Daily Variety Tips Budapest as the Hottest City in Film Production

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Budapest has been an up-and-comer as a film location for many years now.  This is true for obvious reasons, from the dynamic architecture to the availability of state-of-the-art sound stages as well as technically proficient local crews. Mix all that with a 25 percent tax rebate and a Hollywood tycoon producer in the role of Hungarian film commissioner, and it was only a matter of time before Budapest was recognized as the go-to place for cost-effective productions of all sizes from all over the world. Perhaps the deal was sealed with the release of Blade Runner II, which was shot in Budapest, soon followed by the Jennifer Lawrence staring Red Sparrow.

“This year feels like one of the busiest the ( Budapest production) community’s had since the tax rebate came into existence. The capacity of the town is at its maximum,” Adam Goodman, of Hungarian production company Mid Atlantic Films, told Daily Variety in an article dedicated to the ascendancy of Budapest’s film industry. In the article, Goodman goes on to explain that “daily unit costs can be more than 50% lower than those in the U.K. A grip, for example, will cost $130 a day in Hungary, compared with at least $300 in the U.K., while set construction is 35% cheaper.” This is due to cost-effective crews, locations, and the government-sponsored tax rebate enjoyed by international and Hungarian-language films, all of which make Budapest a very tempting place to shoot indeed.

Promoting Hungary as a location alongside championing the local Hungarian film industry is Andrew Vajna, the celebrated producer of such films as Rambo: First Blood, Jacob’s Ladder, Die Hard with a Vengeance, and Total Recall. In his role as Hungarian Film Commissioner he supported for the Oscar-winning Hungarian film Son of Saul. As Vajna said in the same Variety article, “We are healthy, we are making movies, we have money, and we are out there. We are open for business.”

Budapest continues its roll with the recently completed spy comedy The Spy Who Dumped Me, but more importantly, small and medium-size local and international productions including commercials and music videos that get less press are keeping local crews busy. It’s a city that accommodates all budgets, and its anointment by Variety as a ‘hot’ city for production is well deserved, but may be just the beginning.   

Source: Daily Variety

Flatpack Films is based in Budapest, Hungary. We are a film company that offers an inspiring and professional work atmosphere for our local and international clients. Since our inception, our focus has been providing the best of the best in terms of local production resources, locations, cast, and technical teams to ensure that whatever the production we facilitate, we do to highest standard possible.