HMI & Tungsten Lights

Here is how this works in practice. We source HMI and tungsten lighting fixtures from the rental houses concentrated in Warsaw and in Łódź — the historic heart of Polish cinema — where lighting inventory has grown steadily since the Polish Film Institute introduced its 30% PISF cash rebates in 2019. Our team builds packages around the gaffer's plan: daylight-balanced HMIs from 575W to 18K for exteriors and large interiors, tungsten Fresnels from 150W to 20K for warm, dimmable interior work, and the gels and correction needed to balance mixed sources.

Here is the short of it. We set up power distribution alongside the fixtures — distro boxes, cable runs, dimmers — and make sure spare lamps and ballasts travel with the kit. For studio shoots we stage lighting to stages at ATM Studio in Warsaw and at WFDiF. Because hire from Polish vendors counts as qualifying spend toward the rebates, building the lighting package locally is budget-efficient. Any pro fixture not held in-country moves freely by road from Germany or the Czech Republic, since Poland is in the EU single market and Schengen with no carnet for intra-EU transport.

Here is the breakdown. Poland's mains power runs at the EU-standard 230V/50Hz. This our team factors into each lighting and distribution plan, advising on power needs and setting up power packs hire — from portable units to large tow-behind sets — for big HMI loads or remote locations without mains access.

Here is what that looks like on the ground. Poland's temperate continental climate also shapes lighting logistics: cold, snowy winters in the Tatra Mountains or along the Baltic coast at Gdańsk demand careful handling of hot fixtures in freezing conditions and condensation running when lamps move between heated cars and exterior sets, while warm summers ease those constraints. Productions arriving from outside the EU clear imported lighting on ATA Carnets through the National Revenue Administration (Krajowa Administracja Skarbowa), with Warsaw Chopin Airport (WAW) as the main air-cargo gateway. Billing is in Polish złoty (PLN) with 23% VAT. We can supply skilled Polish gaffers and electricians who know both the gear and local power systems.