Brazil Film & Photography Production Services & Camera Crews
Are you a media company, brand, ad agency or production company looking for film / photography production support or shooting crew in Brazil? Contact us for trusted fixers, producers, directors, DoPs, videographers, photographers, and full shooting crews tailored for the specific needs of your project.
Filming in Brazil
For an introduction to shooting in Brazil see below notes on film locations, permits, when to shoot, unique local stories, costs, tax incentives, crews, talent, fringes, premiums, equipment, communications, art department, studios, post facilities, visas and work permits for filming, transport, film-friendly accommodation, and safety advice.
Brazil Film Locations
Brazil is South America’s largest country, and the fifth largest country in the world. Film locations include Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Brasília, unique architecture, sporting venues that hosted the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Rio Olympics, cathedrals, museums, theatres, colonial towns, beaches, sand dunes, rainforests, rivers, waterfalls, caves, canyons, mountains, and spectacular roads.
Agricultural film locations include farms that produce sugarcane, soybeans, coffee, wheat, barley, oranges, guaraná, açaí, yerba mate, corn, papayas, tobacco, pineapples, bananas, cotton, beans, tomatoes, coconuts, watermelons, lemons, cocoa, cashews, Brazil nuts, avocados, tangerines, persimmons, mangos, guava, rice, sorghums, grapes, apples, melon, peanuts, sunflowers, palm oil, rubber, timber, poultry, and cattle. Brazilian factories produce steel, iron, aluminium, shipbuilding, automobiles, electronics, textiles, footwear, processed foods, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals. The country mines iron ore, copper, gold, bauxite, manganese, tin, nickel, niobium, tantalum, vanadium, lithium, chromium, graphite, gypsum, sulphur, salt, coal, oil, gas, and a range of gemstones. Energy film locations include thermal fired power plants, hydroelectric dams, as well as wind and solar power plants.
Brazil has hosted films such as Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Fast & Furious 5 (2011), The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 & 2 (2011-2012), The Incredible Hulk (2008), Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008), Turistas (2006), City of God (2002), Fitzcarraldo (1982), and Moonraker (1979).
Brazil’s film locations of interest can be divided into the following regions:
North Region
This region is made up of the states of Acre, Amazonas, Rondônia, Roraima, Pará, Amapá, and Tocantins.
Acre. Rio Branco is the state capital and largest city.
Tocantins has a landscape of Amazon rainforest, and plantations.
Amazonas. Manaus is the state capital and largest city. It is the gateway to productions filming in the Amazon Rainforest. Film locations include Teatro Amazonas which was filmed for Fitzcarraldo (1982), Palácio Rio Negro, Museu do Homem do Norte, Arena da Amazônia, Rio Negro Bridge, Port of Manaus, and Manaus International Airport.
The Amazon Rainforest is the largest and most biodiverse tract of tropical rainforest in the world.
The Anavilhanas Archipelago is a group of over 400 islands in the Rio Negro. The area is home to margays, jaguars, giant anteaters, giant armadillos, giant otters, Amazonian manatees, and Amazon river dolphins.
The Amazon Tall Tower Observatory is a scientific research tower in the Amazon rainforest with a height of 325 metres (1,066 ft).
Abismo Guy Collet is a spectacular rainforest cave.
Pico da Neblina is the highest peak in Brazil.
Rondônia. Porto Velho is the capital and largest city.
Roraima. Boa Vista is the capital and largest city.
Mount Roraima, located in the far north of Brazil, is a spectacular landscape of tepui mountains, tropical rainforest, and savanna.
Pará. Belém is the capital and largest city. Located at the confluence of the Guamá and Pará rivers, Belém is the gateway to the Amazon River. Film locations of note include a modern city skyline, Our Lady of Grace Cathedral, Ver-o-Peso Market, Theatro da Paz, Forte do Presépio, Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, Estação das Docas, Mangal das Garças, Estádio Olímpico do Pará, Belém Port, and Val-de-Cans/Júlio Cezar Ribeiro International Airport.
The Pororoca is a tidal bore, with waves up to 4 m (13 ft) high that travel as far as 800 km (500 mi) inland up the Amazon River.
Amapá. Macapá is the capital and largest city.
Tocantins. Palmas is the capital and largest city.
Tocantins has a landscape of cerrado, rivers, and plantations.
