Bringing Film and Video Equipment into Argentina

If you are planning on shooting a movie, TV program, photo shoot or documentary in Argentina you are probably considering bringing in your own video, film or photo equipment.

Maybe it is just a Sony EX cam, or a red, or a light kit–you already own it, so why not bring it? But then you find out that Argentina is not a Carnet country. . .

If you are planning on bringing in equipment (even small amounts!) these are the procedures to follow:

1) Have your local production company in Argentina (or fixer) send a letter to get a temporary work visa for every crew member, or at the very least those who are bringing in equipment. The production company or fixer must be registered with the RENURE (registry of companies that work with foreigners). These letters have a minimal cost and you will then use them to get a temporary work visa in your country of origin.

2) You will need to work with a customs broker to obtain temporary import insurance. This insurance ensures that if you don’t leave the countrywith your equipment (the government is scared that you will sell it in Argentina) the insurance company will pay all fines. This cost of this insurance is based on the declared cost of your equipment. It is not refundable if you do leave with all of your equipment.

3) Work with your local production company in Argentina to determine if it is more cost effecient to rent in Argentina or pay the temporary import insurance.

IF IMPORTING CONTAINERS OF EQUIPMENT, THE PROCESS IS A BIT DIFFERENT. . .

At San Telmo Productions, we can help you obtain letters for work visas as we are registered with RENURE and walk you through the import process.  We want to make your experience in Argentina as pleasant as possible and get you in and out of customs as quickly as possible.

How to Find a Local Production Fixer in Argentina

Happy US Crew (HGTV) and San Telmo's Gabriel Balanovsky, local production fixer

by Ginger Gentile and Amy Ramirez (contributing blogger)

You’ve gotten the green light from the executive producer or the funding needed to start shooting in Argentina. But you’ve never been, speak very basic Spanish and have a tight schedule and an even a tighter budget.

So finding a local production fixer (aka local production coordinator) who works fast and can get stuff done is important.

How do you find the right one?

Here are the questions I would ask:

1)       Does the fixer have a combination of local know-how and international experience?
A lot of expats are offering themselves as production fixers but some of them have very little  experience filming in Argentina and their accents might mean that they will be offered higher prices than locals.

2)       Does everything seem too cheap or too expensive?

When you ask for a budget, most of the time you are on the look-out for being overcharged. Argentina isn’t as cheap as it was a few years ago, but it should be less expensive than shooting in the US or Europe. But also beware of budgets that seem too good to be true. Plan to spend between $200 to $400 USD per day for a fixer who is reputable (more money for short shoots and complicated shoots), not including transport and costs. Hiring a film student for much less is possible, but then you might not get all the material you need.

       3) Does your local fixer say “no” to some of your requests?

Beware the fixer who says yes to everything. In Argentina it is culturally acceptable to say that things are possible when they are not. Some locations and interviews are impossible or cost a lot of money. Better to have a plan B or change the schedule BEFORE you get down to Argentina.

       4) Does your fixer offer you ways to save money?

Argentina is not the US or Europe, and sometimes you can save money by spending more upfront.

A good example: it’s actually cheaper to hire a chauffeur than to have a frazzled PA driving  a rented van–the van will have to be rented (few people in Buenos Aires have cars, and most are very small), parked, and driven through crazy traffic. For about the same price as renting a van, get one with a driver and don’t worry about parking and traffic.

Remember, a good local fixer is more than just someone who gets film permits and translates. They can help get what you need and negotiate between different cultures. In Argentina, people are very reluctant to sign appearance releases, but a good fixer will know how to get them to sign, and turn a “no” into a “yes” and suggest ideas, locations and know where to get equipment at midnight.

At San Telmo Productions, we have acted as local fixer (field production coordinator) for crews from the US, Australia, Canada, UK and Europe who come to Argentina to shoot TV shows and documentaries. We love showing the world that Argentina is not only a beautiful country, but a great place to film.

Argentina Taxes Foreign Blockbusters

by Amy Ramirez, contributing blogger

What is the easiest way to boost cultural pride in a country with a vastly underrated cinematic potential? Tax the films that are imposing a Hollywood cultural agenda! Argentina’s National Institute of Cinema and Audiovisual Arts (INCAA) has begun to tax foreign blockbusters in order to promote the advancement of national films. The tariff’s purpose is to avoid Hollywood films populating theatres and overshadowing local films, as Hollywood films often open with 80-120 copies, while a local production normally has 4-10. (Keep in mind, there are only about 900 cinemas in all of Argentina)

The tax rate is something like this: If a movie is shown in 40 theatres, the tariff is set to the equivalent of 300 tickets. If a movie is shown in 120 theatres, the tariff is set to the equivalent of 1,200 tickets. If a movie is shown in more than 120 theatres, the tariff will rise to 2,400 tickets. But this is only for inside the capital, tariffs are cut in half for showings anywhere else in Argentina.

