SCENE 01 / LOCATION SCOUTING SERVICES
Location Scouting Services
Find perfect filming locations across Brazil—from Rio de Janeiro to São Paulo and beyond.
Finding the right location can make or break a production. That's why we've built a team of skilled scouts who know Brazil inside and out—from the iconic beaches of Rio de Janeiro to the modernist build style of Brasília. We handle everything: site research, logistics assessments, permit forms. You tell us what you're looking for, and we'll find it.
Over the years, we've put together a database of more than 5,000 locations across the country. But we don't just hand you a list and wish you luck. Our scouts hit the ground to check each site meets your specific needs, whether that's a colonial-era fazenda in Minas Gerais for your period piece or a sleek São Paulo Paulista Avenue rooftop for an urban campaign.
What really sets us apart is our network. We've spent years building relationships with property owners, local prefeituras, ANCINE (Brazil's national film agency), the Rio Film Commission, and the São Paulo Film Commission. When you need to shoot at a location that mostly says no to shoots, we know who to call.
Our Location Scouting Services
Finding the right location can make or break a production. That's why we've built a team of skilled scouts who know Brazil inside and out—from the iconic beaches of Rio de Janeiro to the modernist build style of Brasília. We handle everything: site research, logistics assessments, permit forms. You tell us what you're looking for, and we'll find it.
Over the years, we've put together a database of more than 5,000 locations across the country. But we don't just hand you a list and wish you luck. Our scouts hit the ground to check each site meets your specific needs, whether that's a colonial-era fazenda in Minas Gerais for your period piece or a sleek São Paulo Paulista Avenue rooftop for an urban campaign.
What really sets us apart is our network. We've spent years building relationships with property owners, local prefeituras, ANCINE (Brazil's national film agency), the Rio Film Commission, and the São Paulo Film Commission. When you need to shoot at a location that mostly says no to shoots, we know who to call.
Comprehensive Location Scouting Solutions
Expert location scouts with intimate knowledge of Brazil's diverse landscapes, urban environments, and cultural sites. Professional location services from initial scouting to production support with permits and logistics coordination.
Urban Locations
- • Modern cityscapes
- • Historic districts
- • Commercial areas
- • Residential neighborhoods
- • Industrial zones
Natural Landscapes
- • Coastal beaches
- • Mountain regions
- • Vineyard settings
- • Forest locations
- • River systems
Cultural Sites
- • Historic fazendas
- • Medieval architecture
- • Traditional villages
- • Museums
- • Heritage locations
Production Facilities
- • Studio spaces
- • Controlled environments
- • Green screen facilities
- • Equipment storage
- • Crew facilities
How We Work With You
Here's how we typically work with productions. You tell us what you're looking for, we go find it, and we handle all the headaches in between—permits, negotiations, logistics. By the time you show up to shoot, everything's ready.
Requirements Analysis
First things first—we sit down with you to know exactly what you're after. We'll go through your script, look at reference images, talk about budget constraints, and nail down the visual style you're going for. No detail is too small at this stage.
Research & Reconnaissance
Here is what we have to work with. Our scouts will start their work after we determine what you need. Our team retrieves site options from the database followed by actual inspections at each location. Our team takes photos of each location from different perspectives while we record all key operational details including power availability and parking spaces and site-level conditions and daylight patterns.
Presentation & Selection
We put together a detailed presentation for each shortlisted location. You'll get pro photos, logistical breakdowns, rough costs, and info on what permits we'll need. Most clients find exactly what they want within the first round of options.
Coordination & Securing
Once you've made your choice, we handle the rest. We negotiate fees with property owners, set up access schedules, manage contracts, and secure all needed permits. By the time your crew arrives, everything's sorted and ready to go.
You'll have a single point of contact throughout—someone who knows your project and can give you straight answers when things change. And things always change.
What We Bring to the Table
Years of boots-on-the-ground experience across Brazil, a database we've built from scratch, and the kind of local connections that take time to develop.
Our Resources
5,000+ Locations On File
We've been building this database for years. Every entry has photos, GPS coordinates, notes on access and power, and info on what time of year works best. It's not just a list—it's institutional knowledge.
On-Site Technical Surveys
Before we recommend anywhere, we check it ourselves. Power capacity, truck access, parking situation, ambient noise—the stuff that matters when you're actually trying to shoot there.
Permit Handling
Brazilian bureaucracy can be... Brazilian. We deal with the permit applications, the property releases, the back-and-forth with local officials. You shouldn't have to.
Scouting Statistics
Why Choose Fixers in Brazil for Location Scouting
Local Expertise
Our scouts developed their lives within this location. The locals possess knowledge about all the rural paths which lead to secret gardens and concealed towns that most visitors fail to find. Our local knowledge enables us to give locations which you cannot find elsewhere.'t see in any other production's portfolio.
Complete Documentation
Here is the layout. Each location report we deliver is thorough enough to hand directly to your line producer. The document has tech specs together with permit needs and access routes and info about nearby facilities.'s all there, organized and ready to use.
Rapid Response
At times plans change at the last minute. We get it. That's why we give 48-hour turnaround on location reports and emergency scouting services when you need to pivot fast during production.
Cultural Heritage Access
Here is how the work shapes up. Getting permission to film at UNESCO sites, historic fazendas, or national monuments isn't easy—but we've done it dozens of times. We know the application process, the right contacts, and how to present your project in a way that gets approvals.