Northeast Region
This region is made up of the states of Maranhão, Piauí, Bahia, Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Alagoas, and Sergipe.
Maranhão. São Luís is the capital and largest city. It is known for its Portuguese colonial architecture.
Parque Nacional dos Lençóis Maranhenses is known for its vast desert landscape of white sand dunes and seasonal turquoise freshwater lagoons.
Chapada das Mesas National Park is known for its waterfalls including Itapecuruzinho Waterfall, Prata Waterfall, and São Romão Waterfall. Wildlife of note includes oncillas, ocelots, cougars, giant anteaters, bare-faced curassows, and Chaco eagles.
Piauí. Teresina is the capital and largest city.
Serra das Confusões National Park is a rugged landscape of rocky outcrops.
Sete Cidades National Park has a savanna forest landscape.
Serra da Capivara National Park is known for the Pedra Furada prehistoric rock paintings.
Bahia. Salvador is known for its Portuguese colonial architecture, and beaches. Film locations include Catedral Basílica de Salvador, Convento e Igreja de São Francisco, Basílica do Senhor do Bonfim, Casa do Comércio, Museu de Arte Moderna, Elevador Lacerda, Mercado Modelo, Barra Lighthouse, São Marcelo Fort, Itaipava Arena Fonte Nova, Salvador Metro, Palácio Rio Branco, Port of Salvador, and Deputado Luís Eduardo Magalhães International Airport.
Cachoeira da Fumaça is a beautiful waterfall located in Chapada Diamantina National Park.
Toca da Boa Vista is the longest known cave in the Southern hemisphere.
Ceará. Fortaleza is the capital and largest city. It is known for its modern city skyline, and beaches. Film locations include Catedral Metropolitana de São José, Centro Dragão do Mar de Arte e Cultura, Theatro José de Alencar, Fortaleza Central Market, Estádio Governador Plácido Castelo, Fortaleza Metro, Fortaleza–Pinto Martins International Airport, and Base Aérea de Fortaleza.
The BR-116 Highway, running between Fortaleza and Jaguarão, is considered to be one of the most dangerous roads in the world.
Alcântara Space Center, located in the city of Alcântara, is a space center and launching facility of the Brazilian Space Agency.
Rio Grande do Norte. Natal is the capital and largest city. Film locations include Morro do Careca Sand Dune, Genipabu Dunes, Alberto Maranhão Theatre, Forte dos Reis Magos, Ponte Newton Navarro, Port of Natal, Arena das Dunas, Ginásio Nélio Dias, Greater Natal International Airport, and Natal Air Force Base.
Parrachos de Maracajaú are coral reefs with beautiful turquoise seas.
Barreira do Inferno Launch Center is a rocket launch base of the Brazilian Space Agency.
Paraíba. João Pessoa is the capital and largest city. Film locations include Igreja Sao Francisco, Convento e Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Carmo, Mosteiro de São Bento, Centro de Convenções Poeta Ronaldo Cunha Lima, Estação Cabo Branco, Espaço Cultural José Lins do Rego, Jardim Botânico Benjamim Maranhão, Estádio José Américo de Almeida Filho, Cabo Branco Lighthouse, and Presidente Castro Pinto International Airport.
Pernambuco. Recife is the capital and largest city. It is known for its modern city skyline and beaches. Film locations include Basílica e Convento de Nossa Senhora do Carmo, Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Conceição dos Militares, Co-Catedral São Pedro dos Clérigos, Capela Dourada, Instituto Ricardo Brennand, Museu do Estado de Pernambuco, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Arena Pernambuco, Recife Metro, Recife Port, and Recife/Guararapes–Gilberto Freyre International Airport.
Fernando de Noronha, known for its beautiful beaches, is a volcanic archipelago located 350 kilometers off of Brazil’s northeast coast.
Alagoas. Maceió is the capital and largest city. It is known for its modern city skyline and beaches. Film locations include Museu Palácio Floriano Peixoto, Estádio Rei Pelé, Port of Maceió, and Zumbi dos Palmares International Airport.
Sergipe. Aracaju is the capital and largest city.
Central-West Region
This region is made up of the states of Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Goiás, and Distrito Federal.
