Some of the most well known ads are routinely shot in Argentina and Brazil, countries with favorable exchange rates, deep casting pools, experienced crews and varied locations. This week, SHOOT talks to production execs in both countries about prospects for the regions, as well as recent work. The questions asked were: As the new year kicks off, how would you describe the business climate in the region? Where is most of your business coming from–local agencies, or productions coming from elsewhere? If the latter, which country/region has been coming to the area most? What are some of the most recent projects to come out of your company? Below are the responses:
Justin Bird
Executive producer
Utopia Films, Rio de Janeiro, Miami and Los AngelesThe business climate in the region is hot. Mainly [we have been seeing] productions come to us from elsewhere–India, Germany, Malaysia, Ukraine, Russia, Italy and the U.S.
We recently completed a Bacardi job with director Moshe Brakha of Commercial Head Films for McCann Erickson; MasterCard, from director Ricardo Hoyos of RH Productions for McCann Erickson; and Kia from director Arturo Hoyos at RH Productions, and Leo Burnett.
Craig Jenkins
Executive Producer
Academia de Filmes, Sáo Paulo and Rio de Janeiro
We see a continued growth in our production services for the international market due to significant growth in the European and North American ad markets. The Brazilian presidential elections in November and the World Cup this summer will play very important roles in Brazil’s ad spending. Internationally, we have already received boards for World Cup-related spots from Europe as well. Basically, 2006 has everything to be a successful year in production.
The Academia Group is positioned to stay in the forefront of new tendencies in communication both here and abroad. Digital TV will be a reality for Brazil in the second semester of 2006, one of the reasons we are investing heavily in content for new media, including a new way of thinking of advertising as entertainment.
Our revenues for 2005 came from the following: 83 percent national advertising production for conventional media; one-percent national advertising production, new media; 11 percent international advertising market; five percent from cultural and entertainment productions
Some of our recent projects include: “Kilometer” and “Forward” for General Motors of Brazil, out of Publicis Brasil and directed by Paulo Vainer of Academia de Filmes. Vivo cellular service’s “Coverage,” out of Africa Publicidate, and directed by Gabriel Rubim of Academai de Filmes. The Asian Games for Grey Worldwide, Lebanon and directed by Carlo Sigon with production by Mercurio Cinematografica and Academia de Filmes.
Mateus de Paula Santos
Creative director
Lobo, Sáo PauloIt’s kind of picking up the pace now. Usually things are slow here before Carnival, which happens late February. This year we already have a considerable amount of demand, although it’s not as heavy as it was by the end of 2005. We expect to be pretty busy by mid-year, as we have some projects in the development stage.
[Production] used to come mostly from abroad, but today we’re on a 50/50 rate. The international demand is mostly from the U.S., but we have worked for every continent. Some countries include Italy, Portugal, Australia, Germany, Holland and Hong Kong. We also exhibited our works in galleries and museums in France, Spain and U.S.
Alex Mehedff
Managing director
Hungry Man Rio, Rio de JaneiroAlthough the currency exchange rate is not as favorable as it was for the last several years, the productions are coming back!
We are in the middle of another round with Bryan Buckley with a six-day shoot and also some production service work coming from Europe, with clients from Sweden and Italy.
Overall, the market has picked up again and the national Brazilian market is heating up due to the World Cup coming up in the middle of year.
Advertising for World Cup in Brazil is probably the biggest-spending event in Brazil, so there are many, many commercials being shot–not only in Brazil, but also with the star players of Brazil that play in the Spanish Cup, Italian Cup and French as well. So many overseas productions are actually becoming part of the market, which is not so common. Our Brazilian director, Claudio Borrelli, is actually right now in Spain shooting with a Brazilian soccer player.
The most recent production from Hungry Man Rio aired in the Super Bowl in the U.S. It was the Whopperettes campaign [including the spot “America’s Favorite”] for Crispin Porter + Bogusky (CP+B), Miami, for Burger King. We also recently finished “Tandem,” also for Burger King and CP+B; Marcos Siega of Hungry Man directed.
Carlos Paiva
Managing director/producer
Zohar International, Rio de Janeiro
Steady. We expect that 2006 will be even better than 2005.
[We get work] from production companies all over the world, but mostly from the U.S., and Europe.
We recently worked on Volkswagen Polo’s “The Guardian Angel,” directed by Fredric Planchon of Academy, London, for BMP DDB, London; Heineken’s “One Big Game,” directed by Matthijs Van Heijningen of Bonkers, Amsterdam [he is repped in the U.S. by bicoastal/international MJZ] for agency Strawberry Frog, Amsterdam; and Suntrust’s “Skier,” “Motorcycle,” and “Omnibus,” directed by Sean Thonson of MJZ for agency WestWayne, Atlanta.
Karin Stuckenschmidt
Executive producer
Film Planet, Sáo Paulo
We experienced a very busy season during the summer in South America.
Just before Christmas, Film Planet was producing three jobs simultaneously. Gatorade in Sáo Paulo, with director Josh Taft of bicoastal HSI Productions and agency Dieste Harmel & Partners, Dallas; Hennessy in Buenos Aires, and directed by Michael Hausman of HSI for Kirshenbaum Bond + Partners, New York; and Heineken in Buenos Aires with director Jonathan Herman via production company, Bonkers, for agency Strawberry Frog, both in Amsterdam.
As the new year arrived, we got back to business with Johnson & Johnson in Rio de Janeiro with director Thomas Wommelsdorf of Sterntag Film, Hamburg, Germany for Lowe, London; Velltins in Rio de Janeiro with director Markus Walter of Cobblestone, Hamburg, and agency Springer & Jacoby, Werbung; and Nestle in Rio de Janeiro with Flavia Moraes for McCann Erickson Brazil.
Most recently, Film Planet has been working with clients from the United States as well as Germany, Italy and Spain, primarily.
We are receiving inquiries from other European countries and have also worked this past year with Japanese agencies and clients.
We continue to produce with local agencies, including JWT, Publicis, McCann Erickson, and W Brasil, among others.
