Philippe Durand

Philippe started in Lyon as a freelance producer for advertising agencies, then moved to Bali in 2019 to shoot brand content for European clients who wanted a tropical look without the European day rate. By 2022 he had worked inside most studios listed in our catalog — first as a client, then as a director-for-hire renting their facilities for outside shoots.

That hands-on tour gave him a working knowledge of which studios actually deliver what their websites claim, which ones are gear-rich but staff-poor, and where the hidden costs live. He joined the Near Me editorial team in 2024 to turn that knowledge into something readers can use before they call a studio.

He covers podcast and video production formats, equipment kits (Sony FX3, Aputure lighting, RØDECaster Pro II), and the operational side of running shoots in Bali — traffic windows, electricity, working with local crews.