COSTA RICA

• Travel Times: Paris to San José, Costa Rica is about 11.5 hours non-stop (Air France offers direct flights several times weekly). There are also one-stop options via Madrid or the US. From the US, Costa Rica is very accessible – roughly 3 hours from Miami, 5 hours from New York, and 6 hours from Los Angeles (LAX has direct flights to Liberia, in northern Costa Rica’s Guanacaste region). Costa Rica has two international airports (San José Juan Santamaría and Liberia Daniel Oduber), so crew can fly directly to the region closest to your locations .

• Weather: Costa Rica has a tropical climate with warm temperatures year-round. The key factor is rainfall. The country’s dry season runs roughly December through April, which is the most popular time for filming due to consistent sunshine . The rainy season (often called the “green season”) is May through November, peaking in September/October with heavy downpours. During the wet months, mornings are often clear with rains in afternoons/evenings. The Caribbean coast has a slightly different pattern, with more year-round humidity and two rain peaks (around June and November). Temperatures vary by elevation: coastal areas are hot (30°C+), while the central highlands (including San José) are pleasantly mild (20–27°C) and cooler at night. For filming, plan outdoor-heavy shoots in dry season if possible – e.g. lush jungle scenes can still be filmed in green season (the landscape is vibrant then), but expect some schedule interruptions from rain. Note that daylight is consistent (being near the equator) – roughly 12 hours of light year-round (~5:30am to 5:30pm), so plan accordingly for available natural light.

• Film Industry Considerations: Costa Rica’s production industry is smaller but efficient and very welcoming. Crews are non-union and known for being cost-effective and hardworking . A big plus is language: Costa Rica has one of the highest rates of English proficiency in Latin America , so communication on set is usually smooth (most crew, especially those working with international projects, speak English). The country is politically stable and has good infrastructure – reliable telecommunications, decent roads to most areas, and a top-notch healthcare system (important for crew safety). There are a number of production service companies in San José that can provide local crew, gear, scouting, and permitting assistance. Equipment: Basic film equipment (camera packages, lighting, grip) is available for rent, though the inventory may not be as extensive as in Mexico or Colombia. For high-end productions, heavy equipment (e.g. a technocrane or specialized lenses) might need to be brought in – however, Costa Rica’s new incentive law makes importing gear tax-free and straightforward. Studios: Only small studios exist (up to ~10,000 sq. ft.) , suitable for product or small set shoots; there aren’t large soundstages for big set-piece builds, so most shooting is done on location. Permits: Filming permits are generally easy to obtain. The Costa Rica Film Commission assists with one-stop permitting. A simple permit for public spaces takes around 2 weeks to process . National parks and protected areas do require special permits and sometimes a park ranger escort – these can take longer, so engage with the Film Commission early if you plan to shoot in a park (Costa Rica’s famed parks system is 25% of its territory ). Overall, Costa Rica’s film industry is very service-oriented: you can expect a helpful bureaucracy and enthusiastic local partners, especially since the country is keen to attract more international productions.

• Recommended Shooting Locations: Costa Rica is renowned for its natural beauty, which offers a bounty of choices for visuals. Lush rainforests are one of the top draws – for example, the Monteverde Cloud Forest with its misty canopy and hanging bridges provides an ethereal backdrop ideal for fashion or adventure campaigns. Numerous waterfalls (like La Fortuna or Nauyaca Falls) are accessible and dramatic for on-camera action or as a setting for vehicles in SUV commercials. Volcanoes are a signature: Arenal Volcano, a near-perfect cone, towers over a lake and rainforest and can add epic scale to a shot (it’s great for car commercials or outdoor gear ads, with surrounding winding roads and hot springs). The Pacific Coast beaches – e.g. around Guanacaste or the Nicoya Peninsula – offer golden sands, surf waves, and stunning sunsets for lifestyle and automotive spots (imagine a car ad on a pristine beach at dusk). On the Caribbean side, locations like Puerto Viejo have palm-lined black and white sand beaches with a more rustic, jungle-meets-sea vibe. Costa Rica’s biodiversity also means you can get wildlife in the frame (colorful toucans, monkeys in trees) if desired, or use ecotourism sites like hanging bridge trails, zip-lines through jungle, and mangrove estuariesas dynamic backdrops. Interestingly, Costa Rica can double for various tropical locales: it has stood in for African jungles and Southeast Asia in past shoots (in one area, El Salto in Liberia, there’s even an African safari park with giraffes and zebras for an “African savannah” look ). In sum, for car commercials and high-end ads, Costa Rica offers spectacular roads cutting through mountains and jungles, postcard-perfect beaches, and exotic greenery – all in a relatively compact area.

• Production Incentives: In 2021 Costa Rica enacted the Film Investment Attraction Law, which introduced compelling incentives for foreign productions. The package includes roughly an 11.7% cash rebate on all local spend(effectively a refund on the 13% VAT for production goods and services, making most local costs VAT-free). This rebate has no cap and applies to all budget lines spent in Costa Rica when approved – a significant benefit for commercial productions of any size. Additionally, the law provides full tax exemptions for foreign cast and crew salaries while working in Costa Rica (no local income tax or withholding on their fees), and it waives import duties on equipment brought in for the project. These incentives became available from mid-2022 and require a simple application through the Costa Rica Film Commission. Beyond the new law, producers will find Costa Rica’s overall costs moderate; crew rates and location fees are generally lower than in North America or Europe. The government’s push to promote filming means they are often willing to assist in kind – for instance, coordinating with police for road control at no charge, or expediting customs clearance for gear. All these factors create a very budget-friendly scenario for filming in Costa Rica.

• Logistical Challenges: While small, Costa Rica does have a few challenges to note. The rainy season can cause production delays – heavy downpours might interrupt filming or make dirt roads impassable (especially in remote rainforest or mountain areas, landslides can occasionally occur). It’s crucial to have contingency plans (cover sets or alternative indoor locations) if shooting during wetter months, or simply aim for the dry season for key outdoor sequences. Remote locations like deep jungle waterfalls or cloud forest trails may require 4x4 vehicles, hiking in equipment, and dealing with high humidity that can affect gear (rain protection and dehumidifiers for equipment are a must in the rainforest). Crew and equipment resources, while solid, are not unlimited – the country can comfortably host up to four productions simultaneously before straining local crew availability . This means for very large shoots or back-to-back projects, you might need to import additional crew (which is facilitated by the new law’s tax breaks). However, given Costa Rica’s size, nothing is very far: one can drive coast to coast in a day, so moving your unit is relatively easy compared to larger countries. Lastly, tropical wildlife and insects are part of the environment – bug spray, boots, and knowing how to handle encounters (like not leaving food out in monkey areas) are part of the shooting experience here. In summary, Costa Rica’s challenges are mainly natural – weather and terrain – and can be mitigated with season planning and experienced local guides. The country’s well-organized support for film productions helps ensure that even with these challenges, a shoot in Costa Rica remains smooth and enjoyable.