In its latest printed issue, Variety Magazine brings its readers up to date on film and television productions in the Czech Republic. The special editorial feature section – Billion Dollar Location: Czech Republic created in cooperation with Czech Film Commission and Karlovy Vary IFF is to be found in the June 21st Variety’s regular issue.
Variety, June 21, 2016. Billion Dollar Location: Czech Republic
“It is the third Billion Dollar Location report we’ve created in the past two years, following New Mexico and Louisiana. This means this is the first international filmmaking location featured in our popular Billion Dollar series of reports,” said Steven Gaydos, Vice President and Executive Editor of Variety. “As a lifelong fan of Czech cinema, I know the roots of the incredible Czech filmmaking culture that have been the foundation of the current success story,” added Gaydos, who personally supervised this issue.
A number of important productions are filming in the Czech Republic in 2016, including some high-profile period films and television series. Filming in the Czech Republic has numerous advantages. It offers considerable savings on production costs thanks to several factors, including attractive film incentives, the country’s position in the heart of Europe, making travel arrangements and location moves really simple, and an incredible variety of locations for a comparably small territory. Czech historic architecture makes it possible to double for Paris, London or nearly any other European city. Highly-experienced local crews have worked on countless international productions and offer outstanding expertise and production value.
“The Czech Republic is an art department heaven. We have award-winning production designers and art directors who have immense resources at their disposal and work with professional and passionate artisans and craftspeople. If you look at the films and series shot recently in the Czech Republic, you will see the majority are historical adventures. Like the current productions, such as the Britannia series for Sky or Knightfall for the History Channel that are about to start production just these days,” says Ludmila Claussová, the head of the Czech Film Commission.
The special report Billion Dollar Location: Czech Republic guides interested producers and film professionals through the tradition of filmmaking in the Czech Republic, the infrastructure of the current Czech film industry, as well as the available facilities and equipment. It informs about the incentives scheme, which was recently renewed to be even more attractive for international productions. The report profiles film professions that the Czech Republic is famous for, offers interviews with interesting local filmmakers, and cites voices of producers and filmmakers who worked in the Czech Republic.
“We are really proud Variety decided to publish its BDL special report on the Czech Republic. It´s a huge success, confirming that the Czech Republic has in recent years returned to the map of favourite filmmaking destinations. Following the recent adoption of the amendment to the audiovisual law, the conditions for filmmakers in our country are becoming even better and interest in the Czech Republic as a film location will certainly continue to grow,” Claussová adds.