FRANCE
PARIS, SUSTAINABLE SETS
On June 27th, Bruno Julliard, Deputy Mayor in charge of culture, and Christian Vivès, Director of Paris ERDF, signed the charter for filming in Paris according to which the use of temporary electric connections is encouraged and made easier. This permits film crews to restrict the use of generators, thus reducing sound and environmental disturbance. The City of Paris and ERDF thus aim to facilitate the reception of film crews and preserve the quality of life of Parisians, while reducing the city’s environmental footprint.
ERDF, a public service company in charge of supplying electricity to 95% of the French metropolitan territory, has teamed up with the City for the success of the Climate Plan.
Paris, capital of cinema, hosts more 950 film shoots in 6,000 different locations every year.
In a difficult economic context, the City of Paris remains committed to fostering film shoots that generate jobs and eco- nomic benefits.
The City of Paris and ERDF are thus contributing to the prestige and attractiveness of France on an international level. Professionals can log on to the www.parisfilm.fr website that is regu- larly updated to help them prepare their shoots in the French capital. In the “Energy” tab now available, you will find all the details about the procedure.
EU, TRIP GETS THE GREEN LIGHT
The European Commission has just approved the improvements to France’s TRIP (tax rebate for international productions), the very chang- es that were voted in by the French Parliament in December 2012. The rebate cap soars from €4M to €10M, and accommodation expenses in France will now be eligible for the 20% tax discount.
Almost as if on purpose, this happened on exactly the same day as the “Despicable Me 2” US release: after huge starts in both the UK and France, the hilarious Chris Renaud and Pierre Coffin animated sequel to the world hit “DM1” skyrocketed at the US B.O. taking $35M on its first day (Wednesday July 3rd).
Produced by Illumination / Universal and entirely made in France at IMG (Illumination Mac Guff ), “DM2” benefitted from the French TRIP, as did “DM1” and “Dr Seuss’ The Lorax”.
“The European Commission kept us waiting for a bit but it is very good news”, comments Film France’s CEO Patrick Lamassoure.
“This much higher cap will help us to lure complete shoots, which might also be interested in the Studios de Paris sound stages for example. And the accommodation expenses will make a difference to the projects which come with large foreign crews and stay in hotels in Paris or all over France.”
The latest TRIP winners are Eleanor Coppola’s first feature “Bonjour Anne” and the short animated films “Minions series” which will be released next year alongside the “Despicable Me” spin off “The Minions”
CROATIA
SEASON FOUR
In Croatia, preparations are underway for the shooting of season 4 of HBO’s highly popular TV series “Game of Thrones”. Based on the novels “A Song of Ice and Fire” written by George R.R. Martin, the series was filmed on various locations in Europe, including Croatia.
The beautiful coastal city of Dubrovnik was used in season two and three for the King’s Landing – the capital of the Seven Kingdoms and one of the most important locations in the series – and the city of Qarth, which is visited by Daenerys Targaryen (played by Emilia Clarke).
Encouraged by the successful collaboration with the local production company Embassy Films, the financial benefit of the newly introduced production incentive program and the variety of locations, the producers have decided to extend the shoot in Croatia, adding locations in and around Split to Season 4. According to Embassy Films, filming in Croatia will take place between the months of August and September.
CZECH REPUBLIC
PRAGUE/INTERNATIONAL SETS
The Ridley Scott-produced Child 44, directed by Daniel Espinosa and produced by Scott Free Productions, Prague’s Stillking Films, Sum- mit Entertainment and Worldview Entertainment, started its 75-day shoot in June. Featuring a stellar cast including Tom Hardy, Gary Oldman, and Noomi Rapace, the story is set in the Soviet Union during the Stalin era, where a disgraced Soviet military police officer investigates a series of child murders.
Another important international production starting in June in Prague is season three of the papal period drama “The Borgias”. Shooting on the 12 x 60’ series is expected to continue for 133 days over the course of ten months.
Film United (co-founded by Star Wars producer Rick McCallum) is behind the series, with Michael Schwarz producing. The eight-episode Danish TV series 1864, the most expensive TV pro- ject in Danish history, began filming in April and will end its 69-day shoot in mid-July.
Danish director/writer Ole Bornedal adapted Tom Buk-Swienty’s best-selling novel “Slagtebænk Dybbøl” about one of the most important events in Danish history, the 1864 battle of Dybbøl.
