Honduras
Locations. Honduras borders the Caribbean Sea on the north coast and the Pacific Ocean on the south. The Honduran territory consists mainly of mountains, but there are narrow plains along the coasts, a large undeveloped lowland jungle La Mosquitia region in the northeast - the UNESCO world heritage Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve, a lowland rainforest which is home to a wealth of biodiversity, and the heavily populated lowland San Pedro Sula valley in the northwest. Honduras has Mayan ruins, colonial buildings, beaches, rivers, waterfalls, rainforests, national parks, cloud forests (which can rise up to nearly three thousand meters above sea level), mangroves, savannas and mountain ranges with pine and oak trees, and the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System.
Permits are typically same day
or within a couple of days. Permission to shoot the Mayan ruins has very little red tape as opposed to shooting Mayan ruins in Mexico
where it could take a few weeks. This easy access to shooting Mayan ruins is
one of the main reasons to shoot in Honduras.
When to shoot? The climate varies from tropical in the lowlands to temperate in the mountains. The central and southern regions are relatively hotter and less humid than the northern coast.
For monthly weather statistics please see here: http://www.gaisma.com/en/dir/hn-country.html
Please contact us for more specific weather and sun path information.
Costs. The favorable exchange
rate means that your currency goes far in Honduras. 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. Day rates are very reasonable and negotiated on a personal basis.
Casting facilities are rather undeveloped in Honduras so street casting is often required.
Honduras offers mostly Mestizo looks. All other talent looks need to be brought in from abroad.
Creative talent. Honduras has no 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 also non-union.
Limited depth of local crews. It is advisable to bring your key crew from
abroad.
Fringes and Premiums. Guatemala works on a twelve hour day. No fixed premiums apply. We package deals for local crew / talent.
Equipment. You will need to bring in all equipment from abroad.
Art department and set construction is very basic.
Studios and backlots. None exist at present.
Tax Incentives. At present there are no tax incentives for foreign
commercials or films shooting in Honduras.
Film Stock. No film stock available locally. Best to bring in from Miami or Mexico which have both Fuji and Kodak available.
Post Production. No labs exist locally. Post abroad.
Visas and Work Permits. Entry is subject to regulations from country of origin. Contact your local Honduran embassy / representative for more information.
Transportation. The road
system is quite undeveloped. The main international airlines serving Honduras are TACA, Copa Air, Delta Airlines, Continental Airlines, and American Airlines.
Accommodation. Recommended hotels in Honduras include:
InterContinental Real San Pedro Sula - http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/intercontinental/en
InterContinental Real Tegucigalpa - http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/intercontinental/en
Barefoot Cay - http://www.barefootcay.com/
Marriott - http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/tgumc-tegucigalpa-marriott-hotel/
Please contact us for corporate rates.
For longer stays we can also organize serviced apartments.
Communication. Web posted casting and scouting.
Safety. Like in most of the poorer Latin American countries, a certain amount of street crime does exist centered mostly in the bigger cities. However it's fair to say that Honduras on the whole is a safe place
for filming.
If you are looking for a film or photographic production service company, line producer or fixer in Honduras, please contact us.
We are able to provide you with answers, references and bids quickly.
