Guatemala

Industry Information: Locations: Southern Guatemala has populated mountain ranges over the upper slope jungles and an extensive dense forest covering the foothills below. In the northern half of Guatemala, vast lowland plains and undulating hardwood forest dot the occasional banana plantation. The coastal plain along the Pacific coast is intensely cultivated, with plantations of coffee, sugarcane, and bananas, alongside cotton fields. Guatemala City is a modern city however Antigua Guatemala is a stunning colonial city in the shadow of a spectacular volcano surrounded by picturesque countryside and villages. There are thirty volcanoes to choose from, some still active, Mayan Pyramids in Tikal and Mayan villages with colorfully clothed locals.

Permits are typically same day or within a couple of days. Permission to shoot the Mayan ruins at Tikal have very little red tape, as opposed to shooting Mayan ruins in Mexico where it could take weeks. This easy access to shooting Mayan ruins is one of the main reasons to shoot in Guatemala. Locations, local talent and support crew are inexpensive but since little to no filming infrastructure exists all key crew and equipment must be brought in from abroad.

Talent is non-union and buyouts are negotiable. Day rates are very reasonable and negotiated on a personal basis. 

Casting facilities are rather undeveloped in Guatemala so street casting is often required. There is a limited depth of local crews so it is advisable to bring your key crew from abroad. You will need to bring in all equipment from abroad and art department and set construction is very basic.

Topography, Weather, Transportation & Main Cities

Topography of land: Guatemala is mountainous, except for the south coastal area and the vast northern lowlands of Peten department. Two mountain chains enter Guatemala from west to east, dividing the country into three major regions: the highlands, where the mountains are located; the Pacific coast, south of the mountains; and the Petén region, north of the mountains. All major cities are located in the highlands and Pacific coast regions; by comparison, Petén is sparsely populated. These three regions vary in climate, elevation, and landscape, providing dramatic contrasts between hot and humid tropical lowlands and colder and drier highland peaks. Volcán Tajumulco, at 4,220 meters, is the highest point in the Central American states.

Guatemala Highlands: The rivers are short and shallow in the Pacific drainage basin, larger and deeper in the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico drainage basins, which include the Polochic and Dulce Rivers, which drain into Lake Izabal, the Motagua River, the Sarstún that forms the boundary with Belize, and the Usumacinta River, which forms the boundary between Petén and Chiapas, Mexico.

The country has 14 ecoregions ranging from Mangrove forests, to both ocean littorals with 5 different ecosystems. Guatemala has 252 listed wetlands, including 5 lakes, 61 lagoons, 100 rivers and 3 swamps.

Tikal is the largest of the ancient ruined cities of the Maya civilization. It is located in the El Petén department of Guatemala. Now part of Guatemala’s Tikal National Park, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a popular tourist spot. The closest large towns are Flores and Santa Elena, about 30 kilometers away. Tikal was one of the major cultural and population centers of the Maya civilization. Though monumental architecture at the site dates to the 4th century BC, Tikal reached its apogee during the Classic Period, ca. 200 AD to 900 AD, during which time the site dominated the Maya region politically, economically, and militarily while interacting with areas throughout Mesoamerica, such as central Mexican center of Teotihuacan. The site’s abandonment was by the end of the 10th century.

Weather: Guatemala’s climate varies according to altitude. The coastal regions and the northeast are hot throughout the year with an average temperature of 20°C (68°F) sometimes rising to 37°C (99°F). Generally, nights are clear all year round. In higher climes, near the center of the country, the rainy season, running from May to September, is characterized by clear skies after abundant rainfall in the afternoons and evenings. Temperatures fall sharply at night. The west and south of the country are very mountainous with some volcanic peaks rising to over 4,000 m/13,000 ft. A large part of the hilly country is typical tierra templada, which has a very pleasant climate. Rainfall here is moderate with a distinct dry season from November to April. Conditions on the Pacific coast, where there is a narrow strip of tierra caliente, are similar in terms of the dry and wet seasons, but rainfall is rather heavier and there is little relief from the high temperatures at night.

Transportation: Two international highways cross Guatemala: the 512-mi Franklin D. Roosevelt Highway (part of the Pan American Highway system) and the Pacific Highway. Guatemala Railways operates 90% of the 549 mi of narrow-gauge railway. Few of the rivers and lakes are important to commercial navigation. Puerto Barrios and Santo Tomás on the Caribbean coast are Guatemala’s chief ports; the Pacific coast ports are Champerico and San José. In 2002, Guatemala had no registered cargo ships. Chicken buses, recycled and often colorfully painted former US school buses, are popular within cities and for short-distance trips.

La Aurora International Airport at Guatemala City, the first air terminal in Central America, serves aircraft of all sizes, including jumbo jets. The government-owned Aviateca has a monopoly on scheduled domestic service and also flies to other Central American countries, Jamaica, Mexico, and the US.

Main Cities:

Guatemala City is the capital and largest city of the nation of Guatemala. It is also the capital city of the local Guatemala Department and the largest city in Central America. The city is located in a mountain valley in the south central part of the country. Within the confines of modern Guatemala City is the ancient Maya city of Kaminaljuyu. Kaminaljuyu dates back some 9,000 years and is one of the Americas’ most notable archaeological sites. The center of Kaminaljuyu was located a short distance from the oldest part of Guatemala City. However, in the late 20th century, the city grew around the ruins, and, in some cases, over some of the outlying ruins before they were protected. Many of the several hundred temple mounds have been built over with freeways, shopping centers, commerce, luxury hotels and residential areas. The central ceremonial center of Kaminaljuyu was protected by the Guatemalan government and is now a park within the city. Even so, there are some ruins still alive that are protected by the government.

