JK Film & TV offers quality production services

Telemundo production executives did not hesitate in requesting the services of JK Film & TV Productions, when they had to shoot risky scenes in the US capital, Washington DC, for their series La Reina del Sur. They also needed scenes in a pyramid, and JK enables them to do them.

“With good planning, everything can be accomplished,” said Andrés Barahona, director of Production Services at JK Film & TV Productions when interviewed for #PRODUprimetime with Ríchard Izarra. JK is a +20 years company providing production services for reality shows and documentaries, and approximately eight years, for fiction series, especially in the US, Mexico, and Colombia.

“We have integrated the general (Anglo) and the Latin markets, and in both, we offer the same quality standards and the same guarantee that things will work out well,” said Barahona, a native of Colombia based in the United States, and head of the JK offices in Los Angeles, Bogotá, Mexico City and, the most recent, in Miami.

“For La Reina del Sur, the main actors were running around with guns at the National Mall in Washington DC; many believed that was impossible, but we were able to do it. Likewise, we were able to shoot scenes at the pyramids in Belize. We did it! Also, for Telemundo we filmed at the border wall between Mexico and the US, people crossing, all recreated in an alliance between the two countries. These are exhausting and time-consuming jobs, but when you see the results, you feel satisfied, and clients are very happy for showing things in real locations; that adds incredible production values.”

Barahona has also specialized in dealing with unions and the incentives offered in different countries.

“The US unions are the strongest. Many people fear them, but in fact, it is a matter of communication, of talking, of being very clear with them, and of having clear budgets, and instead of becoming an obstacle, they become your best help. They also offer a highly trained crew with a very interesting resume and with a lot of experience. Regarding incentives, I can mention those of the state of Georgia in the USA, which offer up to 25 to 30% in cost recovery, and those offered by Colombia”.

Mexico, Colombia, and the US are the countries where JK has specialized in offering its services, although they have worked in most of the world.

“JK did seven seasons of Larrymanía, a reality show for Universo; it was a show that was broadcasted globally. We have proven production capacity in Dubai, London, Paris, Tokyo. We don’t subcontract, we do it ourselves”, he indicated.

“The human quality found in Mexico and Colombia is incredible; These are countries that offer a lot, the crew, hard-working people; there are American productions that do not leave Colombia, they love Cartagena and Bogotá”.

Barahona really proved at #PRODUprimetime what it is to offer production services that are successful, that work and that customers are happy.

“You have nerves of steel,” said Ríchard. Barahona smiled and replied: “A little bit. I’m used to dealing with so many things at the same time. I think it is a work of passion more than anything else.”

View full interview