Ecuador’s New production hub with EcuaStudios

Ecuastudios and NonStop Studios have established a strategic alliance aimed at expanding audiovisual production capacity in Ecuador and strengthening the country’s position as a premium destination for international projects.

The agreement integrates Ecuastudios’ infrastructure with the operational expertise of NonStop Studios, a group with over three decades of experience across three continents. The partnership will provide a comprehensive suite of production services, infrastructure access, incentive management, and financing solutions designed to connect local talent and capital with globally driven projects.

Founded and led by Patricio Rabuffetti, NonStop produces, co-produces, and provides production services for approximately 40 projects annually. The group maintains key alliances with specialized audiovisual funds and serves as a core partner in Screen One—managed by Chile’s Screen Capital—which has backed productions featuring talent such as Jessica Chastain, Martin Scorsese, Al Pacino, and Gal Gadot. NonStop is also currently preparing production for Woody Allen’s upcoming film in Madrid.

‘Trust is the primary asset of our alliance. Building on the 60-year legacy in the industry we inherit from Ecuavisa and this partnership with NonStop, we continue to create new opportunities for our industry and bring stories from Ecuador to the world’, stated Ana Cecilia Alvarado, CEO and founder of Ecuastudios.

Alvarado also noted the regional momentum driving this expansion: ‘The accelerated growth of the market is a key protagonist. The Latin American streaming market generated $12.36 billion in 2025 and projects a 9% annual growth in the region, reaching $26.9 billion by 2034’.

Rabuffetti highlighted Ecuador’s growing appeal in the competitive international landscape. ‘Our group is currently focused on providing end-to-end production services in locations with attractive incentives, and Ecuador is executing a very strong strategy by joining the trend of countries actively supporting the audiovisual industry’, he noted.

Ecuador’s 37% tax incentive

A central pillar of the joint strategy is Ecuador’s Audiovisual Incentive Certificate (CIA). Under a new technical norm published on August 12 by the Ministry of Production, Foreign Trade, Investments, and Fisheries, the country offers a tax rebate of up to 37% on eligible expenses, which now includes Above The Line (ATL) costs.

The framework is highly flexible, allowing the incentive to be applied in stages without waiting for project completion, and guarantees the issuance of the certificate within a maximum timeframe of 60 days.

Santiago Paladines appointed Head of Studio

To execute this new operational phase, Ecuastudios has appointed filmmaker and showrunner Santiago Paladines as Head of Studio. In this role, the executive will oversee the development of local production capabilities and upgrade infrastructure standards to service both national and international projects.

‘Ecuador already has the concrete conditions necessary to compete for major international productions’, Paladines explained. ‘The audiovisual incentive, with defined deadlines for the issuance of the CIA and a 37% return in 60 days, is combined with highly competitive production costs, top-tier technical and creative talent, experienced international crews, and an extraordinary diversity of easily accessible locations’.