COLOMBIA

An emerging favorite for international productions, Colombia combines rich settings with very attractive incentives. Within its borders you’ll find Caribbean beaches, colonial cities like Cartagena, rugged Andean mountains, and Amazonian jungles – a huge variety of looks in a relatively compact area. Colombia is a major Latin American production hub thanks to its generous 40% film rebate program  (plus an additional 20% rebate on local logistics costs ) – one of the best incentive packages in the region. The country has a growing film industry and experienced crews, and it has shed its old image to become a safe, welcoming place for filmmakers. Mission Control has on-ground experience in Colombia’s film hubs (such as Bogotá and Medellín) to ensure you benefit from local support and avoid red tape. From coordinating with Colombia’s film commission to hiring expert local stunt teams, we’ll make filming here as dynamic and rewarding as the locations themselves.

• Travel Times: Paris to Bogotá is about an 11-hour direct flight (Air France and others fly non-stop). Major US hubs have shorter connections: from New York it’s ~5 hours to Bogotá, and from Los Angeles around 7–8 hours (often via Miami or Houston). Within Latin America, Colombia is easily reached via Panama City or Miami. Note that Colombia has multiple international airports (Bogotá, Medellín, Cartagena, Cali), so crews can often fly straight to the region of shooting.

• Weather: Colombia’s climate is tropical and, importantly, varies more by region and altitude than by season . Being near the equator, there are no winter/summer distinctions, but there are wet and dry periods. The Caribbean coast and llanos (eastern plains) have a dry season roughly December–April. The Andes regions (like Bogotá, Medellín) also experience two drier seasons: roughly December–March and July–August are the best windows for consistent weather . Bogotá sits at 2,600m altitude, giving it mild days (~18°C) and chilly nights year-round (“eternal spring” climate, though nights can be as low as 5–10°C). Coastal cities like Cartagena are hot (30°C+) and humid with tropical rains mainly April–November. The Amazon region in the south is hot and wet most of the year. For filming purposes, you can generally shoot year-round in Colombia by choosing the right region at the right time – e.g. plan Caribbean beach shoots in Jan–March for sunshine, or use Bogotá’s relatively stable climate anytime (just be prepared for some rain and cooler temps in the capital).

• Film Industry Considerations: Colombia has become a popular production destination in recent years, so the local industry is experienced and growing. Bogotá is the main production hub where most crew and equipment are based . You’ll find a solid pool of bilingual (English-speaking) crew; heads of departments (directors of photography, production designers, etc.) and many technicians are fluent and accustomed to foreign productions . Crews are non-union, known for being hardworking and flexible with overtime and turnaround times – this adds efficiency to shooting schedules. There are several high-end rental houses in Bogotá and Medellín, offering modern gear (for example, Alexa cameras, Phantom high-speed cameras, Technocranes and full lighting/grip packages are available locally ). For permits, Colombia has an accommodating framework: the Bogotá Film Commission (and other city commissions) can approve standard permits in ~2 weeks, usually at no charge . More complex shoots (e.g. downtown street closures, extensive public space use, or drone filming) require longer lead time and possibly fees or police support, but these are navigable with a local fixer. One requirement: foreign crews often need a local production service company or fixer to sponsor permits and coordinate with authorities – in practice, any serious shoot will have a Colombian production partner to handle this. Colombia offers professional services like casting (a diverse talent pool thanks to the country’s mix of ethnicities) and production design; keep in mind some specialized services (large soundstages, advanced post-production) are limited but improving.

• Recommended Shooting Locations: Colombia is incredibly diverse in locations for its size . For colonial charm and vibrant color, Cartagena’s walled old city on the Caribbean coast is a standout – its cobblestone streets and bougainvillea-draped balconies are perfect for fashion campaigns or luxury travel visuals. In the interior, the Coffee Region (around Quindío) provides lush green hillscapes with coffee plantations and the iconic Cocora Valley wax palm forests – a unique, almost surreal landscape great for high-end automotive or outdoor lifestyle shoots. The country also boasts desert terrains like the Tatacoa Desert (reddish rock formations under dramatic skies) and the Guajira Peninsulawith its dunes by the sea, both excellent for car commercials needing wide open, otherworldly spaces. Urban options include Bogotá’s mix of modern skylines and historic districts (the colonial La Candelaria neighborhood, or the gritty-cool street art of downtown Bogotá) and Medellín’s modern cityscape set in a mountain valley. Colombia’s Caribbean beaches (e.g. Palomino or Tayrona with palm-fringed white sand and turquoise water) rival any tropical destination for paradise-like scenes. With mountains, jungles (the Amazon in Leticia or Chocó’s rainforests), colonial towns (like Barichara or Villa de Leyva), and even high-altitude lagoons, Colombia can cover a wide range of location needs within relatively short distances. summarizes that you can find “vibrant cities, Spanish colonial architecture, Amerindian ruins, beaches, islands, mountains, rainforest, waterfalls, rivers, and deserts” – all within Colombia’s borders.

• Production Incentives: Colombia offers one of the most attractive incentive schemes in Latin America. International productions can access a 40% cash rebate on qualified local production expenditures (services such as crew, equipment rental, catering, etc.) and an additional 20% rebate on logistical expenses like hotels, transportation and flights purchased in Colombia . In practice, this means up to 40% of your shooting expenses and 20% of your lodging/travel costs in-country can be reimbursed by the Colombian Film Commission’s program (known as the FFC – Filming in Colombia incentive). There is a minimum spend requirement (around USD $500k for long-form content), and the project must apply and be approved beforehand. For smaller projects like commercials that may not hit the threshold, Colombia also has a newer incentive in the form of a transferable tax credit (called CINA) – a 35% tax credit which can be sold on, effectively yielding cash back. The incentive programs have made Colombia very affordable: combined with already lower production costs, producers often find shooting in Colombia to cost a fraction (sometimes half) of an equivalent shoot in the US or Europe . It’s advisable to involve the Colombia Film Commission or a local line producer early to navigate the application process for these incentives.

• Logistical Challenges: While Colombia’s major cities are production-friendly, certain challenges persist. High altitudein Bogotá can be a factor – crews coming from sea level might need a day to adjust (and heavy physical activity or extensive gear hauling can be more taxing at 2,600m). For comfort, it’s wise to schedule lighter work on the first day in Bogotá. Transportation within cities like Bogotá can be slow due to traffic; coordinating call times to avoid rush hour and consolidating locations can help. If your shoot involves multiple regions (say, Andes and coast), expect to do internal flights – fortunately these are short (1–2 hour flights) and frequent, but factor in gear transfer (shipping equipment by air or having duplicate gear sets in different cities through rental houses). Some remote areas (deep Amazon jungle, certain mountainous villages) have limited road access – reaching them may require chartering small planes, 4x4 vehicles, horses, or hiking with gear, so plan logistics and backup plans carefully. Security in Colombia has improved drastically and the country is safe to film in popular areas; however, remote jungle zones or border regions might still present risks (or be controlled by park authorities/indigenous communities), so local guidance is essential. Lastly, rain can be an unpredictable challenge – in tropical areas, sudden downpours or even mudslides can occur in wet season. It’s common to build some weather contingency into the schedule, especially if filming outdoors in the Andes or rainforest zones. By leveraging knowledgeable local production teams and allowing flexibility, these logistical hurdles can be overcome, letting you tap into Colombia’s immense creative potential.