On Location
Brazilian location scouting across the Carioca Landscapes UNESCO 2012 zone, Brasília Niemeyer UNESCO 1987 civic axis, Salvador Pelourinho UNESCO 1985, Amazon UNESCO 2000 + Pantanal UNESCO 2000 + Iguaçu Falls UNESCO 1986 + Fernando de Noronha UNESCO 2001 natural-heritage register, and the City of God / Bacurau / Central Station film-tradition signature backdrops
Here is how this works in practice. Brazilian location scouting reaches further than shoots arriving from compact countries expect. Rio de Janeiro's Carioca Landscapes UNESCO 2012 zone supplies the world-iconic setting up material. Locations have Cristo Redentor (2007 New 7 Wonders of the World, Corcovado peak), Pão de Açúcar (Sugarloaf Mountain), Copacabana, Ipanema (forever bound to Tom Jobim's 1962 'Girl from Ipanema'), Leblon, Barra da Tijuca, and the Lapa bohemian district plus Santa Teresa hilltop historic core.
Here is what that looks like on the ground. On the ground, São Paulo delivers Latin America's largest metropolis with Paulista Avenue, MASP (Niemeyer's red elevated slab), Liberdade Japanese-district (largest outside Japan), Vila Madalena, Pinheiros, Jardins, Ibirapuera, and the financial-district CBD. Brasília UNESCO 1987 gives Oscar Niemeyer's modernist civic axis (Cathedral, Palácio do Planalto, Congresso Nacional, Itamaraty) for political-thriller and futurist material. Salvador da Bahia Pelourinho UNESCO 1985 supplies Afro-Brazilian colonial textures. Ouro Preto UNESCO 1980, Olinda UNESCO 1982, Diamantina UNESCO 1999, São Luís UNESCO 1997, and Paraty UNESCO 2019 round out the colonial register. Spcine and RioFilme city commissions clear public-space access. IPHAN heritage permits clear UNESCO cores.
Here is the short of it. Brazil's natural-heritage register is global-scale. The Central Amazon UNESCO 2000 (Teatro Amazonas opera house Manaus 1896, Rio Negro–Solimões confluence, igapó flooded-forest seasons November–March) sits beside the Pantanal UNESCO 2000 — world's largest tropical wetland with November–April flood and July–September dry-season wildlife visibility peaks. Iguaçu Falls UNESCO 1986 (Argentina–The country border, Brazilian-side national park) delivers the world's largest waterfall system. Fernando de Noronha UNESCO 2001 archipelago gives pristine Atlantic dive material. Lençóis Maranhenses (white sand dunes natural desert) flips between filled lagoons and empty dune-fields seasonally. Chapada Diamantina (Bahia plateau), Bonito Mato Grosso do Sul (crystal-clear river snorkelling), Florianópolis (Santa Catarina beaches), and Búzios (Brigitte Bardot 1964 heritage) add to the natural-location matrix.
Here is how the picture comes together. On the ground, IBAMA federal environment plus ICMBio Chico Mendes Institute clear all conservation-unit work, with bond-back site-level clauses standard. Indigenous-area scouting inside Terras Indígenas (Yanomami in Roraima, Kayapó and Xingu in Mato Grosso) needs FUNAI required authorisation and community-elder consent. City of God favela scouting in Cidade de Deus, Rocinha, and Complexo do Alemão runs through long-relationship community-leader networks our scouts keep.
FAQ
Location Scouting FAQ
Essential information for planning your location scouting project in Brazil.
How long does location scouting take in Brazil?
It really depends on what you're looking for. A straightforward commercial shoot? We can mostly turn around options in 2-3 days. Feature films mostly need 1-2 weeks of dedicated scouting to cover all the scenes. Documentaries fall somewhere in between—mostly 3-7 days. And if you're in a bind, we give emergency scouting with 24-48 hour delivery.
What permits are required for filming at Brazilian locations?
The specific permit needs depend on your shoot sites location and its dimensions. Local authorities need all public areas to obtain permission for filming through a filming permit. The owners of private sites need to give release forms for their sites. Historical monuments and UNESCO sites have their own application process through cultural affairs offices. We handle all of this for you—it's one of the main reasons shoots hire us.
What are typical location scouting costs in Brazil?
The cost for basic day-rate scouting operations ranges between $300 and $500 for each day of operation. The firm gives complete packages which combine service for many sites together with records support and permit management help.'re looking at $1,500-$6,000 based on scope. Remote locations add to the cost—figure $800-$2,500 per day for mountain or rural scouting. Permit fees themselves range from $150 to $1,500 based on the site.
Can you scout locations in remote areas of Brazil?
Here is how this works in practice. We have several preferred destinations which exist outside of typical tourist areas. We often scout in the mountains, along the Atlantic coast, in rural countryside, and across the highland regions. Our team performs accessibility reviews for distant production locations while we handle gear movement and find suitable housing for crew members working in the area.
How many location options will we receive?
Here is the short of it. For each scene or setup you need, we mostly present 3-5 vetted options. These aren't just random suggestions—each location we show you has been checked for logistics, permit availability, and budget fit. We'd rather give you fewer, better options than overwhelm you with places that won't actually work.
What documentation do you provide for each location?
Here is the breakdown. The location packages contain many high-resolution photos taken from different perspectives together with tech survey data about power infrastructure and access points and facility details and logistics info which has parking details and service locations and site restrictions. The system gives site maps together with shooting position recommendations which depend on lighting conditions for all complex locations.
Related Services
Productions in Brazil that need this often pair it with Local Fixer Services, Production Budgeting Services, and Production Scheduling Services for full coverage. Most projects also draw on Pre-Production Services and Travel Coordinator.
On Set
Ready to Discover Perfect Locations?
Let's find the backdrop your project deserves. Get in touch and tell us what you're looking for—we'll take it from there.