FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Filming costs can vary depending on the scope of the production. In addition to location or studio fees, the cost will depend on the size of the crew, any specialized equipment hire, the logistical and security requirements, as well as the genre of the shoot.

In the last few years, Story Productions has provided local and remote crews— made possible by live streaming technology and shoots directed remotely by international clients. The ever-evolving technology of live streaming reduces the overall cost for these types of projects.

Whether you’re sending a crew, needing support for a remote shoot, or looking to hire a filming crew in Brazil, we can provide a quote tailored to your budget.

Like filming costs, crew costs can also vary depending on the scope of the project. How many camera operators do you need? Will you need a sound technician or a director of photography? Will you need a fixer or a translator? Working with Story Productions guarantees the best crew to fit every budget, whether the production is big or small.

While there is no cost per se in obtaining authorization from ANCINE to film in Brazil, it does involve some administrative work in requesting permission. Story Productions can handle this process for a reasonable fee.

There will be a fee to film in the majority of locations in Brazil, which will vary depending on whether it's a private or public location. For the latter, the cost can vary according to which local, state or federal body issues the permit. We can give estimates for location costs as part of our location scouting services.

There are plenty of solutions for creative minds on a tight budget. Story Productions has the talent and tools to help you make your micro-budget film happen.

Government incentives have helped set Brazil apart as the place to go for filming in South America. Some grants are available from private companies via fiscal incentive schemes but they are competitive. We can provide up-to-date information about the latest grants and how to apply. A cash rebate scheme is also being discussed by City Hall for productions in São Paulo. 

To send a foreign crew to film in Brazil, prior authorisation from the Brazilian Film Agency (ANCINE) is required, with the exception of news productions. Story Productions can help international production companies obtain ANCINE authorisation for their shoot. Once the ANCINE authorisation has been obtained, the crew can then get a business visa from their nearest Brazilian Embassy or Consulate.

First up, it's worth noting that you only need ANCINE authorisation  if you're planning to send a foreign crew to film in Brazil. News crews are exempt from needing ANCINE authorisation, as are shoots which are entirely shot by a Brazilian production company, be it remote directed or otherwise.

If you intend to film a commercial to be broadcasted in Brazil, be aware of the advantages of producing it in Brazil. For any commercial to be broadcasted in Brazil, you will need to pay the Condecine (Contribution to the Development of the National Film Industry) fee. The Condecine fee is symbolic for commercials produced in Brazil by a Brazilian crew. The fee for “imported” commercials is considerable and should be taken into consideration when deciding where to produce.

News productions do not require prior authorisation. All other types of audiovisual productions—such as commercials, documentaries, corporate videos and foreign movies—must have ANCINE authorisation, so long as they plan to send a foreign crew to shoot in Brazil. Find out more about getting permission to film in Brazil.

It depends on whether the public location is owned by the city council, the state or the federal government. Story Productions can not only recommend locations tailored to all briefs and budget sizes, we can also apply to the relevant body to obtain a film permit.

Yes. All productions that partner in any capacity with a local Brazilian audiovisual production company (a co-production effort) must hire local talent.

This may not come as a surprise, but English is not widely spoken in Brazil, even in its largest cities. Portuguese is the language here and Spanish speakers are mistaken if they think they’ll easily understand Brazilian Portuguese. Having a local, bilingual crew is essential, and Story Productions prides itself on its language skills – we can provide Brazilian production services in English, Spanish, German and French. Read our case study on tackling language and cultural barriers while shooting in Brazil.

Yes! Through live streaming technology, we’ve provided remote production services to clients that have accompanied shoots all over Brazil, including the UK’s ITN Productions, a kids entertainment series for a German network and a number of corporate interviews. Plenty more must remain unnamed, for privacy reasons, but we can share an overview of how live streaming is enabling remote production services.

Production companies planning to travel to Brazil with equipment will need the e-BDV. It is also important to check if the airline the visiting crew is using has any baggage restrictions. Some types of batteries and lighting are prohibited on aeroplanes; weight and baggage amount limits also wildly vary between carriers. Story Productions can provide support to navigate the process of bringing your equipment to Brazil.

Yes! São Paulo is the best place for a wide variety of equipment rental companies offering state-of-the-art equipment at the most competitive rates, from aerial camera mounts to lenses, cameras, lighting and even live transmission satellite trucks. You name it, Story Productions can source it in São Paulo.