Mato Grosso. Cuiabá is the capital and largest city. Film locations include Catedral Metropolitana Basílica Senhor Bom Jesus, Grande Templo, Arena Pantanal, and Marechal Rondon International Airport.
Chapada dos Guimarães National Park is known for its dramatic cliffs and waterfalls.
Mato Grosso do Sul. Campo Grande is the capital and largest city. Autódromo Internacional de Campo Grande is a motorsports circuit located in Campo Grande.
Pantanal is the world’s largest tropical wetland area. Wildlife of note include jaguars, maned wolves, ocelots, bush dogs, South American tapirs, capybaras, giant anteaters, collared anteaters, marsh deers, yacare caimans, apple snails, and a diversity of fish and birdlife.
Goiás. Goiânia is the capital and largest city. Film locations include Oscar Niemeyer Cultural Center, Goiânia Railway Station, Estádio Olímpico Pedro Ludovico, Estádio Serra Dourada, Ayrton Senna International Racetrack, and Goiânia International Airport.
Anápolis Air Force Base is located in Anápolis.
Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park is known for its waterfalls, and rock formations. Wildlife includes pampas deers, marsh deers, maned wolves, jaguars, rheas, giant armadillos, anteaters, capybaras, tapirs, and a diveristy of birdlife including green-beaked toucans.
Emas National Park has a cerrado landscape. Wildlife includes giant anteaters, maned wolves, giant armadillos, pampas deers, capybaras, black howler monkeys, and greater rheas.
Distrito Federal. Brasília, the capital of Brazil, is a sprawling city rising out of the Brazilian savannah. Oscar Niemeyer designed many of the city’s structures including the Catedral Metropolitana de Brasília, Palácio da Alvorada, Palácio do Jaburu, Congresso Nacional do Brasil, Supremo Tribunal Federal, Palácio da Justiça – Ministério da Justiça e Segurança Pública, Praça dos Três Poderes, Palácio Itamaraty, Palácio do Planalto, Brasília National Library Leonel de Moura Brizola, Complexo Cultural da República, Teatro Nacional Cláudio Santoro, Brasilia Digital TV Tower, and the University of Brasília. Other interesting film locations in Brasilia include the Templo da Boa Vontade, Santuário Dom Bosco, Estádio Nacional Mané Garrincha, Ginásio Nilson Nelson, Autódromo Internacional Nelson Piquet, Juscelino Kubitschek Bridge, Rodoviária de Brasília, and Brasília International Airport.
Southeast Region
This region is made up of the states of São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, and Espírito Santo.
São Paulo. São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil and one of the largest in the world. The metropolis is known for its expansive high-rise skyline, rooftop heliports, traffic congestion, extensive metro network, football stadiums, city parks, museums, and a variety of architectural styles including Portuguese colonial, art deco, art nouveau, modern, and contemporary.
Neighborhoods of note include Vila Madalena, Itaim Bibi, Moema, Baixo Augusta, Luz, Centro, and Liberdade which is home to the largest Japanese community outside of Japan.
Government buildings include Palácio dos Bandeirantes, Edifício Matarazzo, and Tribunal de Justiça de São Paulo.
Religious locations include Catedral Metropolitana de São Paulo, Catedral Metropolitana Ortodoxa de São Paulo, Mosteiro de São Bento, Paróquia Nossa Senhora do Brasil, Templo de Salomão, Pátio do Colégio, Beth-El Synagogue, and Fo Guang Shan Temple Zu Lai.
Museums of note include Museu de Arte de São Paulo, Museu de Arte Moderna de São Paulo, Museo de Arte Contemporáneo, Museu do Ipiranga, Museu da Língua Portuguesa, Pinacoteca do Estado de São Paulo, Manoel da Nóbrega Pavilion of the Museu Afro Brasil designed by Oscar Niemeyer, Museu Catavento, Museu de Arte Sacra de São Paulo, Museu de Arte do Parlamento de São Paulo, Museu da Imagem e do Som de São Paulo, Museu do Futebol, and Museu da Aeronáutica e do Folclore.
Centres of learning include Universidade de São Paulo, Biblioteca Mário de Andrade, and Livraria Cultura.
Entertainment venues include Theatro Municipal de São Paulo, Centro Cultural Júlio Prestes, and Auditório Ibirapuera designed by Oscar Niemeyer.
