"I don't think there's anyone in this business that still believes Brazil is a huge rainforest with no cities," says Sergio Valente, CEO at DDB Brazil, quick to explain that the stereotypes have vanished. "Nor that we are a lush, tropical paradise with mosquitoes as big as helicopters and snakes in the middle of the streets." In fact, considering Brazil's size, population and spending power, he says, "advertising could not afford not knowing such a market."

But the stereotypes served their initial purpose by opening production and advertising doors. At first, people came for the beaches, mile after famed mile of them, celebrated in song and film to the extent that Brazil's sands - especially around Rio - have reached mythic proportions in the global consciousness. "People came for that and the jungle as if they were the only things to shoot," says Jan Roldanus, executive producer at Rio-based Focus Films. Alongside partner and 25-year Brazilian production vet Tuinho Schwartz, Roldanus and Focus have been providing production services for features, TV and spots for a mostly European and California clientele.

"We did one job for Sheraton Hotels that was 32 vignettes - everything from a Nebraskan farm scene to a Tibetan monastery to the streets of New York and India - and the whole thing was shot in the Rio area," Roldanus says, eliminating any doubt about Brazil's diversity of locations. "We cheated every continent on Earth," he proclaims, adding the jungles and beaches were also shot for the spot.

Usually, Focus is asked to reproduce suburban US or European-looking locations, especially for commercials. While Brazil is not the only place that you can do this in South America, casting is less an issue there than in other countries.

While Brazil is certainly known for its good-looking people, it's perhaps less known for the diversity that exists within that population. Partly due to many waves of immigration and a long tradition of mixed marriages, almost half the population is multi-racial, comprising every shade of nude under the sun. (See Brazil under the microscope, pg. 60)

Executive producer at Margarida Films Greg Jenkins remembers being approached by people from the Asian Games. Needing to make a spot that would depict all the different peoples of Asia, they'd turned to Brazil. "We had everything from [Asians] to [Eastern] Indians," he says. "The whole thing was done in Rio without any problem."

The rules for talent buyouts in Brazil are also more flexible than many other countries. So flexible in fact, that local producers often ask what the budget is and negotiate a deal rather than the other way around.

Open style

In addition to the flexibility of the talent, rules, crews, unions and government regulations can also be worked in a visiting shoot's favor. For example, if a production brings its own non-Brazilian director, they're supposed to pay a tax. "But there are ways around that," says Roldanus. "You can hire a Brazilian to shadow the foreign director, which eliminates the tax." Better yet, Roldanus suggests hiring a Brazilian director. Rules regarding unions and hours are also negotiable.

"In the States, if you are an electrician, it's against the rules to solve someone else's problem," says Irma Palma, EP at Bossa Nova Films. "Here, we have unions but they work differently. Visiting DP's are surprised by the way we work as a team." About 30% of Bossa Nova's business is international. Palma says the country's relaxed atmosphere is reflected in the work both on set and in pre-production. "Our clients love the way we do things here. It's very professional but with a minimum of stress."

Palma says this more open, flexible style reaches full bloom when the jobs are local. "When we work for Brazilian agencies it's still the same process: storyboards, conference call, treatment, etcetera, but it's much less formal than what people are used to in North America." According to Palma, this leads to better ideas and more creativity. "Creatives and directors talk a lot more before shooting." Palma says that foreigners didn't always see the benefit of this working style and so international work tends to adapt at least somewhat to visitors.

Fresh thinking

This more open style is not restricted to production. Agencies have their equivalent as well. "We work in teams but no one is specifically assigned to one client - everyone works on all the campaigns," explains Marcello Serpa, partner and creative director at AlmapBBDO Brazil. "In Brazil we have a saying: 'We all share both the bones and the filet mignon.' You get more team work and fresher thinking." (See Is there a Brazilian style?, pg. 64)

Wooing new clients, especially from abroad, is not always easy. "In the beginning they think it's weird. They ask 'which are my creative guys?' but they get used to it. In the end, it's the ideas that matter, so it works."

Serpa also notes that client/agency relationships tend to last a lot longer in Brazil in general and at AlmapBBDO in particular. "In North America, clients jump from agency to agency. Here, it's not unusual to stay with the same agency for 20 years or more. Clients trust us a lot and long-term relations are developed. This is different than Argentina or other places." Serpa says that about 10% of his business is international but in many ways, it's the most fun 10%. "Brazilian clients work with lower budgets not like [those] in the US or UK. There is a lack of money. So the moment we work for international clients it's like Shangri-La - longer timeframes and bigger budgets."

In the business for about 25 years now, Serpa says that international clients were scant to non-existent in the 1980s. "Then the '90s happened." Changes in regulations allowed for an internationalization of the market and Brazilian companies went transnational.

