SECURITY AND INSURANCE FOR YOUR BRAZIL SHOOT

When considering a shoot in Brazil, a foreign production company should take safety seriously, and every local Brazilian production company should hold security, safety and insurance as top concerns, especially when bringing foreign clients into the country. Contact us today to learn more about how we can assist you with security matters in Brazil.  We want you to accomplish your production goals while in Brazil in an efficient and safe manner. That’s always our goal at Brazil Production Services.

HOW IS PRODUCTION SECURITY HANDLED IN BRAZIL?

As your local partner in Brazil, Brazil Production Services will take into consideration the particularities of your production such as its size, locations, production elements and analyze the risk exposure of your shoot and present a recommendation about whether or not security guards and other safety measures should be integrated into the production plan.

The use of security guards is mostly recommended in higher risk shoots, which usually are those that take place in urban areas, inside favelas or shoots involving celebrities. Expensive equipment and foreign crews can be a desirable target for criminals in big cities in Brazil.  Shoots with celebrities in public areas or shoots with large crews and expensive equipment in more remote areas could also be targeted and should consider having local guards (armed or unarmed) present. That said, shoots in controlled environments, such as controlled private locations, seldom require security.

Brazil Production Services has never had an incident of theft or any kind of violence happen during any of our 200+ productions, and we always take precautions in order to keep our clean record continuously clean.  We collaborate with some of the best security companies in the capital cities in Brazil to ensure your crew is always safe. In Rio de Janeiro, for instance, we work with Bodyguard Suporte Operacional, a company that has served several large clients such as NBC during the Rio Olympics in 2016 and the Rio unit of the movie Expendables with Sylvester Stallone amongst other projects for Amazon and Netflix. In São Paulo, we work with Toda Tribo Serviços, who has been our trusted security firm for years and who has worked on the Brazilian security detail of international celebrities such as Madonna, Backstreet Boys, Sir Paul MacCartney, Slash, Fatboy Slim, Red Hot Chilli Peppers and others. 

The fact that we usually work with these two vendors doesn’t mean there aren’t other service providers we can reach out to, who will also provide good service and protect your production while you’re in Brazil. If necessary, security crews can also be flown to remote locations to accompany the production.

And in general, Brazil is not as safe as the US or Europe. So, a traveler should take special precautions and pay attention to his/her surroundings when walking around.  In general, it is not advisable to carry cell phones, cameras, jewelry or other valuables conspicuously.  We recommend not venturing out alone, especially at night.  A foreign traveler should consult with the BPS fixer or coordinating producer before going on outings or visiting tourist spots to receive any appropriate safety tips. If a situation doesn’t feel right, we recommend crossing the street, walking into a store, moving away from the danger. We recommend trusting your instincts as opposed to being afraid of being rude to a suspicious “somebody” since muggings do happen on occasion.  Finally, we recommend that when walking in groups, foreign travelers should try to be discrete and not call unnecessary attention to themselves and not make it obvious that they are not Brazilian and don’t speak Portuguese.

HOW DOES PRODUCTION INSURANCE WORK IN BRAZIL?

Brazilian production insurance is a question that must be addressed by your production when flying your international crew to shoot in Brazil. It is crucial that your project is covered from potential liabilities that your crew might be exposed to while shooting in the country.

International production companies may carry their own production insurance that covers their activity in their countries of origin, but their coverage may not extend to potential liabilities on foreign soil. Also, due to the fact that international production companies coming to shoot in Brazil need to partner with a local production company by government mandate, there’s a portion of the liability that falls on the shoulders of the locally hired company. Thus, the local production company must take out insurance to cover production activities when working in partnership with a foreign production company. 

In Brazil, production insurance is issued on a project-to-project basis, and not yearly as it is the case in some countries such as the United States. Brazil Production Services, as your local partner in Brazil, will always insure your production in Brazil through reputable international insurance companies such as HDI and/or Allianz. 

This way, you can rest assured that the Brazilian portion of your production including crew, local cast, locations, local equipment and vehicles, will be covered from liability to the amounts required by Brazilian law or by the minimums required by our service contract with you. 

Contact us today if you have any questions about how to have a safe and properly insured shoot in Brazil.