Other Oscar Niemeyer designed buildings include Edifício Copan, Edifício Montreal, Edifício Califórnia, Edifício Triângulo, Edifício Eiffel, and Edifício Itatiaia.
Other São Paulo buildings of note include Edifício Altino Arantes, Edifício Martinelli, Rosewood Tower designed by Jean Nouvel, Hotel Unique, and Mercado Municipal Paulistano.
Sport venues include Estádio do Pacaembu, Estádio do Morumbi, Arena Corinthians, Palestra Itália Arena, Estádio do Canindé, and Autódromo José Carlos Pace which is a motor sport race track that hosts the Brazilian Formula One Grand Prix.
Transport locations include Octávio Frias de Oliveira Bridge, Estação da Luz, São Paulo Metro, São Paulo–Congonhas Airport, and São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport.
Parks of note include Parque Ibirapuera, Parque Villa-Lobos, and Parque da Independência.
Paraisópolis is the largest favela in the city.
Outside of the city of São Paulo, film locations include:
The town of Ubatuba and nearby Praia do Promirim were filmed for Turistas (2006).
Anchieta Island Correctional Institute is an interesting ruin available for filming.
Viaduct Petrobras is an abandoned stretch of elevated road in the middle of the Brazilian jungle.
Caverna de Santana is located in Alto Ribeira Tourist State Park.
Ilha da Queimada Grande is known for its abundant snake population.
Rio de Janeiro. Rio de Janeiro is a vibrant city famous for its iconic beaches, granite peaks, favelas, and Carnaval celebrations.
Christ the Redeemer is an art deco statue located on Corcovado.
Sugar Loaf Mountain is a spectacular granite peak.
Iconic beaches include Ipanema, Copacabana, Barra da Tijuca, and Leblon.
Aqueduto da Carioca is located in Rio de Janeiro.
Government buildings of note include Centro Administrativo Municipal São Sebastião, Palácio Pedro Ernesto, Palácio Guanabara, Palácio Tiradentes, Assembleia Legislativa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Arquivo Nacional, Casa da Moeda do Brasil, Paço Imperial, and Petrobras Headquarters.
Centres of learning include Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Real Gabinete Português de Leitura, and Biblioteca Nacional do Brasil.
Museums of note include Museu do Amanhã designed by Santiago Calatrava, Museu de Arte Contemporânea de Niterói designed by Oscar Niemeyer, Museu Nacional, Museu Nacional de Belas Artes, Museu Histórico Nacional, Museu de Arte Moderna do Rio de Janeiro, Museu Carmen Miranda, and Ilha Fiscal.
Entertainment venues include Theatro Municipal, Cidade das Artes, Teatro Popular Oscar Niemeyer, Qualistage, and Riocentro.
Sporting venues include Estádio Olímpico Nilton Santos, Estádio do Maracanã, Maracanãzinho, Arenas Carioca, Parque Aquático Maria Lenk, Centro Olímpico de Tênis, Jeunesse Arena, Velódromo Municipal do Rio, Deodoro Olympic Whitewater Stadium, Olympic BMX Centre, and Hipódromo da Gávea.
Sambódromo is home to the Samba Parade of the Rio Carnaval.
Religious locations include Catedral Metropolitana do Rio de Janeiro, Igreja da Candelária, Abadia de Nossa Senhora do Monserrate, and Grande Templo Israelita do Rio de Janeiro.
Transport locations include Rio–Niterói Bridge, Rio de Janeiro Metro, Port of Rio de Janeiro, Santos Dumont Airport, Rio de Janeiro/Galeão International Airport, and Base Aérea de Santa Cruz which has a well maintained airship hangar.
Parks of note include Jardim Botânico, and Parque Lage which has a beautiful old colonial mansion.
Rocinha is the largest favela in Brazil.
Outside of the city of Rio de Janeiro, film locations include:
Paraty is known for its Portuguese colonial architecture.
Ilha Grande is a beautiful undeveloped island with rainforests and beautiful beaches such as Lopes Mendes.
Praia do Forno is a beautiful film location.
São Thomé Lighthouse was designed by Gustave Eiffel.
Angra Nuclear Power Plant is located in Angra dos Reis.
