Your production in Ecuador

OUR TERRITORY

IntiFilms is your production partner in Ecuador, bringing local knowledge, trusted crews, and on-the-ground expertise to international film, television, commercial, documentary, and photography productions, from the first scout to the final wrap.

Ecuador is the only country in South America where you can shoot a colonial plaza at 9 AM, a volcano at noon, the Amazon by 3 PM, and the Pacific coast for sunset, without changing crews, without changing time zones, and without changing your production base.

At 283,561 square kilometers, roughly the size of Nevada, Ecuador packs more visual diversity per square kilometre than almost any territory on earth. The Andes split the country down the middle. The Amazon spills across the east. The Pacific coast runs the full western edge. And 1,000 kilometres offshore, the Galápagos Islands offer a landscape that does not exist anywhere else.

IntiFilms has been the local production partner for international crews in Ecuador since 2011. We are not limited to the locations we have already used. We are limited only by what your script demands. If it exists in Ecuador, we can get you there, get you permitted, get you crewed, get you equipped, and get you wrapped.

Here is what Ecuador's size means in production terms:

Location A	Location B	Driving Distance	Production Reality
Quito (colonial centre)	Cotopaxi (volcano)	1.5 hours	Same-day company move
Quito	Mindo (cloud forest)	2 hours	Same-day scout or shoot
Quito	Tena (Amazon)	4–5 hours	Block production; base in Tena
Quito	Pacific coast (Manta)	6–7 hours	Fly from Quito (30 min) or block from Guayaquil
Quito	Guayaquil	6–7 hours	Fly (45 min) for speed
Guayaquil	Galápagos (Baltra)	2-hour flight	Separate production block

You do not need multiple production offices. You need one hub, Quito, and a local partner who knows when to drive, when to fly, and when to base a second unit.

A production executive needs to know one thing before greenlighting a location:

Can we get the camera package we want without shipping it from Los Angeles?

The answer for Ecuador is yes, for the standard professional cinema packages. And for everything else, we have a proven temporary-import pipeline.

Rental House	Location	Key Equipment
CINEASSIST	Quito	ARRI Alexa Mini, RED cameras, cinema lenses, monitors, full accessories
EFD Studios	Quito	ARRI, Sony, RED, Canon, Cooke lenses — extensive camera, lens, and accessory inventory
Chicamocha Films	Quito	Sony Burano, Sony FX6, RED Helium, RED Komodo, ARRI Mini Alexa, ARRI Alexa
LEMONCINE	Quito	ARRI Alexa Mini packages, RED Scarlet-W 5K, ARRI Ultra Prime lenses, Atlas Mercury anamorphic lenses, ARRI Alura zooms, full lighting & grip packages (Aputure 1200d, Skypanel S60/S30, Nanlite Pavotubes, dolly, jib)
Ecuador Film Equipment Rentals	Quito	Full-service rental house — cameras, lighting, grip, open 7 days
Wylgar	Quito	Camera lens & filter rental — specialized optics
GLOCO	Quito	Audio, HD video, lighting, drones — nationwide coverage
CRIM Media	Ecuador-wide	17 years in market, worked with Univision NY and Associated Press — audio, video, lights, drones
Pangea	Cuenca	RED Raven, Panasonic GH5, DJI Phantom — documentary specialist

Local Rental Houses — Quito & Guayaquil

Ecuador’s production equipment sector has grown significantly. Quito and Guayaquil now host multiple rental houses stocking current-generation cinema cameras, lenses, lighting, grip, and drone packages. IntiFilms maintains active partnerships with the following suppliers

What This Means for Your Production

Cameras: ARRI Alexa Mini, ARRI Alexa, RED Komodo, RED Helium, Sony FX6, Sony Burano available locally.
Lenses: ARRI Ultra Primes, Zeiss CP.2, Cooke, Atlas Mercury anamorphic, ARRI Alura zooms, PS-Technik anamorphic zoom.
Lighting: Aputure 1200d/600c, ARRI Skypanels, Nanlite Pavotubes, full grip packages, C-stands, flags, frames, diffusion.
Support: Sachtler tripods, Teradek wireless video, Nucleus-M wireless follow focus, dolly, Jimmy Jib, smoke machines.
Drones: DJI platforms with DGAC-authorised local operators.

For Specialized High-End Packages

For productions requiring Specific cameras, or specific anamorphic sets not held locally, IntiFilms coordinates temporary import from regional rental hubs:

Bogotá, Colombia — 1.5-hour flight from Quito
Santiago, Chile — 4-hour flight
Buenos Aires, Argentina — 5-hour flight

Equipment enters Ecuador via SENAE temporary import (see Practical Logistics). We handle the paperwork, the customs broker, and the clearance. On Eileen, Off Track, and Getuige, we managed equipment logistics for Dutch productions using this exact model, local rental where possible, temporary import where necessary.

Our Equipment Commitment

We do not expect a production to compromise its look because of equipment availability. We expect to source what you need, locally, regionally, or through temporary import, and we manage the chain of custody from the rental house to the set to the return.

We do not present Ecuador as risk-free. We present it as a location where risk is identifiable, geographically concentrated, and operationally manageable.

Our Risk Philosophy

Controlled movement, cast, HODs, and sensitive personnel move through pre-arranged production transport.
Local knowledge, routes, locations, accommodation, and suppliers are assessed by people who understand the territory.
Redundancy, critical operations have alternatives wherever reasonably possible.
Low-profile operation, the production avoids unnecessary public exposure of international talent and high-value equipment.
Daily decision-making, security, weather, roads, and logistics are monitored throughout the day.

