Location Spotlight: Peru

Having worked in sound post for a decade, in 2001 Bruno Canale ventured into the international film production support business and opened APU Productions. Right now APU Productions is one of the leading production service companies in Peru. His specialties: Production support for major international films and TV shows.

Recent Feature film credits include 'Transformers 7: Rise of the Beasts', Tve España 'Ines del Alma Mia', 'Dora and the lost temple of Gold', and multiple international commercials. Multiple documentary productions have been produced as well for National Geographic, Travel Channel, History Channel and Discovery Channel. APU has also worked in TV production with clients such as TV Globo from Brasil, SONY Pictures Television, Channel 4 London, ZDF Germany, Endemol, Spiegel TV, Leopard Films, among others.

Why Shoot Here?

Q> How would you pitch Peru to any production companies looking to shoot in your region?

Bruno> Peru is a great location that provides extensive content to shoot commercials, documentaries, TV shows and films. Peru is a big player in superfoods such as quinoa, maca, yacon, camu camu etc, fabrics such as pima cotton, alpaca and vicuña wool. We also have natural rubber, crafts and the list goes on and on. More than ever we get contacted by different brands to showcase these products and the way they are cultivated, grown and manufactured.

Q> What are the main qualities of your region?

Bruno> Peru is a small country with a great deal of geographical diversity. Because of this, we are able to shoot in a vast desert, on a high mountain and a dense jungle all within a week and it’s truly possible! The well-known 'Chef’s Table' Virgilio Marinez episode was shot in three regions in a 12 day schedule and we also shot a Lexus commercial that included the Ica desert at sea level followed by Lake Junin at 13,000ft (4000m) in less than a week.

Q> What would you say are the top locations in Peru? What is available - from mountains, to beaches, to rocky shore, to architecture, etc. Include plants and wildlife and demographics. 

Bruno> Peru, like we said before, has a wide variety of location types. The place we go the most to shoot is Cuzco, where you have several amazing historic sites like Machu Picchu, amazing scenery like the Rainbow Mountains, and a big influence of superfood plantations like quinoa, kiwicha, goldenberry, among other plantations. Cuzco also has the best preserved colonial architecture in the downtown area as well as Ollantaytambo town.

Q> What location would you say is most popular?

Bruno> The most popular location is the Cusco area. Here you can find Machu Picchu, the Sacred Valley, multiple Inca historic sites, beautiful small towns and of course the City of Cusco with its amazing streets.

Q> Which location would you describe as the biggest attribute to local production?

Bruno> The biggest attribute would be its diversity. There are no extreme climates so you can always shoot without either freezing or experiencing extreme heat. Very often we've ended shooting in the desert because other regions in the world were undergoing extreme temperatures. In the mountains we have an eternal fall look, which is great for Fall/Winter campaigns that require that look. 

Q> Explain the climate and the best/worst times to shoot in Peru? 

Bruno> Each region has different climates, but as an overall recommendation the coastal locations have the best climate during the summer months (December to April) as you have clear skies and nice weather. On the other hand, the rainy season occurs in the mountains and jungle locations during the same period. That's why we recommend visiting those locations between April to late November. April is the best month to get green and lush mountain scenery. 

Q> What specific work permits/Visas are required to shoot in Peru?

Bruno> There are two main Visa options, for smaller productions that come with carry-on equipment, we recommend getting the journalist Visa. This Visa allows TV, film and photo crews to come in with their equipment without the need of a customs bond. For larger and longer productions, we recommend the new Artistic Production Visa. This Visa allows crew to stay for longer periods of time and is coordinated with the Export and Tourism Promotion Agency.

Q> How is the infrastructure in Peru for supporting large productions? Access to high-level cameras and kit, casting, crews, studios etc.

Bruno> We have a very good bilingual crew base for all departments. Usually clients bring their department heads, but often they come just with a director and producer. In terms of equipment we have a good mix of the basic camera and lighting equipment, but for more complex shoots gear has to be brought from abroad. Fortunately, customs clearance times are relatively fast and efficient. Peru will also have an up and running Carnet system by the end of 2023. There are studios in Lima in case they are needed to complement the location shooting.

Q> What have been your biggest/most successful production in Peru to date?

Bruno> Our biggest production has been Transformers: Rise of the Beasts. This movie was shot in the middle of the pandemic in 2021 and is the biggest production ever that has taken place in Peru. We´ve had days where 1500 people were involved in the shoot including crew, extras, security, etc. Peru will appear in almost 50% of the movie, which is quite an accomplishment.

DOs and DON’Ts in the Region

Q> As an outsider, what would you say are the biggest Dos and Don’ts in the region? 

Bruno> My #1 recommendation when shooting in Peru is: Do not ship anything before asking! Customs agents checking on courier packages are very strict on certain items, especially when they need special permits like makeup, food, and other items.

Q> What would be your number one tip to any coming to *Country* to shoot a campaign/film?

Bruno> Our main tip is to always consult with the local production service company when in doubt about anything. Peru is very specific on some processes and regulations, so feel free to ask even if you think there is an easy answer.

Insider Recommendations

Q> Where would you suggest a foreign production stay while they are in Peru? 

Bruno> The best places to visit in Peru are Cuzco and Lima. Cuzco is the cultural heritage capital of Peru, and it has lots of 5* hotels, great restaurants and an overall energetic vibe. Lima is the culinary capital of Peru, and also has the best boutique hotels.

Q> Where are the best bars/restaurants? Any hidden gems you could suggest?

Bruno> Lima has a wide array of restaurants, it features Central which is the #2 restaurant in the world according to the San Pellegrino top 50 restaurants. There are another eight restaurants in Lima in the top 50 list as well, and of course there are all the local cevicherias with great seafood.

Q> Any other tourist recommendations?          

Bruno> Cuzco is definitely the best place to start if you’re planning to travel in Peru. It has a blend of history, beautiful nature and all sorts of activities like hiking, horseback riding, and quad bikes. Here you will get a very real experience of what is Peru.