Peru
Film Locations. Peru ranks amongst the world's great centres of ancient civilization and has one of the richest biodiversities on earth.
Natural Locations:
- Lake Titikaka is the highest navigable lake in the world.
- The Amazon River and its tributaries.
- Cordillera Blanca is one of the world's most picturesque mountain ranges.
- Manu National Park for pristine virgin rainforest.
- Colca Canyon is the deepest canyon in the world.
- Gocta is one of the tallest waterfalls in the world.
- Cerro Blanco is the worlds largest sand dune.
- Paracas Islands for abundant marine wildlife.
Historic Locations:
- The lost Inca city of Machu Picchu.
- Chan Chan is the largest mud brick city in the world.
- Caral is the centre of the oldest society in the Americas.
- Huaca de la Luna is an ancient pyramid covered in colorful frescos.
- Kuelap is one of the largest stone structures in the world.
- The Nasca Lines are the giant enigmatic glyphs etched into the desert.
- Cusco is the colonial town and Inca capital.
- Lima is the historical centre.
Lima. The capital and main production centre. Beaches, Inca and Pre-Inca archeological sites, modern and colonial architecture and some of the best restaurants in South America.
Cusco. Machu Picchu, Sacsayhuaman, Pisac and other archeological sites. The Sacred Valley for natural beauty and agriculture. Local markets. Colonial looks. Traditional Quechua Villages and picturesque snow covered peaks.
Arequipa. Stunning colonial architecture and dramatic otherworldly landscapes including volcanoes, salt lakes, canyons sand dunes and more.
Trujillo. Tropical Beaches, giant archeological complexes and some of the finest surfing in the world.
Iquitos. Native jungle tribes, virgin rainforest and abundant wildlife.
Permits. Per days costs of archeological locations range from US$300 to US$1000. Permits need to be applied for 2 weeks prior to shooting. Permits for most other locations are easier and less expensive.
When to shoot? Peru has a tropical climate so sunlight hours vary minimally from summer to winter. Peru is said to have 81 0f 104 possible ‘life zones’, more than any other country in the world, so there are many possible types of weather throughout the year. To simplify these Peru is divided up into three very distinct geographic zones:
Coast. Peru's southern coast has one of the driest deserts in the world with high temperatures during the day and cool to cold nights. Sunshine and Mediterranean summer weather all year round. The central coast in summer is similar but experiences cold and overcast winters with almost no rain. The northern coast is much more tropical with warm sunny days throughout the year and mild temperatures at night.
Highlands. Most of the Andes have a typical high altitude climate. April to October is the dry season marked by long sunny days and cold nights. November to March is the rainy season. The extremity of the seasons and temperatures varies greatly based on latitude and altitude.
Jungle. Lowland jungle areas are warm and humid throughout the year with rain fall varying only slightly between summer and winter.
For monthly weather statistics please see here.
Please contact us for more specific weather and sun path information.
Costs. Locations, talent and services costs are inexpensive but since little filming infrastructure exists much of the key crew and equipment must be brought in from abroad.
Talent is non-union and buyouts are negotiable.
Talent looks vary by region. On the coast people tend to be mestizos (mixed Spanish and Amerindian decent). Many of the coastal areas are also populated by large black communities of African decent. In the Andes the majority of the population are of Amerindian decent (Quechua and Aymara). People tend to be short and stocky with copper skin, hooked nose, black hair and high cheek bones. In the jungle the indigenous people are short and lean with black hair, almost Asian features and red skin. All other talent looks are limited and need to be brought in from abroad.
To view an example of the local talent looks
please visit:
54 Once
Creative talent. Peru 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 non union. Supporting crew are satisfactory and some key crew also have experience servicing foreign productions and speak English. For more complicated projects it is recommended to bring in your key crew from abroad.
Fringes. No hidden extras.
Premiums. We package deals for local crew / talent. Typically, Peru works on a 12 hour day. Travel days are 50%. No weekend, night or holiday premiums.
Equipment. Some basic equipment is available locally. Available cameras include Arri 345 and Arri III. HD cameras are limited so it is recommended you bring them into the country. Helicopter mounts and other highly specialized equipment is not available but can be 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 and Backlots don't exist at present.
Tax Incentives. At present there are no tax incentives for feature films or
commercials shooting in Peru. Foreign crews are exempt from hotel accommodation tax.
Film Stock. Both Fuji and Kodak are available locally.
Post Production. There is one processing and transfer facility in Lima but the standard is quite average. It is best to post abroad.
Visas and Work Permits. A press visa is recommended for any crew entering Peru with equipment. The rest of the crew and clients can travel on tourist visas. Press visas are free and can be easily obtained through the Peruvian embassy in your country. They typically take up to two weeks to process. Contact your local Peruvian embassy / representative for more information.
Transportation Infrastructure has improved considerably in recent times. Major cities are linked by sealed roads however due to the mountainous terrain it is recommended to fly when possible. The most reliable domestic carrier is LAN Peru servicing 28 domestic airports. Several international carriers service flights to Lima.
Accommodation. Recommended hotels in Lima include:
Swissotel Lima
JW Marriott Hotel
Miraflores Park Hotel
Please contact us for corporate rates.
For longer stays we can also organize serviced apartments.
Communication. Web posted casting, scouting and videoconferencing.
Safety. Petty crime is a problem in the larger cities. Peru has one terrorist group called the Shining Path however it has not been active since the capture of its leader Abismael Gusman in 1992. Some parts of the central Andes are controlled by cocaine producers so for your own safety these areas are best avoided.
Projects. For an example of TV commercials, online advertising, corporate videos, stills campaigns, feature films, TV series and documentaries shot in Peru, 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 Peru, please contact us.
We are able to provide you with answers, references and bids quickly.