Minas Gerais. Belo Horizonte is the capital and largest city. Film locations include Igreja de Sao Francisco de Assis designed by Oscar Niemeyer, JK Building designed by Oscar Niemeyer, Centro de Cultura Presidente Itamar Franco, Museu de Arte da Pampulha, Museu Casa Kubitschek, Museu de Artes e Oficios, Museu das Minas e do Metal, Memorial Minas Gerais Vale, Museu de Mineralogia, Palácio das Artes, Palácio da Liberdade, Mercado Central de Belo Horizonte, Estádio Mineirão, Arena Independência, Belo Horizonte Metro, and Belo Horizonte International Airport.
Ouro Preto is a beautiful colonial town located in the Serra do Espinhaço Mountains.
Instituto Cultural Inhotim is located in Brumadinho.
Casca d-Anta Waterfall is located in Serra da Canastra National Park.
Espírito Santo. Vitória is the capital. Film locations include Palácio Anchieta, Catedral Metropolitana Nossa Senhora da Vitória, Port of Vitória, Port of Tubarão, and Eurico de Aguiar Salles Airport.
Serra is the largest city in Espírito Santo.
South Region
This region is made up of the states of Paraná, Santa Catarina, and Rio Grande do Sul.
Paraná. Curitiba is the capital and largest city. Film locations include Museu Oscar Niemeyer, Paço Municipal, Ópera de Arame, Catedral basílica menor de Nuestra Señora de la Luz, Federal University of Paraná, Jardim Botânico Fanchette Rischbieter, Estádio Joaquim Américo Guimarães, and Curitiba-President Afonso Pena International Airport.
Paranaguá is known for its Portuguese colonial architecture, and Port of Paranaguá.
The Iguazu Falls are the largest waterfall system in the world. The Brazilian side of the Iguazu falls hosted Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008).
Itaipu Dam is the largest in the country.
Santa Catarina. Joinville is the largest city in Santa Catarina.
Florianópolis is the capital. The city is known for its modern city skyline and gorgeous beaches including Praia do Campeche, Praia Mole, Praia Moçambique, Praia da Joaquina, Praia dos Ingleses, Praia da Armação, Praia do Santinho, and Praia da Lagoinha do Leste. Other Florianópolis film locations include Catedral Metropolitana Nossa Senhora do Desterro e Santa Catarina de Alexandria, São José da Ponta Grossa Fortress, Palacio Cruz e Sousa, Florianópolis Public Market, Hercílio Luz Bridge, Florianópolis-Hercílio Luz International Airport, and Florianópolis Air Force Base.
Balneário Camboriú is known for its modern city skyline and beaches.
Blumenau is known for its German architecture. The city hosts the second largest Oktoberfest in the world.
Itajaí is known for the Port of Itajaí.
Beto Carrero World is a theme park located in Penha.
São Joaquim National Park has a landscape of Araucária Forest, alpine meadows, cloud forests, canyons, caves, and waterfalls.
Rio Grande do Sul. Porto Alegre film locations include Assembleia Legislativa do Rio Grande do Sul, Paço Municipal de Porto Alegre, Palácio Piratini, Memorial do Rio Grande do Sul, Casa de Cultura Mario Quintana, Igreja das Dores, Fundação Iberê Camargo designed by Álvaro Siza, Memorial Luiz Carlos Prestes designed by Oscar Niemeyer, Museu de Arte do Rio Grande do Sul Ado Malagoli, Monumento aos Açorianos, Mercado Público de Porto Alegre, Estádio Beira-Rio, Port of Porto Alegre, Salgado Filho International Airport, and Canoas Air Force Base.
Gramado is a mountain resort designed in a Bavarian style.
Catedral Anjo da Guarda is located in Santo Ângelo.
Igreja Matriz de Nossa Senhora de Lourdes is located in Canela.
Mission São Miguel das Missões is a Jesuit Mission ruins.
Yucumã Falls are located in Turvo State Park.
Caracol Falls are located in Caracol State Park.
Itaimbezinho Canyon is located in Aparados da Serra National Park.
Brazil Film Location Permits
Applications for film permits can only be made by ANCINE approved production service companies / fixers. Generally speaking permits are not required for small footprint b-roll shoots that do not require exclusive use of public space. It is however, still a good idea to have the local service producer / fixer engage local authorities to make sure everything is covered. Larger projects requiring exclusive use of public space will require permits from one or multiple permitting authorities. Traffic control on a city street usually takes about a week to process and is recommended to shoot over the weekend. Filming in national parks requires permission on both the local and federal level.
