Set between the hubs of Brazil and Argentina, Uruguay appeals as a more manageable option that offers many of the same benefits. Uruguay has a strong track record with advertising productions due to the range of locations and the cost effectiveness nature of production. Notable commercial work includes Leica’s Cannes Grand Prix winning ‘100’ campaign. The recent introduction of a 25% cash rebate and a planned studio development is set to broaden its appeal amongst film and TV shoots.
The capital Montevideo is Uruguay's audio-visual hub and offers an eclectic architectural range. Colonial, Art Deco, and futurist locations have been used to stand in for anywhere from Italy to South America and Chile. A third of the Uruguay borders the South Atlantic meaning that there is a range of coastal locations as well as upmarket resorts like Punta del Este.
The fashionable resort will be home to Punta del Este studios, a creative production hub that will operate as a tax free production centre. Currently under construction, the studio is projected to have sound stages, production offices and backlots.
In late 2020 a 25% cash rebate for international and co-productions shooting in Uruguay was introduced after a successful pilot programme attracted a large shoot in Montevideo for Conquest, a series produced by Keanu Reeves for Netflix. In addition to Netflix, Amazon and HBO both filmed in Uruguay in 2020 using the incentive.
The Cash Rebate changes depending on how much is spent in Uruguay and applies to advertising work as well as fiction, series and documentaries. Productions can access up to 25% of qualified Uruguayan production expenditure, and the biggest productions can get up to USD1 million under the scheme. Foreign productions are also exempt from Uruguay's 22% VAT.
Uruguay offers us great creative solves, locations, crews, talent and most of all great partnership in a world where it is very difficult to produce quality work these days. I can't speak highly enough about our experience shooting in Uruguay."
Fran McGivern, Executive Producer, Stinkfilm USA
Uruguay has a temperate climate, with mild winters and hot summers. Winter temperatures don’t tend to fall below 10C – with the coldest conditions coming in June – while summer temperatures can climb above 30C in the coastal regions in January.
Rainfall tends to fall mainly during the autumn, but is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year, with summer thunderstorms a frequent occurrence. Uruguay’s landscapes are reasonably flat and so weather conditions can change quite quickly.
