(CelebNMusic247-News) Why Runner Runner Was Filmed In Puerto Rico
Then new action thriller, Runner Runner, starring Ben Affleck, Justin Timberlake is a movie taken from real events and that took place in Costa Rica.
Runner Runner just had its Los Angeles premiere last night ( Sept 18) in Hollywood, but why is the Leonardo DiCaprio produced movie filmed in Puerto Rico over its original story line city of Costa Rica? The problem is Runner Runner was filmed in Puerto Rico because of cost and incentives which Costa Rica is NOT offering production companies.
Why do you ask?
Well its simple actually – Runner Runner was filmed on the beautiful island of Puerto Rico because of incentives that Costa Rica is not offering to film production companies.
Here’s the drop:
The Costa Rica Star turned to Miami-based financier and business consultant Reid Mack for an insight into why Runner, Runner is filming in Puerto Rico. Mr. Mack is the director of the Business Plan Institute, and he has provided financing for many industries -including film production:
“There are business environment differences between Puerto Rico and Costa Rica that have caused productions to pick the former. Numerous business issues, including having a U.S. banking and accounting system, the business and the financial incentives provided by Puerto Rico are a big factor. On a government level, Puerto Rico has gone out of it’s way to inform and ‘get the word out’ about the film incentives available. Film production companies are taking note. Johnny Depp filmed The Rum Diary in Puerto Rico in 2009. He later returned and filmed Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides in 2010.”
Mr. Mack also mentioned other factors that are keeping Runner, Runner away from home:
“Furthermore, Costa Rica is on the on the watch list of the United States TradeRepresentative (USTR). In the eyes of the USTR, Costa Rica allows too much pirating of illegal film copies, although in 2011 it enacted legislation to provide for criminal remedies for violations of performers’ rights and of other related rights, but it is still on the list.
As the situation stands now, I would advise to film in Puerto Rico instead of Costa Rica from a business point of view. I think the positives of the economic environment and financialincentives outweigh the scenic authenticity, this could very well be why Runner, Runnerpicked Puerto Rico. This is how film production business plans and film offering memorandums are structured; investors benefit from as many financial incentives as possible without hindering the artistic value of the production. Film makers will be facing keen competition for funds not only other filmmakers but other investments in general.
It’s a shame, really. Costa Rica has the natural backdrop and surroundings to shoot beautiful movies but the economic environment is keeping some productions out. Authenticity often takes a backseat to business interests.”
Check it:
Puerto Rico is not the only location that is luring film producers with financial incentives to bring their film crews and give a boost to the local economy. In fact, a recent article in the film industry journal Variety indicated that various island nations are offering attractive incentives to serve as production locations.
Runner, Runner is not the first film to choose Puerto Rico as a stand-in for Costa Rica. The plot of the 2011 action film Act of Valor, featuring actual U.S. Navy Seals, calls for a scene that is based in the Costa Rica rainforest that was filmed in Puerto Rico instead. At this rate, it looks like trade officials in Costa Rica might have to start looking into the possibility of offering financial incentives in order to keep from losing all film productions to Caribbean locations.