Equipment rental is also available in other cities outside of São Paulo, but we recommend hiring equipment in São Paulo and travelling with it to the shoot location.

Yes! Story Productions offers both live streaming services and satellite broadcast solutions. From remote directing to webinars, we can provide the full range of live streaming technologies

In major metropolitan areas, wifi and mobile data are easily accessible. In remote areas, connectivity may be patchy. There are plans to roll out 5G connectivity in all 27 states in Brazil by July 2022.

Security can be an issue in certain parts of some cities; Story Productions can advise clients on the risks of specific locations, and provide security detail.

The seasonal period for yellow fever is December to May, according to the WHO, and the risk areas have expanded in recent years to include coastal areas of the South-East of Brazil (which include Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo).

Besides that, Brazilians and foreigners must present to the airline, when entering the country, a proof of Covid-19 vaccination, either printed or electronic. Foreigners who are not fully vaccinated are not allowed to enter unless they meet some requirements.

Keep your crew protected and guarantee the success of your shoot in Brazil with

 our production tips.

Brazil has five climate zones – equatorial, tropical, semi-arid, highland tropical and subtropical. What all of Brazil has in common are the seasons: summer, the wet season, which falls between December and March, and winter, the dry season, which falls between June and September. The further north you go, the higher the heat and humidity. The further south you go, the cooler it is. The Amazon—always hot and humid—only experiences variations in rainfall, dictating whether you can travel on foot or by canoe.

For shooting, this means that you can find four seasons in one day in Brazil. Story Productions helps foreign production companies choose the right location and time of year for their shoot.

From beaches to rocky coastline, mountains, waterfalls, canyons, rainforests, deserts, gaucho savannah, arid interiors, colonial towns, sprawling metropolises and modernist architecture, the location possibilities are only as limited as your research. Looking for a location scout in Brazil? Story Productions can help foreign production companies find the best location for their shoot.

Brazil has the second largest number of airports globally. Domestic air travel is affordable and broadly used, with an infrastructure of 44 international airports and over 725 local (paved runway) airports. 

Of Brazil’s 1.7 million kilometres of roads, 215,000 are paved. The main interstate highways are managed by DNIT, a federal government agency.

Travel by bus (local, intercity, or international) is very common, with a sophisticated system of bus line networks and intercity fare classes that can get you to just about anywhere you want to go. 

Story Productions can coordinate all the travel logistics for your foreign production in Brazil.

Restaurants, commercial establishments, and homes in metropolitan areas have water treated (chlorinated) by the city and many people drink it with no ill effects. However, the questionable sanitary condition of the water pipes in some areas makes it advisable to consume only bottled or filtered water for drinking or food consumption purposes.

In rural areas, or anywhere water treatment may be unknown, it is advisable to only consume tap water if boiled, or purchase canned or bottled water. Ice may have been made from tap water and should be avoided

The Real (pl. reais) is the official currency of Brazil. Indicated by the sign R$ or the code BRL, it is subdivided into 100 centavos. The Central Bank of Brazil is the main bank and issuing authority.

At the start of each project, we discuss with the client in great detail what support they will need. We will then assign a fixer, videographer or a larger crew according to the project specifics.

It's important to stress that cultural norms as well as bureaucratic processes and filming protocols can vary widely from region to region in a country the size of Brazil, making local on-the-ground knowledge through fixer services a vital factor for a successful shoot.

Many of our clients come to us to arrange a shoot in the Amazon rainforest. Sometimes our clients want to shoot on Brazil's beaches, in the mountains or in the desert. Whether it's for a science documentary, a wildlife film, a commercial or a fashion shoot, we're experienced in dealing with the specific challenges of filming in each of Brazil's natural environments. Where needed, we can provide bilingual fixers who are nature experts or biologists with experience filming in remote locations.

Brazil's largest cities also pose their own challenges for film crews, from security issues to transport challenges. Our Brazil fixers are experts in filming in their own cities, be it São Paulo, Porto Alegre, Rio de Janeiro, Recife, Salvador, Manaus, Brasília, Florianópolis or Belém. Most of our shoots are in fact in Brazil's cities, and often involve an element of filming in favelas (poor neighbourhoods), in both Rio de Janeiro  and São Paulo (link to BPS case study). These shoots require extra special care, negotiating with local leaders or residents' associations to guarantee safe entry for the crew in the favela, and obtaining permission in advance for drone shoots. Our fixers always have prior experience filming in any chosen favela.