An article on Argentina’s leading film journal, haciendocine.com.ar, voices the general consensus on people’s mixed feelings about the matter. Some think the bar is set “too low” (movies such as Toy Story would have only had to give up 0.3% of their earnings); others think that these tariffs will end up benefitting independent European films (since a foreign movie with a few copies is exempt), and a small minority think this will not change anything, much less stimulate people’s interest in national film.

Why not use the real thing? “X-Men” Confusion on Argentina Location

Popular and laid back Villa Gesell is the perfect location double for the Atlantic Costline of the US from South Carolina to New Jersey

by Amy Ramirez, contributing blogger

Last summer’s X-men: First Class chose to mention Villa Gesell, a beautiful Argentinean coastal village, as the South American hiding place for the Nazi villain Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon). Much to the confusion of the local population, the film’s interpretation of the common vacation spot showed northern England’s mountains and lakes instead of Villa Gesell’s forests and beaches.

One can find mountainous landscapes in the southern part of Argentina (Bariloche, Tierra del Fuego, etc). Villa Gesell, however, is more of a fun-filled, steamy beach setting. The town has also hosted the UNICIPAR film festival for the past two years.

Villa Gesell has a boardwalk along the coastline, great restaurants and tea-houses, and is famous for the large expanses of forests and dunes, that are protected by the municipal government. There are many other towns on the Argentine coast from the classy Pinamar to the mini-metropolis Mar del Plata. The Atlantic Coast of Argentina is a great film-location double for any beach scene, and with the reverse seasons, a great option from October to April.  At San Telmo Productions, we’re able to do location scouting, casting, and offer complete production services for Villa Gesell and all other points in Argentina.

Patagonia Lake District´s Andes Peaks and Forests Favorite of Hollywood

by Amelia Batho, Contributing Blogger

Argentina’s Lake District is another film-making gold mine that has been used twice by director Walter Sales, served as inspiration for Walt Disney and hosts documentary crews on the lookout for wildlife and on the trail of Nazis. The area boasts 600km of fertile valleys and 20 stunning great Lakes all based at the foothills of the Patagonian Andes. The district is located within the oldest national Park in Argentina -  the Nahuel Huapi National Park – whose main town San Carlos de Bariloche, has been named the gateway to the Andean Lake District. Located on the shores of the spectacular Nahuel Huapi lake, and surrounded by lush forests, Bariloche is a town famous for its German style architecture, skiing and stunning scenery (and did we mention sunny weather in summer?). And because it is a tourist center, world class hotels and restaurants abound, and the infrastructure is first rate.

Gael Garcia Bernal and Rodrigo De la Serna star in 'the Motorcyle Diaries', parts of which were shot near the Lake District town of Bariloche.

Even Walt Disney based the forests in Bambi on the unique trees in the area.

Award winning Director, Walter Salles is particularly familiar with this area of Argentina, having shot parts of two major feature films here.

In 2004, he used the area around Bariloche to shoot scenes for his inspiring film ‘the Motorcycle Diaries’ which retells the true story of a young Ernesto Guevarra and his journey around South America. In fact many of the areas that the real life ‘Che’ travelled through, are the same ones used in the film. ‘On the road’ another Salles film adapted from the cult book by Jack Kerouac and currently in production, was also shot in the Lake District area just a couple of months ago. Filming is reported to have taken place near to the Chilean border and stars such as Kirsten Stewart, were able to enjoy the beautiful snowy landscape of the region and visit picturesque towns such as Villa La Angostura.

The forest that inspired Walt Disney´s Bambi

San Telmo Productions has filmed a webmercial for Pottery Barn in the beautiful mountains as well as scouted locations for two international documentaries (you probably knew that it was a hide out for Nazis) and has a network of local production people who know great characters and locations. Contact us for more information on how we can make Bariloche the next location for your commercial, film or documentary.

Cordoba–The Heart of Argentina offers Mountains, rivers and Colonial Architecture–Great location doubles for American West

In Cordoba city, colonial constructions blend with modern industry.

by Amelia Batho, contributing blogger

Argentina has a plethora of interesting landscapes for filming locations and many of these are found in the province of Cordoba, located in the center of the country.

What does Cordoba offer the film maker? A fantastic range of natural and man made backdrops. The physical landscapes are some of the most beautiful in the country and include the undulating Cordoba Sierras (small mountains) and valleys, hosting idyllic salt lakes and streams. Many of the landscapes can double for the American West-think Colorado, Idaho and Montana.

Cordoba-Argentina-filled with rivers, stream and foothills

The vast, fertile grassland of the Humid Pampas can also be found in this province.

The historic city of Cordoba offers outstanding, historic architecture, from churches to convents and colonial-style houses which date as far back as the 16^th century. A notable landmark is the beautiful Cathedral, Manzana Jesuitica (see picture above). It is one of the largest cities in Argentina, home to the oldest university in the country and the historical importance is matched by the industrial strength of the city.

