Experience films - in real-life - A HANDBOOK ON FILM TOURISM

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- A HANDBOOK ON FILM TOURISM
An update with new
case studies and content
Includes a toolbox with 38 tips
on how to work on film tourism
in your area

- A HANDBOOK ON FILM TOURISM
Experience Films - In Real-Life: A Handbook on Film Tourism is published by:
Filmby Aarhus (Western Denmark’s regional film and media centre) in collaboration with Central Denmark Tourism Foundation and “VisitNordjyl-
land” (the tourist organisation for North Jutland). The Handbook has been updated under the auspices of the “RETHINK Cultural Tourism” project.
Contributors to updated content:
Lene Halmø Terkelsen
Manto
Seismonaut Tourism
Graphic design:
Beneath
Concept and editors:
Filmby Aarhus v/ Mette Elmgaard and Sebastian Holmgaard Christophersen
Seismonaut Tourism

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INTRODUCTION: EXPERIENCE FILMS - IN REAL-LIFE
THE VALUE CHAIN MODEL
PROCESS MODEL
THE STRONGEST LINK IN THE VALUE CHAIN IS TEAMWORK
LET THE FILM DO ITS MAGIC
3 TESTIMONIES FROM THE TOURISM SECTOR
THE FUTURE FOR FILM TOURISM – SEEN FROM A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE
STIEG LARSSON’S STOCKHOLM
SWEDISH MURDER MYSTERIES WITH TOURIST APPEAL
JO NESBØ – FROM NORWAY TO THE WHOLE WORLD
HOW CAN TOURISM HELP THE FILM INDUSTRY?
3 TESTIMONIES ON FILM TOURISM
’TAROK’ (CATCH THE DREAM) BOOSTED TOURISM IN SKIVE
HOW DO WE GET STARTED?
’A TOUR MUST BE AS GOOD AS A STORY’
ENGAGEMENT CAN HAPPEN AT DIFFERENT LEVELS
TOOLBOX
FILM TOURISM UNDER THE MICROSCOPE
’DICTE’ OPENS NEW BUSINESS HORIZONS
AN AUTHENTIC DANISH CHRISTMAS IN NORTH JUTLAND
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TABLE OF CONTENT

4 EXPERIENCE FILMS - IN REAL-LIFE
THE FILM & TV SECTOR THE MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY DESTINATION/TOURISTOFFICE THE FILM COMMISSION TOURISMSTAKEHOLDERS&
THEBUSINESSCOMMUNITY
THE PRESS AND MEDIA
INTRODUCTION
And this is exactly what film
tourism has to offer. Film
tourism is tourism, which
connects us with the location
of a film or TV series. Here, we
get the opportunity to follow in
the wake of heroes and villains
and to see, feel or drink in the
atmosphere of the very places
where they were. We get a
chance to enjoy the same view
as the actors, to get behind the
creation and share our expe-
rience and knowledge with
other people,, who are equally
enthusiastic.
Some people like opera. Others
favour football. But practically
everyone watches film and TV.
That means that film tourism
targets an incredibly wide
group, both nationally and
internationally. Modern tourists
crave unique and involving
experiences. It is here that the
potential of film tourism lies.
But how do we create film
and TV-based tourism? This
handbook sets out to tackle
this, and other questions. It is
primarily written for the tourist
and film industries, municipali-
ties, public institutions and for
the business sector – in other
words, for anyone involved in
cultural tourism and destination
development, who may be se-
eking inspiration and practical
advice.
There are many examples
that demonstrate the fact that
film tourism pays off, both in
financial terms and in branding
value. When tourists are de-
ciding on their next excursion
spot, a chance to see behind
the scenes of their favourite se-
ries may be the decisive factor
as to whether they choose
Aarhus rather than Stockholm.
There are other parameters,
however, where the location
of exciting projects in an area
may be profitable. So the
handbook provides the reader
with insights into the ways, in
which the narrative contributi-
on of a film or TV production to
the perception of a place and
its brand may have a long-term
effect.
Which film or TV production
would apply to your area? It
is a matter of incorporating
your projects into the story
about the destination, which
has already been, or is being
created. Perhaps the Danish
film series Far til Fire (Eng.
“Father of Four”) would be a
perfect match for your brand.
Or perhaps it would be more
appropriate to work at attrac-
ting other productions to your
area. For instance, when Skive
Municipality chose to colla-
borate with the team behind
the family chronicle, Tarok,
the film’s sub-title, “Seize the
dream while you can” perfectly
suited the municipality’s image
as a centre of entrepreneurship.
It pays to think strategically
and, most of all, collabora-
tively. A single tourist office
or campsite cannot possibly
undertake such a task on their
own. If you want results, you
must involve a considerable
number of stakeholders. The
task requires 100% commit-
ment and continuous devel-
opment.
The first film tourism hand-
book was published in 2012.
However, the field is under-
going constant development,
so this version includes both
new case studies and updated
sources of inspiration.
We really hope you enjoy the
book!
The credits roll and the lights come on, but the story lives on: in our heads, and in our hearts. Often, we are far from
done with the drama or the characters, who enthralled us, as we sat in front of the television or in the cinema. We are
ready for more adventure, for new perspectives or the chance to get a bit nearer.
Introduction: Experience
Films - In Real-Life

