Your production coordinator
in Guatemala
To gain an understanding of the complex intertwining of the religions, visit a local church that serves both Mayans and Christians. An example our production coordinator in Guatemala would recommend is Santo Tomas Church. Here, the Catholic mass can end by 10 a.m., and the altars would be immediately replaced for the Mayan rituals. Intrigued? Our journalist fixer can arrange for interviews with both sides of the aisle. Hence, read on to see what else we discovered in Guatemala while helping our customers with their shoots:
Guatemala City
What do the moon and textiles have in common? A Mayan deity to rule over both! Named after her, the Museo Ixchel del Traje Indigena is a must-see in the city, according to our production coordinator in Guatemala. It displays the clothing of the Mayan people, Guatemala’s indigenous community. As a result, it would be great to film here if you want to showcase the Spaniards’ impact and influence on fashion. So get ready to learn a lot of facts about Mayan festivals from the museum or our location scout.
Antigua
Antigua is one of the best-preserved Spanish colonial cities in Central America. Hence, our production coordinator in Guatemala is fascinated with pilgrims who seek answers to their prayers from Friar Hermano Pedro. He was a beatified 18th-century monk buried inside Iglesia de San Francisco el Grande. The building, of Spanish baroque architecture, lived through 3 earthquakes. Part of it was reconstructed and part remains in ruins.
Take a shot at the wholesome life in Caoba, an all-organic farm that hosts farmer markets, live music, or outdoor yoga.
Antigua
Izabal
In La Finca del Paraiso, a 30-feet wide waterfall with hot, volcanic water drips into a clear pool of cold water. Our journalist fixer describes bathing there as receiving a hot shower from above while feeling the cold water beneath. Also, you can use mud from the hot spring to make a facial or body mask, in nature’s spa. Tourists let the fish nibble on their dead skin or explore the network of hidden caves. Nearby, you can find Playa Sand Bay, a white-sand beach.
Quiché
Our location scout loves visiting the mountain village of Chichicastenango. Thursdays and Sundays, it becomes one of the largest handicrafts markets. You can find there pottery, colorful textiles, carved wooden masks, flowers, incense, and other Mayan goods for sale. However, if you are not interested in filming a busy market, perhaps you might want to catch the pickpockets – who are a real thing here. Likewise, you could capture the amazing size of the loads that women carry on their backs.
Quiché
Baja Verapaz
We can just see it: the video of a lonely man horseback riding in the woods under the canopy on the road to El salto de Chilascó, one of the tallest waterfalls in Central America. Just him and the thunder of the waterfall. Our production coordinator in Guatemala would love to film here as it managed to stay off tourists’ radar. Likewise, he can also show you around Mario Dary Biotope Preserve where you can film the endangered national bird of Guatemala, the Resplendent Quetzal.
Hiring a location scout in Guatemala
Mayans and Christians using the same place for holy rituals in Guatemala might be just what the world needs to see to reconcile their differences. At Guatemala Fixer we would love to create a documentary on this and will work alongside you as if it were our project.
Guatemala is the right place to film a cultural piece about the Mayans. Thus we can help you research facts you have never heard before or take amazing shots of Mayan products on display in Guatemala’s museums or markets.
You can capture the idyllic beauty of the waterfall in Finca del Paraiso. Alternatively, you could fulfill the dream of our production coordinator in Guatemala and remain off the beaten track with El salto de Chilascó waterfall.
We are eager to help you in any of the locations above or find you alternative locations, tailored to your needs.
