Multimillion-dollar film studio inaugurated in Puerto Rico
With a projected investment of around $5 million and the aim of offering advanced facilities for developing local and international film productions in Puerto Rico, AAMS, a studio with the latest technology, equipment and suitable spaces for the film industry, has been inaugurated in San Lorenzo.
With the creation of 150 direct and indirect jobs, AAMS studios was designed to be ideal for developing “a solid and stable industry on the island,” according to the related news release, which adds that the “first phase of the studios will be ready for film industry work and general productions at the beginning of February.”
AAMS will offer a rental program to provide the space to “produce and develop cinema in Puerto Rico for both the local and international industry, content creation for social networks, television programs, networks, and of course cinema,” as well as “productions for advertising campaigns and professional photography.”
The facility includes a 20,000-square-foot soundstage with the amenities needed for cinematic, advertising and multimedia projects. The facilities also feature 15,000 square feet for sets and, as an added service, a helipad.
AAMS, the release says, “is an example of repurposing infrastructure for new commercial activities,” given that the original structure, built in 1992, was used as a pharmaceutical warehouse for 30 years, and about 80% of the construction materials used for the studio were recycled from the building’s previous use.
“Our company and the facilities at Hacienda Muñoz have been the setting for multiple films, videos and short films. It’s there where we identified the need for a studio in Puerto Rico that serves for creating and editing cinematic and advertising projects in all their stages,” explained Héctor Muñoz, president of Empresas Muñoz and AAMS. “Previously, projects were not completed in Puerto Rico due to a lack of integrated facilities. With AAMS, we have a new stage for Puerto Rico to stand out in the film industry and strengthen this component of the country’s economic development.”
The release says the facility has been equipped “considering all details and needs so that each production team has everything necessary for quality work,” and features “220-ton air conditioning capacity, 225-kilowatt electric generator, 750 KVA substation, around 100 parking spaces, space for about 10 trailers, six to 10 containers, direct access ramps to the interior with wide doors.” In addition, there is a “fully equipped kitchen and a cozy dining room with capacity for 200 people.”
The studio’s green screen is said to be “the largest in the Caribbean.” It also has space to record podcasts.
The facilities will also feature “12 double rooms, private security, ushers, ‘table reading,’ conference rooms, 15,000 square feet for sets.” Soon, the release says, “we will add a second larger filming building (third phase).”
The pre-production and post-production space was described as “spacious and comfortable to meet the professional needs that international productions regularly have.” The studio also boasts “four fixed makeup stations, 15 additional mobile stations, showers, a wardrobe area, three ‘green rooms,’ space and a store” for grip technicians, and “three coffee stations, among other offerings.”
The studio will produce at least one film production per year, the company said, with “in-house directors and in-house producers and virtual productions.” The owner said the studio is the largest medium-scale studio in Puerto Rico and will offer “everything necessary for the production of a film project from its artistic concept stage to its final stage.”
The investment in AAMS, which was “financed with private funds, will be carried out in three stages; the first phase, the budget was $1.8 million for the acquisition of the building, rehabilitation and transformation of facilities and infrastructure for multimedia creation,” according to the release.
The second phase involved a $1.5 million investment “for the acquisition of high technology equipment such as OSVP (On-Set Virtual Production) and the development of post-production space.” For the third phase, $2.1 million was invested for “the construction of 20 rooms for the technical teams for productions” and “construction of a second larger studio of 15,000 feet.”
AAMS has collaborative agreements “with the academic sector and has integrated the University of Puerto Rico Humacao Campus to develop internship programs” for students to “acquire skills and training experience during film projects in the studio.”
Great news! Puerto Rico will bot be keft behind in the film industry!!!
Congratulations to AAMS and good luck!
Best wishes to AAMS.