Location scouting and filming permits in Yucatán
Scouting, photo packages, owner agreements and permit management for haciendas, cenotes, colonial streets, beaches and archaeological sites.
Yucatán has a huge range of locations within a few hours of Mérida: colonial streets and mansions, haciendas, cenotes, pink lagoons, mangroves, Caribbean and Gulf beaches, and Maya archaeological sites. We scout to your brief and send photo and video packages with sun paths, access, power and parking notes for each option.
Once you choose, we negotiate with owners and handle the permits: municipal and state permissions for public spaces, INAH authorization for archaeological sites, and the approvals that protected areas and community-run cenotes require.
Location scouting is the search for places that match a script or creative brief, followed by documenting them so the director, producer and heads of department can choose without traveling. In Yucatán we scout colonial houses and streets in Mérida, Valladolid and Izamal, haciendas, cenotes, beaches, mangroves, villages, archaeological sites, roads, industrial spaces and modern architecture, and we keep a growing database of locations that have worked for previous productions.
For each option we provide wide and detail photos, video walk-throughs, maps, sun path for the shooting dates, notes on access for vehicles and equipment, power, parking, noise, mobile signal, nearby facilities and restrictions, and an estimate of location fees and permit timelines. That information prevents surprises such as a cenote that is too dark at the planned hour, a beach where wind makes dialogue impossible or a street that cannot be closed on market day.
Once you choose, we negotiate location agreements, request permits from the municipality, the state, INAH, protected area authorities or community managers as needed, and organize the tech scout with your director and heads of department. Scouting is quoted by days and distance, and can be done remotely from our database, in person or both.
Equipment we use for this service
All of it comes from our own inventory in Mérida and can also be rented on its own:
What’s included
- Location research to your script or brief
- Scout photos, video and 360 references
- Sun path, access, power and parking notes
- Owner negotiation and location agreements
- Permit applications and liaison with authorities
- Tech scouts with your director and heads of department
- Location database from previous productions
- Mobile signal, noise and nearby facilities notes
- Estimate of location fees and permit timelines
- Remote scouts with live video calls
Ideal for
- Productions planning a shoot in Yucatán
- Photographers and agencies looking for new settings
- Brands needing a hacienda, cenote or beach backdrop
- Directors and producers developing a project
- Advertising agencies preparing a pitch
- Music video and fashion photographers
How it works
Brief
Send your script, references and logistics: crew size, dates, power and parking needs.
Scout
We visit options and send photos, video and notes on light, access and sound.
Secure
We negotiate with owners, agree fees and file the permits each location needs.
Tech scout and handoff
We walk the chosen locations with your heads of department and hand over contracts and permits.
Frequently asked questions
How long do permits take?
It varies. Private locations can be confirmed in days, while public spaces and archaeological sites can take several weeks, so start early.
Can you get permission to film in a cenote?
Many cenotes are privately or community managed and allow professional shoots with an agreement and fee. We arrange it with the managers.
Do you charge for scouting?
Scouting is quoted by days and distance and is credited when you book the production with us.
How much does location scouting cost in Yucatán?
It is quoted by scouting days and distance traveled. Remote scouting from our database costs less than full field scouting.
How long does a scout take?
A first set of options can often be sent within a few days. Field scouting for several looks usually takes one to two weeks.
Can you scout remotely?
Yes. We send photos and video from our database and can do live video calls from a location so you can see it in real time.
Which permits are needed for archaeological sites?
Professional filming or photography at sites under INAH custody requires INAH authorization, which takes several weeks and is not always granted.
Do you negotiate location fees?
Yes. We negotiate fees and terms with owners and managers and prepare written location agreements.
Can you find a hacienda or cenote with no tourists?
Often yes, by choosing private locations or scheduling early or on closed days. We confirm availability with the managers.
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