PRODUCTION SERVICES SPAIN

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PRODUCTION SERVICES SPAIN 

FILM PRODUCTION SERVICES SPAIN 

Feature Films | Commercials | Videoclips | TV Broadcast | Documentaries

Film Production Services Spain. Spain has established itself as a destination of choice to film international feature films, commercials, tv movies, and social media contents. Production companies all over the world choose our country to carry out their film or media projects. The spectacular locations, historic monuments from different cultures and civilizations, long coasts, mountain areas and beautiful rural environments, in addition to landmark city centers and villages... All of these features, plus continuous sun and mild temperatures, make Spain a perfect EXT filming set throughout the whole year!

PRODUCTION SERVICES SPAIN 

Few countries have the privilege of owning such cultural diversity and so many architectural monuments like Spain. Celts, Romans and Muslims have left their imprint in Spain. There is also a variety of Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, and Neoclassical style monuments your crew can use for the filming of all kinds of film services in Spain.

Spanish cinema is a value that has promoted our country, and has placed Spain in the spotlight with our good actors, technicians, crew and resources. Great artistic figures, directors and high level DOPs have positioned our filming scene internationally. Now, we can say that we are ready to carry out all kinds of film production services in Spain.

Reasons to choose Camaleón Cinema Services for your film shooting in Spain

• We have local filming production crew all around Spain: Madrid, Barcelona, Málaga, Seville, Almería, Valencia, Mallorca, Canary Islands, Galicia and Basque Country.
• The best Production Coordinators crew in Spain will advise you about tax incentives, aids, recruitments, insurance, accommodations and other important aspects of your filming production service.
• Our Location Managers crew from Spain, with extensive portfolios, will help you manage in a fast way the needed permits to shoot your film anywhere.
• We have an experienced filming crew of Technicians for commercial and film shoots all over Spain.
• We have our own camera, lighting and grip equipment. Camaleón was born as a filming rental house company. Nowadays we still rent filming equipment in Spain and all over the world, but we also offer complete film production services. Having the equipment is our great competitive advantage, this allows us to give the best service and the best price.

Camaleón offers the out-and-out Production Service pack in Spain, including Balearic and Canary Islands. Our high level crew will optimize your timings and add value to your filming project, we have local crew in many different parts of the country. Production, Camera, Lighting and Grip crew with longstanding experience in Films, Commercials and Tv broadcast production services.

Spain has the Perfect Climate: Sun and mild temperatures during the whole year

Spain offers ideal weather conditions for any filming crew to carry out EXT film services. We have long days and many hours of sun per year in most of the country. During the winter, temperatures are not too low. In Spain there are four different types of climate: Mediterranean, Mountain climate, Atlantic and Subtropical. Generally, temperatures rise as you go south of Spain, and it usually rains more up north.

Spectacular locations all around Spain, Canary and Balearic islands.

Mountains - Historical monuments - Beaches - Cities - Towns - Landscapes - Desserts in Spain

What tax deductions can be obtained for film services made in Spain?

The Spanish State gives filming production services investors attractive tax benefits, regulated in article 36, paragraphs 1 and 2 of the November 27th Law 27/2014 about Corporation Tax. This law applies in most of the Spanish autonomous communities, except the Canary islands,  Navarre and the Basque Country. These benefits can have two potential recipients. This law distinguishes between Spanish filming services (regulated in paragraph 1) and foreign film productions (regulated in paragraph 2); in both cases, the filming productions should deliver physical copies prior to the industrial productions services in a series.

In paragraph 1, the Law states that investments in Spanish feature films, fiction series, animation videos or documentaries, will give the film services producer a right to a 25% tax deduction regarding the first million euros of the deductible base, and a 20% discount on the expense that would exceed that amount. The total amount of the deduction may not exceed 3 million euros. It is an essential requirement that 50% of the deduction base should account for filming expenditures in Spanish territory.

The deduction base includes the total cost of the filming production services, the expenses from obtaining copies, and promotion or advertising costs, up to 40% of the total cost.

In the case of co-productions between Spanish and foreign filming producers, the amounts are determined to each film service co-producer according to their respective participation in the filming production service.

What requirements must a Spanish filming project made in Spain comply to get tax deductions?

TAX REDUCTION FOR FILM PRODUCTION SERVICES IN SPAIN

To receive tax benefits some requirements must be fulfilled:

a) The production filming service needs to get a nationality certificate. Feature films and other audiovisual works must have a Spanish nationality, according to the precepts in Article 5 of the Law 55/2007, December 28th.

- At least 75% of the authors who participate in the cinematographic or filming work (such as directors, screenwriters, DOPs and soundtrack composers) must have a Spanish, or any other European State, nationality. These crew members could also have a valid residence permit in Spain or in any other European Union State. In any case, the director must meet this requirement.

