Chile

Chile spans 38 latitudes and is one of the most geographically diverse countries in the world, offering filmmakers an unparalleled variety of locations from the world's driest desert to Patagonian glaciers and fjords, as well as Andean peaks, temperate rainforest, Mediterranean-like valleys, and thousands of miles of rugged coastline. 

The country is only around 220 miles at its widest point, so getting from one contrasting destination to the next can be done in about two hours hours by plane -- a major benefit for filmmakers who need a variety of locations. Chile is clean, economically and politically sound, boasts the lowest level of corruption in Latin America and is considered the safest country in Latin America.

In western South America, Chile has a thriving commercials industry on the Pacific coast, with the country’s long highways and the wilderness visuals of the Atacama desert regularly attracting commercials producers.

The country launched a two-year pilot filming incentive in May 2017 whereby features could access a 30% tax rebate and qualifying TV series could receive a 25% rebate. The incentive is administered through the Chilean Economic Development Agency (CORFO) in alliance with Film Commission Chile

Netflix used the filming incentive support to shoot Claudia Llosa’s Distancia De Rescate in the south-west Chilean city of Puerto Varas, which stood in for rural Argentina in early 2019. The story follows an adolescent boy who discovers an injured young woman and attempts to find out what happened to her. The movie is based on the novel Fever Dream by Argentinian author Samanta Schweblin.

Filming permits:

The government-run Film Commission Chile can assist filmmakers by helping them to make the necessary connections to obtain permits for locations and facilities (such as Santiago's city hall or permission from the National Forest Association to shoot in the protected forest areas).

Providing that arrangements have been properly made in advance, public buildings can often be used for filming for free. Usually it is also necessary to receive approval from an institution such as the National Audiovisual Arts & Industry Council. Town halls or regional government offices can issue permits for the use of plazas, streets and public spaces. Highways are the responsibility of the Ministry of Public Infrastructure which will authorise permits for shooting.

In order to make things as simple as possible, it is often useful to enlist a local production company to assist you with arranging filming permits if shoots are occurring in a number of different locations.

Visa requirements:
As stated on the Chilean Film Commission’s website, visas are not required for passport holders of the following countries: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Spain, the United States, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, the Netherlands, Honduras, Hungary, Indonesia, Iceland, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Morocco, Mexico, Nicaragua, Norway, New Zealand, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, United States (as of February 2014), Uruguay and Venezuela.

There is, however, a reciprocity tax required from citizens from the following countries:

• Australia US $117
• Mexico US $23
• Albania US $30
• Canada US $132
• USA  - No fee (as of February 2014)

Citizens from other countries must contact their local Chilean consulate in advance.

Work permits:
The Home Office (or Ministry of Interior) offers a range of work permits. The most common permits for the film industry are visa TA-4 for artists for a stay of 30 days or less, and visa TE-8 for professionals and technicians. There is also the potential to extend these visas beyond 30 days if necessary.

Chile has extremely qualified technical personnel for all areas related to the production process: direction and camera assistants, art and photography directors, sound technicians, props, wardrobe and makeup artists.

Art department and set construction is very strong, and professionals within the industry have gained experience from many complex sets produced for large-scale productions. Chile offers first-class post-production facilities, laboratories and services at a low cost. Sound stages in Chile tend to be mostly used for TV production, and do tend to be small. Additionally, the country has a significant pool of bilingual producers, technicians, all of which help visiting filmmakers to realize their ideas.

Mountains, rainforests, beaches, valleys, lakes, deserts, glaciers, ski-resorts, modern cities, historic villages and even ancient landmarks; you name it and Chile has it.

Cities

There are many stunning cities in Chile. The capital, Santiago, was founded in 1541 and is steeped in colonial history and 19th century buildings. The city has now become a modern metropolis, including an extensive public transportation infrastructure, several universities, shopping centres and skyscrapers (including the Gran Torre Santiago, the tallest building in Latin America). From the city you can also see the Andes mountains.

