Ecuador



Locations. Ecuador is a small equatorial South American country offering a variety of locations and cultures in close proximity to each other. Ecuador locations can be divided into four main geographic regions:

Andes. Spanish colonial looks of Quito - the capital and main production centre of Ecuador. The
Andes mountain chain offer a variety of incredible landscapes including volcanoes such as Cotopaxi the highest active volcano in the world, national parks, scenic train journeys, mountains, lakes, rivers, waterfalls, and towns such as Otavalo and Ibarra.

Amazon. The Amazon jungle region, located to the east of the Andes, is one of the most accessible areas of the upper Amazon basin and offers one of the world's most biologically rich areas.

Coastal. Guayaquil is the main city and production centre in this region. The coast offers beaches, rivers, scenic coastal roads, whale breeding area, coffee and tropical fruit plantations.

Galapagos Islands. 600 miles west of Ecuador's coast the world renowned islands are home to home to some marine and land creatures found nowhere else in the world.

Permits. Depending on the scale and specifics of the project permits for most locations take no longer than a week.

When to shoot? Ecuador’s weather varies depending on the region. Along the coast, high rainfall occurs during the months of February and March. From the month of June to December, the coast experiences dry weather. The Andes region has a rainy season starting from October and extending to May. The region experiences dry weather from June to September. The Amazon region has rainfall throughout the year.

For monthly weather statistics please see here: http://www.gaisma.com/en/dir/ec-country.html

Please contact us for more specific weather and sun path information.

Costs. Locations, local talent and support crew are inexpensive but since little to no filming infrastructure exists all key crew and equipment must be brought in from abroad.

Talent is non-union and buyouts are negotiable.

Talent looks vary by region. Ecuador has a variety of talent looks including Amerindian, Caucasian, African and Asian.

Creative talent. Ecuador has a limited pool of local directors, directors of photography and stills photographers.

Please contact us for recommended directors, DoP's and photographers for your project.

Crews are non union. Supporting crew are good, resourceful and speak English. There are some key crew but for more complicated projects it is recommended to bring in your key crew from abroad.

Fringes. No hidden extras.

Premiums. Ecuador works on a twelve hour day but there are no fixed rules. We package deals for local crew / talent.

Equipment. Basic equipment available locally. Additional equipment can be easily brought in from Chile or Argentina.

Art department and set construction. It's best to bring in art department key crew to oversee the project. Quality of local craftsmanship is high and man power is cheap.

Studios. TV Stations such as Ecuavisa, Gamavisión and Teleamazonashave have good studios that are for rent.

Backlots don't exist at present.

Tax Incentives. At present there are no tax incentives for foreign feature films or commercials shooting in Ecuador.

Film Stock. Both Fuji and Kodak are available locally.

Post Production. There are no local facilities. Best to post in Argentina or Chile.

Visas and Work Permits. Please see here for work permit information: http://www.mmrree.gov.ec For more information contact your local Ecuadorian embassy / representative.

Transportation Infrastructure. Major roads are up to international standards. Most larger towns are serviced by the local airline. International flights to Quito are serviced by American Airlines, Continental, Avianca, Lan, Iberia, Lufthansa, Copa, Taca, Santa Barbara. 

Accommodation. Recommended hotels in Quito include:

Swissotel - http://www.swissotel.com/EN/Destinations/Ecuador
JW Marriott - http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/uiodt-jw-marriott-hotel-quito/
Radisson Royal - http://www.radisson.com/quitoec
Sheraton - http://www.starwoodhotels.com/fourpoints/property/overview/index.html?
Grand Hotel Mercure Alameda - http://www.mercure.com/mercure/fichehotel/gb/
Hilton Colón - http://www1.hilton.com/en_US/hi/hotel/QUIHIHF-Hilton-Colon-Quito-hotel/index.do
Dann Carlton - http://www.danncarltonquito.com/

Please contact us for corporate rates.

For longer stays we can also organize serviced apartments.

Communication. Web posted scouting and casting. Skype videoconferencing.

Safety. Petty crime is a problem in the larger cities. On the whole Ecuador is a relatively safe country. When shooting we have a security team just in case.

If you are looking for a film or photographic production service company, line producer or fixer in Ecuador, please contact us.

We are able to provide you with answers, references and bids quickly.