Maya Cine Digital has collaborated in films such as Jungle 2, exteriors of Arachnophobia and Dinosaurs. This production house, post-producer and equipment rental, wants to make Central America an attractive option for filmmakers of any audiovisual genre.
Its headquarters were founded in Venezuela during 1984. "In a few years we became one of the best local production companies," says Jonathan Delgado, general manager of Maya Cine Digital.
In their country they were the first to buy horizontal moviolas with two screens and work sound mixing with two audio bands in the traditional assembly. They are also pioneers in having a high-speed camera in 16 mm and 35 mm formats, and in acquiring the non-linear editing system of that time, the Video Cube.
Later they integrated into their team an Arri III camera and a whole set of 16 HMI Desisti lights, a portable 150 kW power plant and free fleeker. They also acquired Snorkell lenses and the latest in crane and dollie system. After this purchase, they began to also provide the rental service of film equipment.
Thanks to the boom in the production of telenovelas, American and European films in Central America, "we became the first rental house in the region," adds Jonathan Delgado.
Personal treatment
In its beginnings, the company in Venezuela carried out commercials for the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador and Panama. But "we realized that we had to offer a personal treatment and an immediate response, so we decided to open branches in the Dominican Republic and Guatemala, to serve the Central American and Caribbean market."
For this, it has an exclusive 14 stage directors and seven cinematographers. In the countries where it has offices it has art directors, set designers, props, sound and electronic engineers, gaffers and producers .
Maya Cine Digital seeks to go beyond the borders of Venezuela to expand its market and have the ability to invest in an updated technological platform.
Today it has the following equipment:
- 35 mm cameras: Arri 535, Arri 435, BL1, Arri 3, 2C. All with color video control and free of fleeker.
- 16 mm cameras: SR3, SR2, BL 16, Photosonic Hi speed 500 Fps.
- Video cameras: Digital Betacam, SX Betacam, SP Betacam, DVCP 25/50.
In addition, it has the logistics and transport necessary to move to all of Central America, by land, sea and air.
You can also have the infrastructure of Cinemat Miami, in charge of Eduardo Sheuren, to provide production and equipment rental service throughout the territory of Florida.
The company adjusts to the needs and budget of each client, and supports, with special prices and packages, students in their short film and video projects (with a pre-production of one month and maximum one week of filming).
Soon a telecine
One of its objectives is to install a laboratory and a telecine, to offer flexible prices and ensure production in the region. Maya will soon open offices in El Salvador and Honduras. In the same way, a strategic alliance is made with companies from Paraguay.
Among its plans is a website in different languages, having alliances with other service providers involving audiovisual production and models of different nationalities.
Maya executives know that a challenge to face, in terms of technology, is HD production, since the international market demands it. That is why they are acquiring a high-definition platform to provide the service in Central America, where almost 80% of the advertising production is in video.
"We prepare to make material in HD format for audiovisual producers who need stock material, and offer the service of filming what the client requests, without having to travel to our countries; we have already had orders from people from Japan, Chile, Chicago and New York," says Delgado.
"We achieved this because we have very good rates on airfare, film purchase, development and telecine. We also make it a reality because of the costs we handle and the qualified personnel we have," he says.
Maya Cine Digital has collaborated with BBC, Discovery, RAI Italia, CNN and independent producers of different nationalities; he currently works for Pepsi, Isuzu, Brahva. Its main purpose, says Delgado, is "to motivate producers from anywhere on the planet to make their materials in Central America."
