Vagabond Production Services Expands to Panama Welcoming EP Rafael Ponce & Producer Oscar Reyes

Feb. 05, 2020

Led by the vision of Founder/Managing Director Lorenzo Benedick, Partner/Executive Producer Gabriel Carratu and Executive Producer for South America Pablo Tourrenc, Vagabond Production Services has started out New Year 2020 with yet another expansion, this time to Panama. Together, Benedick & Carratu are thrilled to welcome Executive Producer Rafael Ponce and Producer Oscar Reyes to the international Vagabond team. Not only have Ponce and Reyes worked with Vagabond in the past on projects for such brands as Samsonite and Coca-Cola, they both have extensive production experience across Central and South America with a portfolio encompassing advertising, television, and film – including recent credits on the Netflix series “La Casa de Papel” (“Money Heist”).

Lorenzo Benedick says:

“We are very excited to start working together in Panama with our friends Rafael and Oscar. We look forward to offering the same high-quality production values our clients have grown to expect when working with Vagabond.”

 

Rafael Ponce adds:

“It’s a true honor to join Vagabond. We want to develop Panama together, expanding our client base and projects throughout Central America.”

 

Pablo Tourrenc concludes:

“Panama is the country that Vagabond needed to expand the network’s production opportunities and location offers in Latin America. Why Panama? Mostly because of the country's great variety of casting and locations, which are all reachable within a small perimeter and allows for multi-location shoots. The country is also ideally located at the crossroads between North and South America, offering the best of both worlds. In terms of logistics, direct flights connect Panama City to most major North American and European hubs. In recent years, Panama’s film/TV industry has been developing exponentially and so it’s the right time for us to set up this new venture there, with Rafael and Oscar.”

 

Vagabond is off to a solid start for 2020, having recently worked on a new State Street Global Advisors commercial campaign in Colombia, collaborating with Skunk LA, Director Chris Palmer, as well as Director of Photography Barry Ackroyd ("The Hurt Locker," "Captain Philips," ""Untitled 93") and Underwater Camera Operator Bob Settlemire ("Avatar," "Roma," "The Revenant").

Additionally, in Chile, Vagabond partnered with The Mill and ad agency McCann/New York on a shoot for Qualcomm, and is in pre-production for a major U.S. beer manufacturer. Neighboring Argentina has also kept the Vagabond team very busy, shooting a print campaign, several content films, and a fashion brand film for leading fashion European brands, with Director Martin Aamund, DP Patrick Duroux and fashion photographer Cass Brand. Favorable economic conditions and stunning Buenos Aires make Argentina a prime destination for productions looking to maximize their budgets without sacrificing access to gear or diversity of shooting locations. In Sao Paulo, Brazil, Vagabond is currently in production on a music video with Jamaican dancehall superstar Sean Paul. In Barcelona, Spain, Vagabond just wrapped a shoot for a U.S. water brand with Skunk LA and Director Brent Harris.

Vagabond is a proud member and sponsor of the AICP in the U.S., the APCP in Chile and Film Brazil.