein Gedi,and the Dead Sea. The film was also shot in Tanzania, Kenya.

Enjoy:

Filming in Jordan

 

Filming in Jordan

Filming in Jordan

Filming in Jordan

Filming in Jordan

Filming in Jordan

Filming in Jordan

Filming in Jordan

Filming in Jordan

Filming in Jordan

 

Filming in Jordan

The Armenian Quarter in Jerusalem

Filming in Israel

I love wondering around Jerusalem; getting lost in the multitude of narrow streets, looking at the incredible architecture, wandering into churches to spot unusual features or that special window. I find the range of blue colors and tones in the Old City to be particularly exquisite.

To like to write in my notebook about locations that are worthy of a return trip. In general I am a gadget freak but when it comes to writing notes I am ‘old school’, using a notebook and pencil. I like to buy my note books in stationery stores that sell traditional looking notebooks.

Walking Around the Armenian Quarter 

Yesterday my notebook accompanied me to the Armenian Quarter in the Old City of Jerusalem. I walked around to take in the sites and capture special places on film.  

The Church of St James

Church of St. James

The Church of St James was built in the 12th century and is thought to be the burial place of Jesus’ brother, James the Just, also known as St. James. It is filled with gilt furnishings, ornate wall paintings, hanging oil lamps and is a truly unique venue. The interior furnishings exude opulence and the church has an atmosphere all of its own.  The general grandeur of the church is set off by the light streaming through the high windows to spectacular effect.

From the courtyard you can see ornate mosaics around the windows and door.  An interview with St James’ Pr. Alan Callena was included in the film ‘Who is Jesus?’, that we provided production services for.

Peering Behind Closed Doors

Armenian Quarter in Jerusalem

So much about this quarter is concealed. I love the feeling of opening doors and making discoveries.

Inside the Armenian Quarter there is a hidden library that is really worth a visit. There are shelves of old books from decades ago and the place has a timeless atmosphere about it. It is a great location to conduct interviews with scholars.

I like to capture everyday scenes on film too. Within the Armenian Quarter there is a playground which provides a great setting to film lively school children playing in their uniforms during school breaks. 

Another great location is the Armenian restaurant; which is a very beautiful setting. I filmed a scene there for the TV Globo from Brazil.

Discovering a New Museum

Armenian Museun in Jerusalem

During my walk around the Armenian Quarter I grew intrigued as I passed a big closed door.  As I always like opening doors I stumble across in the Old City, I just had to discover what was on the other side. I went in to find a complex being built that will house a new museum. 

Armenian Quarter in Jerusalem

I am waiting for the museum to open as the area has such a rich culture and there are so many interesting and historical treasures that could be showcased.  I am sure the museum will be unique.

Having an inquisitive nature and a desire to discover the hidden always leads to me finding some interesting places to visit as well as new filming locations in Israel.

Armanian library in Jerusaelm

We Like Filming in Jericho

Last week I went for a location scout in Jericho, which is located near the Jordan River, 16 km from the Dead Sea. This is an interesting filming location in Israel. It is one of the lowest and most ancient cities on earth and has famous, biblical roots. There is archaeological evidence of communities living in Jericho dating back to 9,000 CBE.

The first thing that came to mind during my visit was that Jericho is an ideal location for shooting feature films in Israel.

It’s an old town with a ‘deserty’ appearance and a very sleepy feel. Jericho provides an authentic ancient setting and visiting this historical site is like taking a step back in time.

During my visit I met the Mayor of Jericho and we discussed the potential for Jericho to be used by film crews. He expressed his desire to welcome film crews and for Jericho to be used as a prime film location in Israel.

We can handle all the permits that you need to film in Jericho and can make all the necessary arrangements for both international and Israeli crews to use this choice filming location.

Prime Filming Locations in Jericho

Jericho offers some unique scenes; dusty old roads, fields of banana trees, roadside shops, houses built on the mountainside, old cars and more. It is an ideal location suitable for any script requiring an old town in the Middle East.

From a documentary point of view, two locations are of particular interest, Mount Temptation and Hisham Palace.

Filming Mount Temptation

Mount Temptation rises 350 meters above sea level and provides spectacular views of the Jordan Valley. It is the place where Jesus was tempted by the devil and spent forty days and nights fasting and meditating. In the 6^th century a Greek Orthodox monastery was built on the site of the cave where Jesus stayed during his time of fasting and contemplation.

Filming Hisham Palace

Hirsham’s Palace lies 5km north of Jericho and was built in AD743 as the country residence of the Umayyad caliph Hisham Ibn Abd Al-Malik, who ruled an empire spanning from the Pyrenees to India. The palace originally included mosques, baths, residential quarters and pillared walkways. Although now in ruins, colorful and ornate mosaics remain intact, as do classical ‘stucco’ wall moldings. These stunning pieces showcase early Islamic art and some findings are now housed in the Rockefeller Archaeological Museum in Jerusalem.

We have shot in Jericho before and are familiar with the city. We filmed a music concert with a difference; it took place at sunrise on the balcony next to Mount Temptation. We came back with spectacular results.

For more information about using Jericho for your next production in Israel or to find out about specific filming locations in Jericho, get in touch with Biblical Productions and tap into our vast knowledge of the best film locations in Israel.

Filming Deserts in Israel

Desert Locations Israel

 

 

 

 

Filming Deserts In Israel

Israel has a lot to offer crews when it comes to filming desert locations. One of my favorite places to scout is in the desert and not far away from Jerusalem lie secret, hidden away desert locations.  It is as if you have been transported to an ancient world, as the scenes that greet you have remained unchanged since eternity.

Here, on the golden desert sands and rugged, rocky, mountains, wild nature roams freely, providing the perfect backdrop for biblical re-enactments, documentaries and feature films. 

The Best Desert Locations

Last week I was scouting for places to film Old Testament Scenes.  I was looking for the ultimate biblical desert shots.  When I scout I bear many things in mind; not just the location itself but also accessibility and logistical aspects of production. 

I try to find desert locations that are not far away from Jerusalem so that we can keep the production as local as possible and stay within a reasonable budget.

Our Insider Knowledge

Filming in watch?v=JqStykWDR6wIsrael

I have a good Bedouin friend who lives in the desert and whenever I go to visit him, the first thing we do is drink tea.  Bedouin hospitality is a custom that has stood the test of time well.

His familiarity with the desert has given me an insider’s view of the amazing array of scenes that are close by and would make the perfect film set.  Together we scout wadis, valleys, mountains and caves. 

All of these locations are spectacular settings and are absolutely free to film in.  The difficult part is finding them!

Filming the Perfect Sunrise

Next to the Dead Sea you can find some of the optimum spots for filming desert scenery. At this location you can find my all time favorite spot to capture the most breathtaking sunrise.  It is a secluded place, high up on a mountain, an hour’s drive from Jerusalem.

We stand there and set up the shot whilst it is still dark, waiting for the sun to appear over the Dead Sea.

We bring black coffee and make it on the spot.  Meanwhile the Director of Photography starts filming as the sky gradually turns orange whilst the first rays of the day emerge from the horizon.  As the sun rises it reflects beautifully against the calm waters of the Dead Sea and the quiet, rugged dessert provides the perfect frame to the shot.

Biblical Productions – Our Added Edge

For all genres, the desert in Israel has the potential to offer a lot of versatility for filming.  It can be used for travel shows, wildlife documentaries, drama scenes, re-enactments and more.  There are a huge range of shots possible from the deserts in Israel and Biblical Productions are the only film production company in Israel with such a vast knowledge of hidden settings and location ideas.