Nicaragua
Film Locations. Nicaragua is bordered by Costa Rica on the south and Honduras on the north, with the Caribbean Sea to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Nicaragua has three distinct geographical regions:
Pacific Lowlands:
Located in the west of the country, these lowlands consist of a broad, hot, fertile plain. Punctuating this plain are several large volcanoes. Lake Nicaragua is the largest freshwater lake in Central America and is home to the world's only freshwater sharks. In addition to its beach and resort communities, the Pacific Lowlands is also where you will find much of Nicaragua's Spanish colonial architecture.
Central Highlands:
This is an upland region away from the Pacific coast, with a cooler climate than the Pacific Lowlands. About a quarter of the country's agriculture takes place in this region, with coffee grown on the higher slopes. Oaks, pines, moss, ferns and orchids are abundant in the cloud forests of the region.
Atlantic Lowlands:
This large rainforest region, with several large rivers running through it, is very sparsely populated. The Caribbean coastline is known for its abundance of lagoons and deltas. The climate is predominantly tropical, with high temperature and high humidity.
Permits are typically same day
or within a couple of days.
When to shoot? The climate varies across Nicaragua as per the above regions and time of year. May through October is the rainy season, and December through April is the driest period.
For monthly weather statistics please see here.
Please contact us for more specific weather and sun path information.
Costs. The favorable exchange
rate means that your currency goes far in Nicaragua. 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 Nicaragua so street casting is often required.
Most talent looks in Nicaragua are Mestizo (mixed Spanish and Amerindian) with a considerable number of International-Latin looks available. Nicaragua's tropical east coast is also home to a significant Afro-Carribean community where English is widely spoken. All other talent needs to be brought in from abroad.
Creative talent. Nicaragua 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.
Local crew experience is limited and most do not speak fluent English. It is best to bring in your key crew from abroad.
Fringes and Premiums. No hidden extras. No fixed premiums apply. We package deals for local crew / talent.
Equipment needs to be brought in from abroad.
Art department and set construction is very limited in Nicaragua. We improvise with what is available to us.
Studios and backlots at present do not exist in Nicaragua.
Tax Incentives. There are no tax incentives for foreign feature films or commercials shooting in Nicaragua.
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 post production facilities exist at present.
Visas and Work Permits. Only certain countries need visas and there is no need for work permits. Contact your local Nicaraguan embassy / representative for more information.
Transportation. The road
system is quite undeveloped. Managua international airport is serviced by Spirit Airlines, Delta and American Airlines.
Accommodation. Recommended hotels in Nicaragua include:
InterContinental
Hilton
Seminole Plaza
Crown Plaza
Please contact us for corporate rates.
For longer stays we can also organize serviced apartments.
Communication. Web posted casting, scouting and videoconferencing.
Safety. Like in most of the poorer Latin American countries, a certain amount of street crime does exist centred mostly in the bigger cities. However it's fair to say that Nicaragua on the whole is a safe place
for filming.
Projects. For an example of TV commercials, online advertising, corporate videos, stills campaigns, feature films, TV series and documentaries shot in Nicaragua, please see below:
Our production service companies, line producers and fixers have serviced TV commercials, online advertising, corporate videos, stills campaigns, feature films, TV series and documentaries for:
AXA Belgium, BBC UK, Canon Singapore, Coca Cola Indonesia, Concord Canada, Dove Malaysia, Deutche Bank Germany, Dressman Sweden, Evian France, HBO USA, Heineken Ireland, Hyundai Korea, Intercontinental Hotels Global, ITC India, Kirin Japan, Kraft USA, Landrover UK, LG Korea, Meunil China, McDonalds Australia, MUFG Japan, Nikon Hong Kong, Nokia China, Orange Moblie Slovakia, Philips Netherlands, Proctor & Gamble USA, Chery Riich China, Rimowa Germany, Samsung Korea, Sinoland Hong Kong, Skipper Italy, Smirnoff USA, Sony United Arab Emirates, Stella Russia, Telefonica Spain, Vidal Sassoon China, Virgin Media UK, and much more.
If you are looking for a film or photographic production service company, line producer or fixer in Nicaragua, please contact us.
We are able to provide you with answers, references and bids quickly.
