Premium Members Dennis Noyes Posted January 3, 2011 Premium Members Report Share Posted January 3, 2011 Hi everyone, I’m going to Mexico and will be there for 4 months on amovie as a 2nd Ac. I would like to take my steadicam and keep trainingand maybe get some classes from an operator I know. I have thought aboutleaving it in the US, but I have been practicing for a bit now and would liketo keep the training, and four months… is a long time. Im going workingon Insurance and working out Temporary Importation to Mexico. I will posthow this all turns out but would appreciate any advice. Gracias Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Richard Romero Posted January 4, 2011 Premium Members Report Share Posted January 4, 2011 Hola Dennis, If you are traveling with a production into Mexico and your equipment is insured, perhaps you can add it to the carnet. Your PM should be able to help you with this.. I am doing a picture down in Mexico this month and am shipping my gear via courier to the production office in D.F. Hope this helps. Buena suerta Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Paul Gardner Posted January 4, 2011 Premium Members Report Share Posted January 4, 2011 Hi folks, I'm watching this thread pretty closely, too. While we're on this subject of to-and-from Mexico...How easy is it to take the rig back and forth across the Mexican border during a typical border crossing?. Looks like I might be living in Rosarito part-time. The only experience I have with this is taking Grip & Production trucks to-and-from and using a customs broker both directions. There is usually a one or two day lag while the the trucks are being inspected. Has anyone had experience driving their Steadicam rigs in either direction - just, you know...driving it across? My nightmare scenario is having the American customs guys disassembling every component looking for a small bag of drugs or whatever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Jess Haas SOC Posted January 4, 2011 Premium Members Report Share Posted January 4, 2011 I have driven across the border with gear multiple times and it was always rather simple. The production simply made an appointment with customs at the border crossing. we would show up give them the list of gear, they would glance at the truck and approve it. Then on the way out of the country we show the documents showing everything that we brought into the country, they again glance in the trucks and we are on our way. Don't think we ever used a broker. A few times they wanted to see the gear the day before but then we took it all away and brought it back the next day. This was in Texas so precedures elsewhere may be different. If you have concerns call the customs office. For the most part the border guys seem smart enough to know that the guys who stop, hand them paperwork and ask for an inspection aren't he ones carrying drugs. There biggest concern is actually that you didn't sell some of the gear in Mexico without paying taxes on it. That being said I wouldn't leave any food or anything else the dogs might like the smell of with the gear. As far a carnets go I don't believe Mexico is a carnet country. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Richard Romero Posted January 4, 2011 Premium Members Report Share Posted January 4, 2011 Jess, your right- Mexico is not an ATA carnet country. I wasn't sure since my gear is just being shipped via courier into D.F. Dennis, let us know how things turn out. Production should be able to help. I know your not the operator but I don't see a problem in bringing down your gear. Where are you shooting? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Paul Gardner Posted January 5, 2011 Premium Members Report Share Posted January 5, 2011 A few times they wanted to see the gear the day before but then we took it all away and brought it back the next day. This was in Texas so precedures elsewhere may be different. If you have concerns call the customs office. For the most part the border guys seem smart enough to know that the guys who stop, hand them paperwork and ask for an inspection aren't he ones carrying drugs. There biggest concern is actually that you didn't sell some of the gear in Mexico without paying taxes on it. That being said I wouldn't leave any food or anything else the dogs might like the smell of with the gear. Thanks, Jess. I'll check with Customs for both directions for Tijuana where I'll be crossing. California might be different that Texas. I won't even start commuting until May, but it's already on my mind Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Sydney Seeber Posted January 5, 2011 Premium Members Report Share Posted January 5, 2011 Commuting down there? You'll wanna look into the SENTRI program. It'll reduce your competing traffic by about 75%. I've taken all sorts of gear through TJ and back. As long as the cokeheads don't sneeze near you, you'll be fine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Jess Haas SOC Posted January 5, 2011 Premium Members Report Share Posted January 5, 2011 As long as the cokeheads don't sneeze near you, you'll be fine So I guess that means no giving rides to actors or ADs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Dennis Noyes Posted January 6, 2011 Author Premium Members Report Share Posted January 6, 2011 As far as I was able to find out from Customs in Mexico, and because I´m using the Stedicam for personal use, I don´t need to fill out a temporary Importation slip. But I´ll let you know how it turns out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Jess Haas SOC Posted January 7, 2011 Premium Members Report Share Posted January 7, 2011 Just make sure you have somethin proving you purchased it in the US just in case. I wouldn't expect a problem but having atleast a copy of the receipt when going in and out of the country is a good idea. Although I wouldn't be in a hurry to show it to anyone when entering another country as I wouldn't want them to know how much it's actually worth. -Jess Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Dennis Noyes Posted January 8, 2011 Author Premium Members Report Share Posted January 8, 2011 Just make sure you have somethin proving you purchased it in the US just in case. I wouldn't expect a problem but having atleast a copy of the receipt when going in and out of the country is a good idea. Although I wouldn't be in a hurry to show it to anyone when entering another country as I wouldn't want them to know how much it's actually worth. -Jess I Have decided I´m not going to have anytime to really practice there. But I found I couple of things out in the process. If you leave the US with a personal Item, something expensive you can show that you leaved the country with this item, using a CBP (Customs and Boarder Patrol) form 4457, you print this out and take to LAX in the case of L.A. and go to the customs desk at the departure level, with your equipment. Now with the Certificate of Registration for Personal effects taken abroad you are set and have proof for when you return back into the US. Thanks for all your help, ill have a some tacos and tecates to your salud. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Jess Haas SOC Posted January 8, 2011 Premium Members Report Share Posted January 8, 2011 Don''t forget the margaritas! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Paul Gardner Posted January 14, 2011 Premium Members Report Share Posted January 14, 2011 Sydney, Dennis & Jess, Thanks for the tips. Looks like "back & forth" across the border (a few times a week) might become a reality for me, but not for a few months. That gives me time to check it out (customs and insurance)and drink many margaritas and Tecates. -Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members christian gibson Posted August 2, 2011 Premium Members Report Share Posted August 2, 2011 As of May 2011 Mexico is accepting ATA Carnets! I just used one to get my equipment into Mexico and everything ran smoothly. They may not extend the Carnet after the first 6 months though B/C they are so new. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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