Video Production Zurich

Zurich for Corporate Video: Switzerland's Financial Capital

Zurich is Switzerland's largest city and the country's financial capital. UBS is headquartered here. Credit Suisse legacy operations (now part of UBS) operate from Zurich. Swiss Re, Zurich Insurance Group, and major asset managers anchor a financial services sector that punches well above the city's relatively modest population. Add Zurich's growing tech sector, ETH Zurich and the surrounding research community, and the city's role as a major international corporate gateway, and Zurich ranks as one of Europe's most important corporate production markets.

Industry Landscape

Banking and asset management is the dominant sector. UBS, Julius Baer, Vontobel, EFG International, and dozens of other Swiss banks operate from Zurich. Reinsurance and insurance is significant with Swiss Re and Zurich Insurance Group headquartered locally. Tech has grown rapidly with Google's Zurich campus (the largest Google engineering office outside Mountain View) anchoring the cluster, alongside Meta, Microsoft, IBM, and a growing fintech and crypto sector around Crypto Valley in nearby Zug. Pharma has a significant Zurich-area presence with Roche having operations here in addition to Basel.

Where Corporate Shoots Happen

The Paradeplatz and surrounding financial district holds UBS and the major banks. Bahnhofstrasse holds high-end retail and corporate offices. Hardbrucke and Zurich West hold modern tech and creative firms (Google's campus is in this area). Oerlikon and Schlieren hold suburban corporate offices and tech firms.

Crew Base

Zurich has one of the deepest production crew bases in continental Europe outside the major capitals, built around the financial services, pharma, and growing tech sectors. Camera, sound, lighting, post-production, and broadcast crews are all available at international standard.

Climate

Temperate continental, with significant lake effect. Warm summers, cool winters with occasional snow. Best outdoor shooting weather May through September.

Production Logistics in Zurich

Reference for projects in German-speaking Switzerland.

Time Zone

Central European Time (CET, UTC+1) winter, Central European Summer Time (CEST, UTC+2) summer.

Language

German (Swiss German dialect locally; standard German in business writing) is the official language. English is widely used in financial services, tech, and international corporate contexts.

Currency

Swiss Franc (CHF). Most international B2B production work is invoiced in CHF, EUR, or USD.

Electrical Standards, Frame Rate

230V at 50Hz. Type J plugs (Swiss-specific). Default 25fps PAL or 23.976fps for commercial work.

Airport

Zurich Airport (ZRH) is Switzerland's largest international gateway, home to Swiss International Air Lines. Direct flights to most major business cities globally. About 15 minutes from central Zurich by train.

Financial Services Facility Access

For shoots inside UBS, Julius Baer, Vontobel, or other major financial services facilities, advance security clearance and internal communications coordination are essential. Lead times of 2 to 4 weeks are typical.

Permits

Zurich canton handles filming permits. Lead times of 1 to 2 weeks are typical for standard corporate work.

Customs and Equipment

Switzerland is not in the EU customs union. ATA Carnets are essential for professional equipment.