5
The value chain model
All sorts of stakeholders can generate value for themselves and their sector by utilising the spillo-
ver effects from a film or TV production: e.g. film tourism. These stakeholders constitute the value
chain of film tourism. Every production is different; so are the relevant stakeholders and the inter-
action between them. Frequently there will be an opportunity to collaborate across the value chain
before, during and after a production, for the benefit of all stakeholders and the delight of tourists.
We hope this handbook provides examples of, and inspiration for how relevant stakeholders in the
value chain can collaborate in the creation of film tourism. The value chain involved in an effort at
film tourism may comprise more stakeholders than those mentioned here. However, in this hand-
book we will focus on the six stakeholders, who most frequently play a major role. To establish
an overview, throughout the handbook we have used a particular colour for each stakeholder to
distinguish them according to their relevance.
THE VALUE CHAIN MODEL
THE FILM & TV SECTOR
Production companies, TV stations,
film institutes and other stakeholders
create the universe that is depicted
by the relevant film or TV series. They
are also the artistic and economic
powerhouses within each production.
It’s in this nexus that agreements are
reached, or changed, with regard to
input from the various stakeholders
and the benefits resulting from such
partnerships.
THE FILM COMMISION
The commission’s purpose is to attract
productions to a particular region
or area. Thus, the film commission
network functions as a link between
the tourism sector and the film and TV
sector. In Jutland, the film commission
is called the Western Denmark Film and
Media Commission.
THE PRESS & MEDIA
The press and media can be used as
a narrator to tell stories relating to
the production, before, during and
after filming. In terms of publicity and
communication, the media is of course
a key player in film tourism.
THE MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY
Can contribute financially and strate-
gically by creating close ties between
the relevant production and the local or
regional DMOs and film commissions.
The municipal authority is an important
stakeholder, particularly when it
comes to more large-scale public and
commercial film tourism initiatives.
The municipal authority is also often
an important catalyst in the creation of
opportunities for film tourism.
DESTINATION MANAGEMENT/
TOURIST INFORMATION OFFICE
Destination managers (or DMOs – Des-
tination Management Organizations),
or the tourist information offices,
are the agencies that deal with local
tourism in a region or country with a
view to increasing tourist numbers.
Destination management works right
across the marketing spectrum, as well
as business and organisational devel-
opment. DMOs have very valuable local
knowledge concerning commerce,
businesses and locations, and they
often prove to be the driving force in
promoting film tourism.
TOURISM STAKEHOLDERS & THE
BUSINESS COMMUNITY
These local stakeholders play a huge
role in creating a vibrant and sustaina-
ble film tourism industry. This applies
both to those who are at the tourism
coalface meeting people every day,
and those who work behind the scenes.
They possess very important local
knowledge and are the key to providing
budgetary advantages, once a produc-
tion opts for their immediate area in
preference to somewhere else. One of
the paybacks for any agreed discounts
or price cuts to attract production
crews is a possible increase in tourism.

THE PRESS AND MEDIA
PROCESS MODEL
Research film and TV projects
Stage unique events
Use social media to create
communities that follow the
film or TV series
Create new attractions, and
get hold of film props and
memorabilia
Make use of your film commission as
a resource for creative interaction
Screen the premiere in
your area
Offer theme/concept holidays
Promote the destination
using the film or TV series
Stage theme events and
lectures
Produce film souvenirs
Consolidate the teamwork within the working group, and
share your knowledge and expertise in the local area
Produce “behind the scenes” videos and
interviews
- Use local people both as extras and as
tourist guides and assistants
Develop a media strategy and plan the
collection of useful material and footage
during filming
Pinpoint and assess exciting incident/story
locations
Set up collaboration initiatives and inter-
action between the business community
and the film or TV company
Use the film commission to gain rights to a
premiere screening
Establish a working group with agreed
goals and involving key stakeholders
across the value chain
FILM- OR
TV-PRODUCTION
Process Model
This model demonstrates how film tourism initiatives begin long before a production crew actually begins filming.
The period when a production is up and running also offers many opportunities for collaboration between the film/TV
company and destination management teams. The goal in the follow up period is to retain tourist awareness and inte-
rest and create the seeding ground for future film adventures.
Read more on this in the Toolbox on page 18.
Establish guided tours