While Cordoba is the heart of Argentina, it is not a popular international tourist destination or filming location–right now it is the center of internal tourism. So if you are lo0king for an undiscovered location but with great infrastructure, Cordoba could be the ideal location for your next film or commercial. And the weather is dry and sunny!

And here are some other locations to think about:

German lifestyle and buildings abound in Villa Belgrano, Cordoba

Villa Belgrano: This small mountain village was settled by German settlers who constructed typical alpine houses. It hosts the annual octoberfest.

Cordoba is literally the heart of Argentina. The capitol is about 6-8 hours drive from Buenos Aires, or 40 minutes by air.

Villa Carlos Paz: a lake surrounded by mountains, is one of the main tourist destinations in summer, empty in winter. If your story is about an amusement park in the mountains, look no further.

Seminar on Cinema Distribution This Weekend

by Tracey Chandler, contributing blogger

There’s a seminar on cinema distribution this weekend in Buenos Aires on Saturday 24th and Sunday 15th April, 2010, from 2pm – 7pm, led by the cinema distributor Manuel Garcia. The seminar is hosted by Haciendo Cine, the film industry magazine of record in Argentina.

The seminar takes place in La Casa de Virrey, situated in the Belgrano neighbourhood, only four blocks away from Cabildo and the subte station José Hernández on the D (green) Line. Inscription onto the course can be made via this link http://www.haciendocine.com.ar/cursos_hc/cursos/distribucion-cine.html and payment is accepted online, amongst other forms.

Production Fixing in Buenos Aires: Nazi Hunters

Today, Gabriel of San Telmo Productions just set out to do location scouting for “The Nazi Hunters” a documentary series produced by NextFilms of Toronto Canada. Often, foreign TV crews want to resolve things in the moment (hence, the term production “fixer” meaning you solve problems in the moment) but a lot of times it makes sence to do location scouting beforehand.

For example, for the show “The Nazi Hunters” which centers on the Eichmann abduction in Buenos Aires, a lot of the locations no longer exist or are not fully known. Trying to find a house that looks similar to the safe house where the Nazi criminal was held before being taken to Israel in the moment would take too much time.

A few days of planning can save precious hours during a shoot, and in this case the crew will be here for very little time.

Local Production Fixer Tip: You can save time or money, not both

Argentina offers a wide range of locations and tons of state-of-the art film and video equipment, but for you to take advantage of this in a cost-effective way, the key is giving your local fixer the most time possible. For example, there are tons of Sony Z-1 cameras in the market place and can be rented for a low price (as well as other cameras such as the Sony XDcam, Red 1, etc) BUT as there are so many productions going on they need to be secured well in advance to get a good price.

By extention, the same goes for setting up interviews. Argentines put a lot of empahsis on personal connections and contacts. If the local fixer can visit the interviewee a few times before the shoot, build trust and talk about the project, the subject will be more willing to participate than someone calling a day before and promising foreign TV exposure.

“The Hooker & the Transvestite” in pre-production

The clock is ticking. . . we have less than 15 days to produce, shoot, edit, score, color correct and do the final sound mix for our sequel to the award winning “The Hooker & the Transvestite” (La puta y la travesti) and upload it to the jury round of the filmaka.com “Hard times” contest.

So, what do you have to do before you shoot? It´s an endless list, but here are some of the basics in a fiction shoot:

1) Write the script. That seems obvious, but before you have the script locked, you have no idea what locations you need, the lights you need, the crew you need, etc. And if you want to get the best people on board, you better make it good.

2) Get your key people on board. These are the heads of each area: production, direction (ast. director and script supervisor), photography, sound, art. Each head is responsible for finding their crew members and creating lists of the materials they will need. Production is then responsible for making sure these requests fit in the overall budget and coordinating the different areas.

3) Cast. We decided to continue working with the same actors, but our lead actress is in Spain. So we decided to replace her with the very talented Lola Berthet, who at 28 has played many supporting and comic roles on TV and films, and is quite famous for her original look. The “drunk” will be played by Luis Machín, a talented actor most known for his roles as the bad guy.

Lola Berthet strikes a pose. She can also do absurd comedy.

Luis Machín, a great character actor

4) Find the location, and have all the key department heads look at it and see how the lights will be set up, if the sound will be usable, and logistical concerns (is there a bathroom nearby?)

5) Get permission for that location. See my other post on how long that can take!!!!

6) Rehearse with the actors. For this short film, two rehearsals will be fine.

7) The script is the guide, but in a fiction shoot a storyboard (literally a sketch of each scene as it will be seen by the camera) is created as a guide for the technicians, and also so the editor can see if a key shot is missing.

8) Maps of each set. These aerial views show where the camera goes, where the actors and key set pieces are located. Mainly used to keep the technicians from getting lost on the set (which happens after 10 hours of shooting in the freezing cold).

As you can see, a lot of planning is done to make sure that in the heat of shooting nothing is forgotten or taken too lightly. Some people say this stifles creativity, but I think of it as enabling the director to be creative because he or she knows that every detail has been thought of beforehand.