- At least 75% of the actors and other artistic crew involved in the film production must meet the nationality or residence requirements mentioned above.

- The same happens with technical crew who are involved in the project,  at least 75% of them should fulfill the nationality or residency requirements.

- The original language of the cinematographic or filming work should preferably be Spanish or one of Spain's official dialects.

- The film shooting, postproduction and lab work must take place in Spain or in a European Union State. You could exceptionally film some parts outside these limits if it's essential for the story. In the case of animation works, the production filming service process must take place in Spanish or European territory.

Nevertheless, film services will be considered Spanish if co-produced with foreign companies that meet the required regulations or adjust to an international agreement.

b) A new and mint condition copy of the production filming service result has to be delivered to the Spanish Film Archive. The tax deduction explained in this paragraph will be generated in each tax period, and will depend on the production expenses generated each period. The discount will be applied once the filming work finalizes and the tax period starts; except in animation productions, whose deduction will apply once the Spanish Nationality Certificate is obtained and the tax period starts. 

The amount obtained trough other aids or subsidies will be subtracted from the tax discount mentioned above.

The tax deduction amount, combined with other aids, may not exceed 50% of the total cost of the production. This limit can be exceeded in two cases addressed in the law.

What requirements must a foreign filming project made in Spain meet in order to obtain tax deductions?

The second paragraph regulates foreign film production services in Spain. The producers, whatever nationality, must be listed in the Film Production Company Registration. They have a right to get a 20% deduction from the expense invested in Spain. This expenditure should exceed 1 million euros in order to get the tax discount.

The applicable film services costs for tax deduction (costs meaning expenditures made in Spanish territory, up to 3 million euros per production) are:

1º. Expenses on skilled creative crew who are tax resident in Spain or in a European Union State, with a limit of 100.000 euros per person.

2º. Expenses derived from the use of technical industries and other suppliers.

The amount of this deduction in combination with other aids or subsides for film production services may not exceed 50% of total costs.

The producers who apply for this tax incentive have to fulfill the following:

1º. In film credits and advertising, include a specific reference to this tax incentive, mention the locations in Spain where the film was shot and indicate the collaboration of Spanish Government or other Communities involved. 

2º. Send the Spanish Cinema and Audiovisual Arts Institute: a high quality digital copy of the filming project, the synopsis, technical and artistic information, graphic and physical promotional material, a sufficient amount of free-use images from the film to promote it in Spanish territory.

3º. The production services companies benefiting from these aids will commit to give up partial reproduction rights and graphic material to promote the film with cultural and artistic purposes.  

4º. Inform the Spanish Cinema and Audiovisual Arts Institute about the start and finishing date of the filming work, also the total expenditure in Spain.

What aids can film production services companies obtain for their filming project in Spain?

Spain offers production services producers the possibility of benefiting from two subsidies: one provided by the Spanish Government, and another one convened by the Autonomous Communities (which depends on each Community's regulatory bases).

The aid program for feature film production services and other filming works are regulated in the CUD/769/2018 July 17th Order, which establishes the following general principles.

1. The aids are compatible with any other aid used for the same purpose. The total amount that comes from aids can not exceed the established limits.

2. These aids are non-transferable.

3. Feature films and other filming works, including co-productions with foreign companies, shall have Spanish nationality. They will obtain Spanish nationality if they meet Article 5 of the 55/2007 December 28th Law requirements, referring to projects carried out by a Spanish or European company with a Spanish Nationality Certificate. These projects need a preliminary recognition to assure Article 5 requirements are fulfilled.

4. The feature films and other filming works must certify its cultural nature throughout the corresponding certificate granted by the Spanish Cinema and Audiovisual Arts Institute.

5. In co-productions with foreign filming companies, only Spanish co-producers with residence or permanent establishment in Spain can access the aids. These aids are based on their percentage of participation.

6. The total amount of the aid will be reduced if any of the following requirements are not met: the original language of the film must be one of the official Spanish languages, most of the project should be filmed inside Spanish territory, the post-production and laboratory work should occur in Spanish territory. The aids that film production services companies can get will be reduced 10% for each unfulfilled requirement.

Paragraph 6 shall not apply in the case of co-productions with foreign filming companies.

What requirements must be met to obtain the aids?

The requirements that the beneficiaries must satisfy to get Spanish Government aids are:

a) To have legal residence in Spain at the time of receiving the aid.

b) Meeting tax and social security obligations.

c) Meeting refund and reimbursement obligations from previous grants.

d) Not having a residence in a tax haven.

e) To have never been punished for not complying rules about equality between women and men.

Furthermore, applicants of production services grants must fulfill two requirements:

a) Owning the property rights of the filming project produced, this ownership must be maintained at least three years after getting the aid.

b) Comply with legal regulations related to creative, artistic and technical crew. Fulfill payment obligations with the crew and with other technical industries who have participated in the last film in which the production company has obtained a grant.

