filming must be negotiated with the proper authorities, such as beach scenes for the ever popular brazilian soap operas, as the area is still used for military exercises, so some measure of caution should be exercised - though the chances of being unwittingly caught in a tv show or training maneuver seem very unlikely.   

though it is probably the furthest beach from the city center, distance helps isolate barra de guaratiba  from the hubbub of the better-known areas of rio and the tourists (and locals) that flock to them. 

any time spent in the idyllic bliss of the zona oeste (west zone) is well worth the travel to get there - barra de guaratiba remains an excellent area for fishing - fishing boats are often trawling the waters out at sea, and many fishermen live in the region - this also means that the bars and restaurants in the area tend to specialize in the freshest and most delicious seafood around.