In this page, go directly to:
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico

Global site links:


Main table contains active section navigation menu, page content, along with other links and information of interest.

Filming in Puerto Rico

The island has the artistic and technical talent as well as the equipment to make anything from a commercial to a feature length film.

If you don’t believe it, ask Ving Rhames who did exactly that and left the island with “Animal” in the can.

There is no need to build Spanish colonial era sets when shooting in Old San Juan. The streets are lined with Spanish colonial era buildings, preserved as they were built more than 200 to 300 years ago by laws rigidly enforced by the Institute of Puerto Rico Culture.

Puerto Rico is the oldest European community under the U.S. Flag, San Juan is the second oldest city in the hemisphere and San José Church is the oldest church building in the hemisphere. The 300 year old Spanish era barracks building and hospital with their interior courtyards can be centerpieces for movie sets. You can write a screenplay around them.

A three minute drive—and a 300 year leap to the present—delivers you to the modern tourist area of El Condado with the ocean on one side, a lovely lagoon on the other the Mirmar luxury high rise house area on the other side of the lagoon.

Across the center of the island, from east to west, is the lush, green Central Mountain Range that rises as high as 4,000 feet at its peak. It is spotted with lakes, waterfalls and forest land. The topography varies from rich tropical rainforest to arid coastal plains rimmed by breathtaking beaches.

What we don’t have are snow capped mountains, so we can’t help you do a sequel to “Downhill Racer.”

But we do have 40 percent tax credit.

Did you know?

"Our experience in Puerto Rico was extremely positive. The crews were great, equipment was readily available and the film commission very helpful. In our film we had to sell San Juan as Tijuana, Mexico and we were able to successfully do that because of the hard work and creativity of the local crew. I would recommend shooting in Puerto Rico ot any producer that has a story that fits into that environment." David Bixler, Sr. VP Production I Witness

More