Drone filming is permitted and Brazil has experienced locally based drone operators. Although the practice is not strictly regulated, local permits are required. You will also need to get public liability insurance from home as local insurance companies to not cover drone filming yet.
Please contact us for location specific information.
When To Shoot?
Brazil is a huge country with several climate zones ranging from the arid interior to the wet Amazon. Except for the extreme south of Brazil, which has a four-season climate, the rest of Brazil has a semi-tropical climate with a wet summer season and a dry winter season. The Amazon regularly experiences wildfire smoke in the summer months which may affect visibility for filming in affected areas. For monthly weather statistics please see here.
Events of interest to filmmakers and photographers include:
• Carnaval events take place across Brazil in February. The most famous is Rio de Janeiro’s Carnaval with a week of wild street parties and colourful samba schools competing in the Sambadrome.
• Festa de lemanja in Rio de Janeiro on January 1st.
• Three Kings Festival in Salvador held in January.
• Saint Sebastian Day in Rio de Janeiro in January.
• Pororoca tidal bore surf contest in São Domingos do Capim in February / March.
• Passion Play in Nova Jerusalem in March.
• Semana Santa in Ouro Pret in April.
• Boi Bumbá in Parintins in June.
• Festival of St Benedict in July.
• Paraty International Literary Festival in July.
• Independence Day in September.
• Film Festival Rio in September / October.
• Octoberfest in Blumenau in October.
• Cirio of Nazaré in Belém in October.
• International Film Festival in São Paulo in October.
• Free Jazz Festival in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo in October.
• São Paulo Bienal in October.
• Brazilian Formula One Grand Prix in São Paulo in November.
• Christmas of Light is held throughout November and December.
Brazil is a predominately Christian nation, so those holidays are observed.
Public holidays may affect timing, availability and costs. See here for public holiday dates in Brazil.
Unique Local Stories
Brands are looking for local stories that match their brand narrative. Our local teams are a great lead for sourcing those unique stories and characters.
If you are looking for stories for your next shoot, send us your brief and we will pitch you ideas.
If you have a unique story you would like to pitch to a brand anywhere in the world, pitch us your idea. We have well-established processes to ensure that your ideas are properly seen and protected.
Costs & Tax Incentives
Costs. Brazil is one of the more expensive countries in South America. That said, recent currency devaluations have made it a more cost competitive place to film. Our locally based fixers and service producers will negotiate deals and provide the appropriate level of production support to match every budget. Foreign credit cards are widely accepted particularly in the cities. Note, daily withdrawal limits may apply. In more remote areas, cash is king.
Tax Incentives. Brazil has co-production agreements with several countries.
Film Crew & Talent
Crews. Brazil has some world-class directors based locally as well as many good stills photographers. Brazil also has a very good depth of internationally experienced film crews. Crews are union.
Contact us if you are looking for a Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, or Brasilia based director, DP, photographer, videographer (cameraman / camera operator), camera assistant (focus puller), sound operator, grip, gaffer, stylist, hair and makeup, PA / runner, production driver, or any other film crew in Brazil.
Talent is both union and non-union. However the union does not have strict rules regarding rates and deals are made through free negotiation. As such, talent day rates and buyouts vary considerably depending on the specifics of each project.
Portuguese is the official language. Many experienced actors and models speak English.
Brazil offers an impressive depth of talented actors and models. Talent is very multicultural, especially in the megacity of Sao Paulo, which is home to 22 million people. Many looks are represented including Latin and Southern European, Afro-Brazilians, Japanese and Korean, Nordic and German looks, Irish red-heads, Turkish and Arab looks. Brazil is also home to a vast diversity of indigenous ethnic groups.
Fringes. There are union fees and social charges amounting to 10%.
Premiums. Shooting day is twelve hours. There is overtime but no turnaround for commercials and costs are the same on weekends, nights, holidays, etc.
Brazil Film Equipment
Equipment. Brazil has all of the latest HD camera equipment you might need including Arri Amira, Alexa, Red Epic Dragon. There is a wide selections of lights, cranes, dollies and remote heads. Stabilized heads, camera-cars and shot-makers are of the highest standard. Underwater housing is available in Brazil.
