Mexico City

Making CDMX a Top Place to Film

CitiesMexico CityMaking CDMX a Top Place to Film

Bloomberg Associates helped Mexico City and its Film Commission to position the city as a world-class location for film production.

With Bloomberg… we have been able to attract important international events to Mexico City that have put a spotlight on all that we have to offer.

Dr. Miguel Mancera, Former Mayor of Mexico City

Relevant Expertise

Spur Business and Industry Growth

Film and TV Attraction
Tourism and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions) Attraction

Challenge

Despite its stunning locales and rich cultural history, Mexico City was not considered a desirable location for film and television production by the entertainment industry. The City lacked the infrastructure necessary for large productions, from permitting processes to location scouting, and faced intense competition from many other locales around the world. Mexico City’s Film Commission sought the expertise of Bloomberg Associates to address this problem, asking us to develop ambitious goals so that Mexico City could take its rightful place as a top destination for film and television production alongside leading cities around the world.

Approach

Bloomberg Associates recognized Mexico City’s inherent strengths and understood the impact that a robust film industry could have on the economy while showcasing Mexico City to the world.

As a first step, Bloomberg Associates recommended that the Mexico City Film Commission invest in upgrading and digitizing its permitting processes, to support production and better track production data. This data allowed the Film Commission to illustrate the economic impact of the entertainment industry on Mexico City. With our guidance, the Film Office also launched a new website that showcased available locations for filming in and around Mexico City.

Additionally, Bloomberg Associates coordinated a series of events to introduce Mexico City as a premier film destination. We co-hosted an industry roundtable with 40 attendees from film and television communities around the world to discuss how Mexico City could grow its film industry, and the benefits that growth could provide locally. The roundtable meeting served as a forum to unveil the Film Office’s new plans, including a marketing campaign showcasing the city’s film industry, the new online permitting system, and a database of Mexico City film locations.

These efforts culminated in 10 days of location shoots in Mexico City for the 007 blockbuster, “Spectre,” in the James Bond franchise. The opening sequence, an elaborate Bond chase, was filmed against the backdrop of a Day of the Dead celebration in the heart of the city, Zócalo Square. Bloomberg Associates worked with the Film Commission to attract and coordinate the production of “Spectre,” advising on production needs, and other issues such as securing the use of public buildings and cultural assets. Shot over ten days, the opening scene contributed several million dollars to the local economy and inspired Mexico City to launch its own annual Day of the Dead parade in Zócalo Square. The parade attracts more than 1 million additional visitors and is, in itself, an important social and economic event in the city.

Impact

Bloomberg Associates has helped to put Mexico City on the map for international film production by establishing an infrastructure for permits and location scouting, and coordinating an international film industry roundtable to raise Mexico City’s profile. The filming of a franchise as popular and recognizable as James Bond has revealed the beauty and appeal of Mexico as a film location to the world, but also demonstrated the capability and infrastructure Mexico has to support major film productions in the future.