In Spanish colonial times, Guatemala City was a small town. The capital of Spanish colonial Central America was moved here after a water volcano destroyed the old capital, Antigua Guatemala, in 1775. This resulted in a great expansion of the city. The city was the scene of the declaration of independence of Central America from Spain, and became the capital of the United Provinces of Central America in 1821.

Guatemala City is the economic, governmental and cultural capital of the Republic, and it functions as the main port of entry into the country, with the country’s largest international airport, La Aurora International Airport. In addition to a wide variety of restaurants, hotels and shops, the city has a wide variety of art galleries and museums (including some fine collections of Pre-Columbian art) and continually offers an increasing amount of cultural activities.

Quetzaltenango is the second most populous city of Guatemala, after Guatemala City. It is both the capital of Quetzaltenango Department and the municipal seat of Quetzaltenango municipality. It has an estimated population of 300,000. The population is about 50% indigenous or Amerindian, 47% Mestizo or ladino, and 3% European. Quetzaltenango is located in a mountain valley at an altitude of 2,333 meters (7,655 ft) above sea level.

In Pre-Columbian times Quetzaltenango was a city of the Mam Maya people called Xelajú, the name derived from “Xe laju’ noj” meaning “under ten mountains”. The city was said to have already been over 300 years old when the Spanish first arrived. Quetzaltenango became the city’s official name in colonial times. In the 19th century, coffee was introduced as a major crop in the area and the economy of Xela prospered. Much fine Belle Époque architecture can still be found in the city.

Escuintla is a city in south central Guatemala. It is the capital of the Department of Escuintla and the administrative seat of Escuintla municipality. In 2003 the city had a population of about 68,000 people. It is on the border of the central highlands and the Pacific coastal plain. The city is among the more industrialized areas of the country. One of the most important agricultural products of the region is sugar cane. Other products are tobacco, seafood, and cattle. 68,000 people. It is on the border of the central highlands and the Pacific coastal plain. It is considered the doorway to the Pacific Ocean. Innumerable rivers bathe this Department and beautiful mangroves, declared an ecological reserve zone, border its coast. It is one of the most active tourist sites in the country and today we find there the majority of the vacation villas of the residents of the capital.

People, Culture & Safety

People: Population:  13,002,206  Ethnicity/race: Mestizo (Ladino)—mixed Amerindian-Spanish ancestry—and European 59.4%, K’iche 9.1%, Kaqchikel 8.4%, Mam 7.9%, Q’eqchi 6.3%, other Mayan 8.6%, indigenous non-Mayan 0.2%, other 0.1%

On the basis of cultural traits, the population is divided into two main ethnic groups—Ladinos and Maya, who make up the vast majority of Indians in Guatemala and form several cultures. The Ladinos comprise those of mixed Hispanic-Maya origin. While the Maya account for slightly less than half of the country’s total population, they make up about three-fourths of the population in the western highland provinces. There are also some Spanish-speaking Xinca in southern Guatemala and more than 15,000 Garifuna (people of mixed African and Caribbean descent; formerly called Black Caribs) in the northeastern port towns of Livingston and Puerto Barrios. Their ancestors came to the Central American coast from Caribbean islands in the 18th century. Ladinos are the more commercially and politically influential group, and they make up most of the urban population.

Guatemala is one of the countries with the largest indigenous populations in Latin America. Traditional Mayan dress is still worn in many parts of the country, particularly in rural areas. The patterns and colors of typical Mayan blouses and skirts vary from region to region and often from town to town.

Language – Although Spanish is the official language, it is not universally spoken among the indigenous population, nor is it often spoken as a second language. Twenty-one distinct Mayan languages are spoken, especially in rural areas, as well as several non-Mayan Amerindian languages, such as the indigenous Xinca, and Garifuna, an Arawakan language spoken on the Caribbean coast. According to Decreto Número 19-2003, twenty-three languages are recognized as National Languages.

Culture: Music is important in Guatemalan culture. Most towns have a marimba band (the marimba is an instrument similar to a xylophone). The Music of Guatemala comprises a number of styles and expressions. The Maya had an intense musical practice. Guatemala was also one of the first regions in the New World to be introduced to European music, from 1524 on.

The cuisine of Guatemala reflects the multicultural nature of Guatemala, in that it involves food that differs in taste depending on the region. Guatemala has 22 departments (or divisions), each of which has very different typical foodstuffs. Many traditional foods are based in Maya cuisine and prominently feature corn, chiles and beans as key ingredients. Various dishes may have the same name as a dish from a neighboring country, but may in fact be quite different for example the enchilada or quesadilla, which are nothing like their Mexican counterparts.

Safety: Guatemala has a developing economy, characterized by wide income disparities.  Hotels and other tourist facilities in the principal tourist sites most frequented by visitors from the United States are generally good to excellent.  A peace accord, signed in 1996, ended a 36-year armed conflict.  Violent crime, however, is a serious concern due to endemic poverty, an abundance of weapons, a legacy of societal violence, and dysfunctional law enforcement and judicial systems.

Due to uncontrolled drug and alien smuggling, the Guatemalan border with Mexico is a relatively high-risk area, in particular in the northern Peten Department.  The most dangerous area in that region is on the northwestern border in the area that includes the Sierra de Lacandon and Laguna del Tigre National Parks.