Renting film equipment in Brazil is generally very expensive in comparison to rental prices in the US or Europe. We recommend bringing in your main gear with you, especially your camera and lenses. Heavy grip and electric equipment can be sourced locally.
Brazil is an ATA carnet member country. Bringing in your gear as check-in luggage is an easy process. Firstly, you need to go online and fill in an e-DBV form online. You will be provided with a barcode that you need to print out and present on arrival at customs. Officials will check the gear list against the gear you are bringing in and then provide you with a new form including a dated entry stamp. When leaving Brazil, you need to arrive at the airport early, clear your equipment with customs before checking-in, making sure you receive a dated exit stamp on the same form. The whole process is free but it can be a bit of a hassle as the website is known to be buggy and many Brazilian customs officials don’t speak English. If you would like to ensure that everything runs smoothly, our Brazilian fixer / service company is also able to facilitate the process from making sure the e-DBV form is submitted correctly, through to arranging a customs official to meet you at the airport. If you have the budget, the latter approach is recommended.
Communications. Communication is key. Our agility and global experience allows us to customise the right communications systems for every shoot.
Web posted casting, scouting, and videoconferencing.
For clients that are unable to attend set we offer a virtual video village solution. This dedicated and secure high-resolution video streaming platform allows clients from one or multiple timezones to view setups without compromise and to participate in real-time with the team on set. Separate systems can be set up for the discrete conversations that are required to make a job run right. Working remotely with our local teams reduces your content production costs, turnaround times, carbon footprint, and risks associated with unpredictable global events.
Art Department, Studios, Backlots, & Post Production
Art department and set construction. Excellent art department and construction available. Most work in Brazil tends to be location orientated rather than builds but there is a wide range of professional craftsmen and world-class art directors if needed. Studios of note include Estudio Vertical and Estudios Quanta São Paulo.
Studios. Although locations are the main reason for filming in Brazil there are several state of the art studios.
Backlots. None exist at present.
Post Production. Brazil has several good post production facilities.
Visas & Work Permits
EU nationals travelling to Brazil as tourists can enter visa-free for stays of up to 90 days. US, Canadian and Australian nationals need to have for a visa before travelling.
For commercial productions, US crews are required to enter on business visas. This applies to the director and DP, but not the producers, agency and clients, who can enter as tourists. The process for obtaining a business visa for filming is as follows. Once the project contract is settled, an ANCINE approved Brazilian service company or fixer will register the project with ANCINE who will then contact your local consulate to approve the business visa. Each crew member needs to submit their passport to the consulate to have the visa stamped. The process takes up to a month but can generally be expedited to a week.
For co-productions ANCINE rules require that two-thirds of the crew are Brazilian. Journalistic projects are exempt.
Transport & Accommodation
Transportation Infrastructure. Road quality varies. Cities and federal highways are paved and relatively well maintained. More remote areas are slower going with boat travel often required in the Amazon. Note, Brazilian law requires that vehicles carrying 6+ passengers can only be driven by a specially licensed driver. Brazil is well serviced by a network of domestic flights. Several international carriers service flights to Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.
Accommodation. Contact us for recommended film friendly hotels in Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, and other parts of Brazil. For longer stays we can also organize serviced apartments. For those looking to stay with indigenous communities in the Amazon our Brazilian fixer / producer also organises hosted accommodation.
Final Notes
Safety. On the whole though Brazil is a safe place for visiting productions. As in most major cities around the world there are certain areas it would be sensible to avoid. Our local Brazilian fixer / service producer will arrange the appropriate level of security whether you are filming inside a favela or in a remote rural area. See here for up to date travel advice.
Down Time. Beautiful beaches and fun nightlife.
Final Notes. Fantastic locations, extensive talent choices, a high standard of production services and the vibrant Latin culture makes Brazil the kind of service centre that clients continue to return to.
Local cuisine of note includes feijoada, farofa, moqueca de camarão, vatapá, acarajé, pastel, empadão, bolinho de bacalhau, pão de queijo, picanha, bigadeiro, moqueca, canjica, and quindim. Caipirinhas are the national cocktail.
Projects. For an example of TV commercials, stills campaigns, online content, corporate videos, virtual reality 360 content, feature films, TV series and documentaries shot in Brazil, please see below:
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