The project is produced by Denmark’s Miso Film and Sirena Film is the Czech co-producer. 1864 was among a number of projects to receive support from the Czech Film Industry Support Program.
A WORKSHOP FOR GROWTH
Regional producers and representatives from a dozen regions and organizations around the Czech Republic met during the Finale Plzen for a Workshop organized by the Czech Film Commission.
Its aim was to help the developing film offices understand the needs of filmmakers and the benefits film production can bring to a region. The Czech Republic, which has a strong national and international film industry centered in Prague, has seen slower growth in regional film production.
The first regional film commissions began opening in 2012, in regions such as Ostrava and Jeseniky, and began working with the European Film Award winner Alois Nebel who has two new films starting production there. Eight film offices have now been established which are prepared to help both domestic and foreign film producers.
SPAIN
FROM ISRAEL TO ARTAJONA
Bezeq, a big telecom company, has selected Artajona, in Navarra, to develop its new advertising campaign.
During the shooting, the San Fermin Running of the Bulls is reproduced with live and docile bulls reflecting as much as possible a real pack, more than 20 runners with experience in running the bulls and wearing red and white clothes, and strong security measures in accordance with the event.
Artajona, where international shootings such as Richard Lester’s “Robin and Marian” took place in 1976, became a big set on 27th June.
The Navarra Film Commission assessed and collaborated on the produc- tion requirements with Mendips Corporation, provider of this service in Spain.
The Lithuanian Parliament has passed new corporate tax-incentive legislation for the film industry.
The tax incentive is modeled on current legislation in Hungary, and pledges twenty per cent tax relief for films shot or produced in Lithuania.
The tax incentive is distributed according to several stipulations. Films must meet at least two of five cultural criteria, at least eighty percent of expenses must be incurred in Lithuania, and the total production budget has to meet or exceed 150,000LTL.
“This incentive is vitally important to our film industry,” says Arturas Zuokas, mayor of the capital Vilnius.
“The tax amendment will encourage the greatest filmmakers in Hollywood and Europe to choose Vilnius and Lithuania for shooting, bringing tax revenue and new jobs with them. This incentive will benefit not just the film industry, but the entire country.”
“We have highly competent film professionals, unique landscapes, ar- chitecture and all the seasons of the year,” says Pazikaite.
“However, the absence of tax incentives has caused us to lose projects worth mil- lions because their creators decided to take them elsewhere. I am very pleased that this situation has now changed and that Vilnius is once again in the running as a cost-effective location with highly educated and skilled human resources.”
Producers expect that this incentive will lead to a 300% increase in the number of films made in Lithuania in 2014.
ITALY
PIEMONTE SHOOTING AWARD
In 2013 the Film Commission Torino Piemonte (FCTP) and the To- rino FilmLab (TFL) teamed up to launch a new award aimed at projects to be entirely or partially filmed in the Piedmont region.
Projects from all TFL programs and every year of participation can compete for this award through a call for applications that will be open until October 15th, 2013.
The winner of the Piemonte ShootingAward, which will receive special financial support from the Film Commission for the portion of the film shot in the region, will be announced during the 6th TorinoFilmLab Meeting Event in November 2013.
PORTUGAL
LISBOA FILM COMMISSION
Launched at the end of 2012, the Lisboa Film Commission (LFC) was specifically designed to reduce bureaucracy, streamline the production process and promote Lisbon, both nationally and internationally, as a preferred and competitive film destination for films and commercial productions.
Acting both as a facilitator and a partner, productions (nationally and internationally) of cultural or municipal interest may obtain support/incentives such as: exemption of public space occupation taxes; exemption of parking taxes; exemption of special noise licenses; permits and exemption of fees for filming in municipal premises and other logistical support.
Financial support may also be granted.
The feature film “Balupu” (a co-production between Cinemate, a Portuguese production company and Prasad Vara Potluri, an Indian production company) and the TV series “Ein Sommer in…” (a co-production be- tween ClaimSuccess, a Portuguese production company and ZDF, a German TV channel) were recently shot in Lisbon.
The first broadcast of “Ein Sommer in…” had an audience of nearly 7 million viewers. The Lisboa Film Commission took part for the first time at The Marché du Film, Cannes Film Festival 2013, where it developed an important network of contacts and links with different film commissions (European and international), film institutions and other organizations (AFCI and EUFCN).