What obligations do the beneficiaries of the filming aid have?

Apart from the specific obligations established for each aid modality, all production services beneficiaries are obliged to:

a) Show proof of the completion of the film production and provide the required paperwork to the Cinematography and Audiovisual Arts Institute, therefore justify the use of the received funds with a detailed document that specifies where the aid was invested.

b) Give the accounting documents (duly audited according to the applicable legislation) to the Institute of Cinematography and Audiovisual Arts (ICAA) to justify the use of the received funds. Keep a copy of these documents for four years.

c) Communicate to the Institute of Cinematography and Audiovisual Arts if you are benefiting from other filming aids for the same project, whether national or international.

d) Broadcast the collaboration, in the subsidized filming creation, of the Spanish Government and the Institute of Cinematography and Audiovisual Arts through its Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports.

e) Deliver a new and mint state copy of the aided cinematographic film or filming work to the National Film Archive, the film format (digital or analogue) will be specified in the aid sheet.

f) Authorize the Institute of Cinematography and Audiovisual Arts (ICAA) to use the film or filming work in promotional activities in Spain and foreign territories.

What kind of aids does the Spanish state grant for the filming of feature films?

The State can provide two types of filming aid for production services: general aid and selective aid. These are incompatible with each other. In the same tax year, each project can only participate in one of these two options. Nevertheless, the same project can be submitted to both selection procedures in the same or different budgetary period, with a maximum of four procedures of selection in general aids, and three procedures in selective aids.

The total amount of aids and tax incentives for a project may not exceed 50% of the cost established by the Cinematography and Audiovisual Arts Institute. The amount received by each production company or group of them may not exceed a 10% of the allocation for each financial year.

The accreditation of the cultural character of the filming production service is an indispensable condition for the grant of general and selective aids.

The general aids for the productions of feature films are aimed at financing projects that can obtain Spanish nationality and have accredited their cultural character. Also, it is important to meet the following requirements for the current financial year:

1. The minimum cost established by Cinematography and Audiovisual Arts Institute is 1,300,000 euros. For documentary feature films and international co-productions in which exclusively Spanish-American companies participate, the minimum cost is 400,000 euros. In the rest of international co-productions, the minimum cost would be 900,000 euros.

2. When requesting the aid, the project must have a financial guarantee of at least 35 percent of the planned budget. The Cinematography and Audiovisual Arts Institute consider, among other concepts, the contract amounts for the early acquisition of exploitation rights, the amount of formalized contracts signed by the producer or co-producer companies with Spanish distribution companies, and with international sales companies, other public aids and the producing companies' own resources with bank guarantee.

3. At least 50% of budgeted expenses of the feature film, must be spent in Spain or have repercussions on authors, technical, artistic staff or Spanish services. In the case of co-productions with foreign companies, this requirement will be only applied to the proportional part of the Spanish participation.

4. At least 15% of the film's budget, with a maximum of 800,000 euros, must be spent on copies, advertising and promotion for its commercial premiere in Spain.

5. That the premiere occurs within a maximum period of 9 months from the notification of the nationality certificate. In the event that costs exceed 2,000,000 euros, the premiere has to take place in at least 40 movie theaters. If the feature film had a recognized cost equal to or less than 2,000,000 euros, it must be screened in at least 20 movie theaters. For feature films in co-official languages ​​other than Spanish, the movie theaters should be 12, and 5 movie theaters in the case of documentaries.

The aid amounts and the application deadlines can change every year, the Order published each year will report about these issues, as well as the evaluation criteria for each project and the method of payment. Likewise, the requirements and criteria that have been exposed on this website may change.
Selective aids are intended to finance experimental projects or documentaries that include new filmmakers. The cost of the production service recognized by the Cinematography and Audiovisual Arts Institute this year (2018), should not exceed 1,800,000 euros. In the case of animated feature films, the limit is 2,500,000 euros, with some exceptions for international co-productions that meet other requirements. Likewise, at the moment of requesting the aid, the project must have a finance guarantee of at least 15% of the foreseen budget for the feature film or other productions.

With general aids for production services, the amount of aid or the application deadlines requirements and procedures, can also change each year. These will be specified in the Ministerial Order published in the BOE.

How can "CAMALEON CINEMA SERVICES" contribute to your filming project in Spain?

In CAMALEON CINEMA SERVICES SPAIN we can advise you about tax benefits that can be obtained as a producer of a filming project, or as an investor who wants to participate in the field of cinematography. We advise filming companies and cultural entities. We can manage the application for grants and aids given by the Government of Spain, we can help you and your crew find financing for your filming production services and collaborate to carry them out.