Three-Layer Security Model

Layer	Function
Layer 1: Local Production Management	Movement and route planning; professional drivers; location and accommodation assessment; daily risk monitoring
Layer 2: Private Security	Licensed personnel, scaled to location, cast profile, equipment value, and current conditions. Discreet and proportional.
Layer 3: Government / Public Security	Police and military support coordinated with Ecuadorian authorities for specific movements, remote locations, and traffic management. Subject to government approval.

Certificado de Inversión Audiovisual (CIA)

Ecuador’s audiovisual investment certificate can recognize up to 37% of qualifying costs and expenses incurred in Ecuador, subject to applicable requirements and foreign-investment regulations.

The incentive applies across formats features, series, documentaries, and advertising, with tiered minimum spends by production type and an overall cap. The rebate is reimbursed after audit, typically within around one month of a successful submission. Applications are managed through a local production-services company and the administrative process should begin several weeks before filming starts.

Note: Exact incentive eligibility and calculation must be confirmed with the relevant Ecuadorian authority and production accountant before being incorporated into final financing.

Cost Competitiveness

Local crew rates are competitive with other Latin American production centers.
The 12-person international unit model substantially reduces travel, accommodation, and per-diem costs.
Ecuador’s compact geography reduces transport time between location types.
US-dollar economy eliminates currency-exchange risk.

Entry, Visas & Crew Accreditation

Film crews require a visa supported by a letter of introduction, proof of production plans, filming authorisation, and a detailed project proposal. Processing typically takes 10–15 working days. Accreditation is arranged separately through the Ministry of Culture and Heritage and should be applied for several weeks ahead.

Because the visa, accreditation, and permit processes are interlinked, working with a local partner who manages them is essential.

Film Permits & Location Permissions

Film permits are issued by the Ecuadorian Ministry of Culture and Heritage. The process typically takes 5–10 working days, with at least two weeks’ lead time recommended. Applications require a detailed project proposal, script, location list, crew list, equipment list, and proof of liability insurance.

Protected locations, the historical center, national parks, the Amazon, and the Galápagos, require additional permissions and lead time.

Drone Filming

Drone filming requires prior authorisation from the Civil Aviation Authority of Ecuador (DGAC). Operators must register and comply with rules including flying below 120 metres, maintaining visual line of sight, and avoiding populated areas and protected zones. Applications require a detailed flight plan, drone specifications, pilot licence, and insurance. Processing takes 1–2 weeks. Using a locally arranged, compliant operator is the standard route.

Equipment Customs Clearance

Ecuador is not an ATA Carnet country.

Equipment is brought in through a temporary-import process via the Ecuadorian customs authority (SENAE), supported by a detailed equipment list with serial numbers and values, a commercial invoice, packing list, certificate of origin, film permit, and customs declaration. Allow at least a week to ten days. An accurate, fully valued inventory is essential.

What international productions should know before filming in Ecuador.

Underestimating the rebate’s minimum spends, timing, and local-company requirement. The rebate process must begin weeks before filming starts.
Registering for the rebate late. Late registration can disqualify a production or delay reimbursement.
Assuming an ATA Carnet works. Ecuador is not an ATA Carnet country. Temporary import via a customs broker is the only route.
Underestimating the tight permit and compliance rules for the Galápagos. Permits require significantly more lead time than mainland locations.
Overlooking altitude when planning highland and volcano shoots. Quito is at 2,850m. Cotopaxi is higher. Acclimatization affects cast, crew, and equipment.

Leaving drone authorisations too late. DGAC processing takes 1–2 weeks. Urban and protected-area flights have additional restrictions.
Planning without an experienced local producer for permits and security. The visa, accreditation, permit, and customs processes are interlinked. A local producer is not optional.
Disregarding indigenous-community coordination in the Amazon. Certain locations require community agreement beyond government permits.
Failing to budget contingency days for Amazon blocks. 2–4 contingency days per block during wet season is standard practice, not pessimism.
Moving the full unit repeatedly between Quito and the Amazon. Block production protects the schedule and the budget.

We take care of the details on the ground, so you can focus on the creative process.

LOCATION SCOUTING & MANAGEMENT

Finding the right locations and coordinating access throughout Ecuador.

PERMITS & LOCAL COORDINATION

Managing filming permits, location requirements and local arrangements.

CREWS & CASTING

Experienced local crews, technical teams, talent and extras for your production.

EQUIPMENT

Camera, lighting, grip, sound and specialist equipment sourced through our local network.

TRAVEL & LOGISTICS

Transportation, accommodation, catering and everything needed to keep your crew moving.

PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT

Hands-on local coordination from pre-production through the final shooting day.

International films for which we’ve provided production services across Ecuador.

Eileen

International production · Ecuador

A Dutch production directed by Hanro Smitsman and filmed across Ecuador, with demanding jungle locations forming a central part of the story.

Getuige

International production · Ecuador

A Dutch television film directed by Hanro Smitsman and produced on location in Ecuador, bringing together an international production with local Ecuadorian crew and production expertise.

Off Track

International production · Ecuador

A Dutch road movie directed by Sander Burger and shot on location across Ecuador, from Quito to the Amazon. The production combined an international team with local Ecuadorian crew and took the story through a wide range of urban and natural locations.