Valparaíso is one of Chile’s most important ports, and in recent years it has become an important cultural centre in the region. In the 19th century, the city was a key stopover for trading ships travelling between the Atlantic and the Pacific, and was therefore home to a number of wealthy European immigrants. Thus the city contains a number of stunning colonial buildings, including Latin America’s oldest stock exchange and Chile’s first public library. Viña del Mar is a coastal city which boasts long white sandy beaches and is a picturesque tourist hot spot.

Natural landmarks

As already mentioned, the Atacama desert has proved to be a major draw for international filmmakers. The Atacama is the driest desert in the world, and at 41,000 sq miles, it contains a variety of stunning natural features, including composed salt lakes, sand dunes and lava flows. There are also interesting man-made structures in the desert, including the UNESCO world heritage site, the Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works, as well as two observatories, the La Silla Observatory and the Paranal Observatory.

The Andes mountains in northern Chile offers yet more amazing filming locations; there are imposing mountain faces, glaciers, internationally renowned ski resorts and lush national parks (the most famous being Conguillío National Park).

The country is home to areas of volcanic and geothermal activity, including the El Tatio Geysers and the Llaima and Chaitén volcanoes, and the conical Villarrica Volcano in the resort town Pucón. Easter Island, famous for its ancient monumental statues, is also a part of Chile, as well as Robinson Crusoe Island, so-named for the Alexander Selkirk who was a castaway on the island in the 18th century and the inspiration for the famous novel. Chile's second-largest island, Chiloé, has fairytale landscapes of green rolling hills and shingled homes on stilts, and centuries-old Jesuit churches considered unique in the world and UNESCO Heritage Sites. 

Alongside all this, the country has opposite seasons to the northern hemisphere – so when it’s winter in the northern hemisphere, it’s summer in Chile - which can help aid shooting schedules.

Climate

Chile has a diverse range of climatic conditions and microclimates. The northern desert is the world's driest and sees very little rainfall during the year. When it does rain, it is usually from Dec. to Feb. during what is called the "Bolivian Winter."

The desert's high altitude means that days can be warm and evenings cool to frigid. The coastal desert area experiences plenty of fog year-round. The Andes run along Chile's eastern border, in the north the climate is typical of mountain areas with thin air, light rainfall and permanent snow and ice on the highest peaks, whilst in the southern Andes, rain and snowfall is heavier and can occur at much lower altitudes.

Central lowland areas of Chile have warm, dry summers (Nov-Mar) and mild winters with average rainfall. The southern part of Chile has a changeable cool, wet climate. The Patagonia region has a very highly changeable weather pattern that can bring cold weather and even rain and snow during the summer, with very strong wind from November to March

Clothing

Light clothes are needed for the northern and central areas during the spring and summer, with warmer wear for winter -- especially in the desert north. Much warmer clothing is needed for trips to the south, especially during winter and up into the Andes. Rainwear is advisable at any time when visiting the south or going to central areas during winter months (May-Sep).

Chile boasts the most developed technology infrastructure in Latin America and has a wide range of production equipment on offer. Chile is one of only two South American countries with a Russian Arm, and the country possesses equipment such as Fisher and Panther dollies, Technocrane, helicopter mounts and a Milo motion control rig.

Chile rents all of the newest digital cameras and optics, including complete factory sets of Hawk V-Lite 2X squeeze anamorphic, Cooke 5/i, S4/i, Master, Ultra and Optimo lenses, and Alexa XT Plus, Studio and M cameras. Wireless accessories and the most sophisticated lighting equipment such as SoftSun and Lighting Strikes is available, as well as a significant pool of bilingual producers, technicians and post-production facilities. Additional services include transport, generators, data wrangler and video assist, sound stages, and warehouse facilities that are open 24/7, all easily accessed from any point in the city. Rental houses in Chile offer the latest equipment at affordable costs, which are often much lower than international rates.