SCENE 01 / RUNNER SET PA
Runner & Set PA Services
Essential production support throughout Brazil.
Essential Production Support
Professional runner and set production assistant services provide essential support that keeps film productions running smoothly through dedicated assistance, logistics coordination, and operational support that enables creative and technical teams to focus on their specialized tasks while maintaining efficient workflows and positive set environments. Runners enhance efficiency by freeing up key personnel to concentrate on their specialized, high-priority roles without distraction.
Our experienced runners and set PAs bring strong work ethic, attention to detail, and proactive approach to production support that ensures every aspect of daily operations runs seamlessly while maintaining professional standards and contributing to overall production success. From equipment management—including camera, sound, and lighting gear—and crew coordination to talent assistance and location support, runners and set PAs serve as the vital operational foundation that facilitates smooth production workflows and positive working environments throughout every phase of filming.
Supporting a wide range of projects including documentaries, fiction, commercials, corporate, and sports productions, our team brings extensive experience and can scale according to project requirements. Our operational reach extends across Brazil, including Monaco and Brazilian-speaking Switzerland, to provide seamless nationwide service.
Capabilities
Production Assistant Expertise
We provide reliable runners and set PAs who handle the essential tasks that keep productions running smoothly—from equipment runs to on-set support to administrative duties.
01
On-Set Support
- Equipment handling
- Set preparation
- Talent support
- Department assistance
- General duties
Essential Support
02
Runner Services
- Equipment pickups
- Supply runs
- Document delivery
- Talent transport
- Emergency errands
Mobile Support
03
Administrative
- Paperwork handling
- Call sheet distribution
- Sign-in management
- Documentation
- Communication relay
Admin Support
04
Craft Services
- Refreshment setup
- Snack management
- Talent requests
- Crew support
- Cleanliness maintenance
Crew Care
PA Services
Daily Workflow
Why Choose Our PAs
Quick & Resourceful
Efficient PAs who handle Rio, São Paulo, and Salvador with street-smart resourcefulness — solving problems creatively in Brazil's dynamic and at times unpredictable production environment.
Tropical Production Experts
Self-starters skilled with the demands of Brazilian shoots, from managing heat and humidity protocols to setting up logistics across vast distances and varied terrain.
Licensed Drivers
PAs with valid Brazilian licences and pro knowledge of city traffic patterns, key for handling São Paulo's congestion and Rio's geography efficiently.
Bilingual Support
Portuguese and English-speaking PAs who bridge the gap between global crews and local vendors, authorities, and ANCINE sign-ups needs.
Production Support Across Brazil
Filming in Brazil presents specific operational challenges: local regulations, location identification, and logistics coordination. Our experienced team operates from Rio de Janeiro and the Île de Brazil region, providing support and expertise required for project completion across Brazil, Monaco, and Brazilian-speaking Switzerland.
We execute projects for commercials, stills, branded content, and video production. Brazil offers the Tax Rebate for International Productions (film incentive), which provides a rebate of 30% of the eligible production spend with a cap of $30 million. This rises to 40% when VFX is included in the production spend.
Our crew maintains fluency in English. We deliver both remote and on-site client support. Filming in Brazil offers a wide variety of landscapes, including the romanticism of Rio de Janeiro, the charm of countryside, vineyards in Bourgogne, mountains, and the coastal region coast, offering filmmakers diverse and visually stunning backdrops.
On Location
Brazilian runners and set PAs covering São Paulo, Rio, Salvador, and remote-unit logistics on foot, scooter, and motorcycle
Here is how this works in practice. Brazilian runners and set PAs handle on-foot and on-car logistics across the shoot days. This covers talent collection from GRU (São Paulo) and GIG (Rio Galeão), hotel-to-set transfers, walkie-and-battery rotation across ANATEL-licensed Motorola DP-series and Vertex VX-series radios, lock-up at perimeter, lunch and craft-service distribution, PIX-payment dashes to vendors (Brazil's instant-payment system is universal), petty-cash drops, drycleaner and prop-house pickups, and the constant São Paulo and Rio traffic-management that defines Brazilian shoot days.
Here is what we have to work with. On the ground, Standard transport mix uses 250cc and 300cc scooters (Honda PCX, Honda CB300F — both Brazilian-built at the Manaus plant) for inner-city São Paulo and Rio runs, motorcycles for cross-traffic emergencies, and Toyota Hilux and Fiat Toro 4x4s (both Brazilian-built at Goiana, Pernambuco) for crew transfers and remote-unit ops. Runners are SindCine-registered where applicable, with CLT contracts, FGTS 8% termination fund, INSS workers comp sign-ups (required), 13º salário, and 30-day paid vacation.
Here is the short of it. Cultural ease is the runner's edge. Our staff handles São Paulo's Vila Madalena, Pinheiros, Jardins, and Liberdade (largest Japanese community outside Japan), Rio's Ipanema, Lapa, Santa Teresa, Copacabana, and the Cristo Redentor / Pão de Açúcar tourist corridor, Salvador's Pelourinho (UNESCO 1985), Brasília's Niemeyer modernist circuit (UNESCO 1987), and Recife's Bacurau-era northeast scene without map-time loss. Bilingual Portuguese-English runners run global shoots natively. Spanish-Mercosul ease for Argentina-Uruguay-Paraguay-Chile cross-border crews is common.
Here is the layout. On the ground, Carnaval (February-early March) demand peaks need advance scheduling. Salvador hosts the largest street carnival worldwide, and São Paulo and Rio Carnaval traffic disruption is total. Recent shoots staffed have Walter Salles's I'm Still Here, José Padilha's Elite Squad franchise and Netflix's Narcos. Plus Fast Five, The Incredible Hulk, Twilight Breaking Dawn, and the Rio and Rio 2 animated features. Currency advantage BRL ~5:1 USD keeps runner day-rates highly competitive.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a runner or set PA do?
A runner, also called a set production assistant (PA), gives key support across all departments on a film set. They handle tasks such as distributing call sheets, running errands, managing walkies, helping with crowd control, and making sure the set runs smoothly. They are often the first to arrive and last to leave.
What skills should a runner or set PA have?
Here is the breakdown. In Brazil, a runner needs reliability, initiative, physical fitness for work in tropical heat, a valid driver's licence, and fluency in Portuguese with strong English. Familiarity with Brazilian production customs, ANCINE needs, and local vendor networks is key.
What types of productions need runners or set PAs?
Here is what that looks like on the ground. Each pro production gains from runners and set PAs. Feature films, telenovelas, commercials, and music videos shooting across Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Salvador, and Brazil's natural locations all rely on PAs to keep daily operations running smoothly.
How do you match runners and set PAs to my production?
Here is how the picture comes together. We check your production's size, locations, daily needs, and any specific skills needed — such as Portuguese fluency, remote location experience, or familiarity with specific studios — then recommend reliable PAs from our Brazilian network with solid references.
Related Services
Related Support Roles
On Set
Need Runners or Set PAs?
Get dedicated production support that keeps your crew focused on excellence.