"I remember doing a local commercial for Pepsi. It was well produced and the spot was a big hit in Brazil," recounts Serpa. "It was shown at Cannes and suddenly it was aired in all continents. And then Pepsi International asked us to produce for them." According to Serpa, "when that happened it opened a window we never expected to have."

With a low exchange rate and a more foreign-friendly economy, the door was wide open. But even as the real gains on the dollar and costs go up, Brazil remains a destination. Call it a sign of a maturing industry.

"Sure, it's a bit more expensive than our competitors such as Argentina, but there is so much more here," says Palma. "The creativity in Brazilian advertising, the quality level of production companies, the investments in digital technology and media conversion, and the ever-growing access to these media help this process." In other words, there are a lot more than simply financial reasons to be shooting in Brazil. "The fact that our directors are well-known makes [winning business] less difficult - when you only offer production services you're competing with other countries with cheaper costs, like Argentina and Chile."

Jenkins says that the boom in production services is slowly being eclipsed by international productions using Brazilian directors. (See The director's perspective, pg. 65) "It's interesting because it shows that agencies are becoming more confident in the local talent. The negative side is the rise in the real's value. Brazil's cheap: [it's] less than half than the [USD] and a third of the cost of Europe, but there are cheaper places."

With economics less of a selling point, Brazil now focuses more on the talent, capability and creativity of its people. And the message has gotten out - even as far as India.

Bollywood recently made its feature film debut in Brazil with what Justin Bird, executive producer at Rio-based Utopia Films, describes as the world's longest music video shot over six weeks. "There were about 50 [cast members], including a former Miss World and some other big stars." Bird also says that over the years, the majority of the service work went to a few select companies. These days, the wealth is more spread out. "Ask around: the prices vary a lot more than they used to."

Innovating

Since the international window opened, Brazil has found a few niches to thrive in and at least one in which to excel. "We're ahead of most countries in all aspects of the web," says Jenkins. "Local agencies used to do interactive and web work in-house. Now the web is richer and they can't keep up." At this point, most production companies have dedicated interactive departments. "We've done quite a bit for some big brands including Coca-Cola, Renault and Chevrolet," he says, adding that the World Cup produced a mini-boom of "Subservient Chicken" type material. "A local beer brand did a bit where you try to shoot a goal past a beautiful model, who then takes her top off."

No doubt wildly popular.

Jenkins notes that international agencies are currently poaching Brazil's interactive web hotshots, but figures it's only a matter of time before other countries get as focused as Brazil on the Internet.

Serpa agrees with the assessment. "I love Internet projects," he says, noting that it is becoming rarer to produce something exclusively for TV. "At minimum, smaller fills are done for the Internet at the same time." It also works the other way around. "We just launched a VW campaign that started with the web. As more people saw it, the client bought it for TV. We are mixing the media very frequently."

The next level

So what does Brazil have to do to hold and advance its position? "We have to be increasingly professional and international without losing any of our local color and flavor," says Ruy Lindenberg, creative VP at Leo Burnett Brazil.

Lindenberg also believes Brazil must remain adaptable to a diverse range of clients. "Today, we are producing a million-dollar commercial for one client and a $35,000 commercial for another... we have to be good on both ends of the spectrum." Enter the familiar refrain concerning the laws of diminishing returns, heard from LA to NYC to London: "The multinational clients are striving to reduce costs, rarely increasing quality, by outsourcing international productions in places like Buenos Aires, Santiago, etc. Sometimes this works, other times,

not really."

Agencies
Leo Burnett http://www.leoburnett.com.br
AlmapBBDO http://www.almapbbdo.com.br
DDB Brazil http://www.ddbbrasil.com.br
F/Nazca Saatchi & Saatchi http://www.fnazca.com.br
Lew Lara http://www.lewlara.com.br
JWT http://www.jwt.com.br
PRODUCTION AND SERVICE COMPANIES
Republika Films http://www.republikafilmes.com
Jodaf Mixer http://www.mixer.com.br
O2Filmes http://www.o2filmes.com
Conspiracio http://www.conspira.com.br
Zohar International http://www.zoharinternational.com
Bossa Nova Films http://www.bossanovafilms.com.br
Utopia Films http://www.utopiafilms.com
Margarida Films http://www.margaridafilms.com
Carnaval Pictures http://www.carnavalpictures.net
Focus Brazil http://www.focusbrazil.tv
Paradiso Films www.paradisofilms.com.br
Animation
Lobo http://www.lobo.cx
Ad Studio http://www.adstudio.com.br
Vetor Zero http://www.vetorzero.com.br
ASSOCIATIONS
Film Brazil http://www.filmbrazil.com