Firefly Studios
As producers around the world continue to feel the effects of inflation on their budgets, a growing number of European countries are looking to ease some of that budget squeeze as they struggle to entice foreign projects to shoot on their own territory. One of the favorites for this race is Serbiawhich has gradually established itself as a reliable and attractive destination for global producers.
The Balkan country not only has one of the lowest production costs in Europe, but also offers a proven 25-30% discount on local expenses, an established professional film crew, varied locations and a multitude of world-class film studios that have seen the country. has quickly become a sought-after destination for international productions.
“We never really advertise our services in Serbia,” says producer Andjelka Vlaisavljevic, who is widely considered one of the first producers to attract Hollywood to Serbia through her Belgrade-based company Works In Progress. “I think our work really does the work for us and it has since spread through word of mouth. We are Eastern European and there are stereotypes that we are not transparent, but those are just stereotypes. And anyone who has worked here in Serbia and knows our excellent production services, especially in the production design and accounting departments, knows that we are honest and fair and develop strong relationships with many production teams who come turn here.
Vlaisavljevic’s company has facilitated a large number of major projects in the country, such as Netflix. Glass onionJohnny Depp with Minamata and Anglo-American detective series Miss Scarlet and the Duke. “We have a fantastic relationship with this team,” she says of the latter. “They have shot all their shows here and use the same team – from directors and cinematographers to set and costume designers. It’s simply a great, on-going relationship we have and a vote of confidence for our industry.
On Glass onionVlaisavljevic and his team played an integral role in realizing the interiors of this star-studded project, all of which were filmed in Serbia while the exteriors were filmed on the Greek island of Spetses.
Vlaisavljevic notes that it has always been difficult to compete with neighboring European cities such as Budapest or Prague, but its locations, know-how and competitive prices put the country on the global production map.
In 2016, the government introduced a 25% discount (rising to 30% for projects with a budget above €5 million) for film, television, documentaries, visual effects and commercials television (it is the only country in Europe to extend the discount to the latter). Since then, his government claims to have recorded more than 300 million euros of domestic and foreign private investment in the country as well as a 39% increase in employment in the industry since 2019.
“The government supports the industry enormously also in terms of film friendliness at the national and municipal levels and spends more than 100 times what it spent on the film sector just ten years ago,” said senior advisor Ana Ilić of the Prime Minister. for creative industries and tourism. “There is also the wide availability of public spaces as filming locations and the awareness of public officials of the importance of the sector. In the Balkans more broadly, we offer everything from majestic mountains to idyllic coastal regions, modern cities and forest-covered hills. Former Yugoslavia was once the second largest European production destination outside the UK and producers can still benefit from this diversity today.
Indeed, there is a rich cinematographic history in this territory which is part of the former Yugoslavia. Hollywood epics such as fiddler on the roof, Genghis Khan and Clint Eastwood starring Kelly’s heroes all filmed on the territory. Besides Eastwood, cinema icons such as Burt Lancaster, Sidney Poitier, Orson Welles and Harrison Ford all filmed on location in the former Yugoslavia.
Producer-director Jonathan Englishwhose Balkanic Media is based at the Pink Films International studios in Belgrade, notes that this story is “significant because it created an industry and knowledge of cinema in the region”.
English, who directed Paul Giamatti with Paul Giamatti Battleship and its sequel Ironclad: Battle for Bloodmoved to Belgrade in 2016 after having a positive experience filming the sequel in Serbia.
“There’s a great cinematic heritage here that didn’t exist before in any other Eastern Bloc country,” he says, adding that many of the team members he currently works with have started working on some of these historical epics in the 1970s and 1980s or have older films. relatives who did it.
“When I left Los Angeles seven years ago, a lot of people thought I was crazy, but I can say it was one of the first times in my career where I felt like I was “Being in the right place, at the right time and being one of the few internationals to settle here has been really beneficial,” says the British filmmaker, whose company has produced projects including series fantastic adventures. The outpost for The CW, David Boreanaz with Seal Team for CBS and Paramount+ and The Ark for Syfy all in Serbia.
“I think Serbia is undoubtedly one of the best countries in Europe in terms of production,” he notes. “Not only is it one of the most economically competitively priced countries in Europe, its rebates are extremely well managed and paid out consistently every year since its launch in 2016. The country has a highly developed film industry with a very wide range of products. the team depth and studios are top notch.
He also points out that Serbia has no margin, unlike countries like Greece and Italy where the margin rate is high. “The rate you pay for an electrician is the rate you budgeted for and is the rate you actually paid – there is no extra margin. So it’s an incredibly competitive rate for the electrician and on top of that you get a 25 or 30% discount from the government. All this, combined with the experienced teams, growing facilities and team depth, makes this what I consider to be the best place in Europe to make a production, which is why I am here.
Furthermore, there has been a massive influx of investments across all industries in Serbia, which Ilić believes is a key goal for the country’s economic growth.
“Our goal is to continue to evolve Serbia from just a filming location to a dynamic film production partner with an interest in the development and exploitation of intellectual property,” she says. “With the support of important local telecommunications partners, Serbia is producing increasingly successful television series in high demand among audiences in the region and Europe. Banking is growing to cash in on the discount and we also have a small but thriving screen technology and creative technology industry with companies like 3Lateral (which was recently acquired by Epic Games) and Wonder Studios producing exceptional work that will change the face of the world. business on a global scale.
“Synergies further exist with the hugely successful local gaming industry and the growth of investment in facilities such as studios and post-sound houses, even the creation of professional teams and acting agencies, All of this suggests a growing confidence and maturity in the sector which is no longer purely dependent on the international producers who select our locations.
Ivana Mikovicgeneral manager of the new building Firefly Studios (learn more about the studios here) and Firefly Productions, is encouraged by the “positive feedback” it has received from international producers who have filmed in Serbia. Mikovic’s production company is one of the leaders in the content market and one of the company’s latest projects. Crossing of Constantinea supernatural World War II story about the Nazi hunt for powerful relics that belonged to Roman Emperor Constantine the Great, is one of the largest local productions made in the country.
“We find that people really enjoy their experience here in Serbia and we are happy because they are happy,” says Mikovic. “I think we will now see an influx of larger projects in Serbia spending more time here, which is really encouraging for our industry.”