7
But this kind of teamwork can
continue with great benefit
long after the premiere has
been screened. The group can
work, for example, to develop
and coordinate multi-aspect
activities, share experiences
and gain new inspiration.
Good relationships are created
and the foundations laid for
handling the next film or TV
production.
THE STRONGEST LINK IN THE VALUE CHAIN IS TEAMWORK
Limitless Business Oppor-
tunities
There are almost no limits
to the kind of business and
interest groups that can link
up with the value chain for
a film or TV production. The
most obvious examples are
companies that provide film
production facilities, such as
hired equipment, transport,
storage, hotels and restaurants
and catering firms. But there
are many more that can benefit
from the value generated by a
film production – the only limit
is the imagination.
This handbook features a
glassblower, a zoological gar-
den, a farm, a wine merchant,
a trotting course, a hotel and
lots of other examples where a
film or TV production has acted
as a value catalyst. On top of
this may be added numerous
tourist organisations and de-
stination managers who have
used the momentum created
by the production to generate
positive interest, work with
spin-off activities and develop
new tourism initiatives. The
case studies in this handbook
show how they did this.
Teamwork Creates the
Synergy
So as to gain the full benefits of
the spin-offs from a film or TV
production, a range of stake-
holders need to work together
and utilize the synergy latent
in each other’s activities. The
process can be compared with
a large machine with many
gears that need to fully mesh
with each other before it can
work to optimum effect.
Setting up a working group,
consisting of local key
stakeholders in the whole
value chain, is a great way
of establishing this form of
cooperation.
‘Setting up a working
group, consisting of local
key stakeholders in the
whole value chain, is a
great way of establishing
this form of cooperation.’
This will often be reps from
the municipal authority, the
local tourist industry, local
companies and attractions, as
well as film commission staff
in the area where available.
Entrepreneurs and property
owners will also frequently be
involved.
The working group can,
amongst other things, help
to ensure fruitful interaction
with the production company
before and during filming.
A film or TV production can create value and commercial activity amongst a wide range of stakeholders in the relevant
area, both prior to and during production, and then after the premiere screening. All these stakeholders are involved in
the film’s value chain – not as competitors, but as mutual prerequisites for each other’s success.
The strongest link in the
value chain is teamwork

THE PRESS AND MEDIA
LET THE FILM DO ITS MAGIC
How can films influence
destination tourism?
“Film has a supreme ability
to create an emotional bond
between a place and an audi-
ence. You just need to look at
Amélie from Montmartre, Berlin
Alexanderplatz or Taxi Driver
to understand how a film can
evoke images and feelings for
a particular location.
These images and emoti-
ons affect the associations
we make, our thoughts and
actions.
‘There are no similar
cultural phenomena that
have had the same signi-
ficance for Stockholm as
Stieg Larsson’s “Millenni-
um” trilogy.’
“Millennium” has, without
doubt, boosted tourism to
Sweden and Stockholm, but
the greater, more long term
effect, comes from how Stieg
Larsson’s stories have helped
to renew and modernise the
image of Stockholm and
Sweden.
The potential of films to boost
tourism has aroused great
interest in destination mana-
gers the world over. But not all
films have the same potential
to attract tourists, even though
the same factors appear to be
in place.
When considering destinati-
on-friendly factors in a film,
we need to think beyond film
tourism. The tourism effect
can be visible within a few
years, but the film’s narrative
contribution to perceptions of
a place can be much greater
and long term.”
What can destination
managers do in order to
exploit the film’s potential
for strengthening the
location as a brand?
”In order to maximise a film’s
full potential, it’s an absolute
must that different stakehol-
ders are in tune with each
other and working as a team.
Today, we see good examples
of successful cooperation bet-
ween the film sector, regional
destination managers and the
business community.
The games, publishing, film
and music sectors can all work
together here and to good
effect. For example the TV
series “Game of Thrones” is
based on a successful series
of novels and marketing has
diversified to include ga-
mes, comics and so on. The
Icelandic band Sigur Rós has
appeared in the series with its
own interpretation of a song
that’s part of the storyline. The
song has also been released
as a single.
The new trend towards
crossover ventures feeds
into the experience industry’s
multi-platform and multi-format
eco-system, which is used for
marketing and commercial
channelling of the storylines.
On this journey, where the sto-
ryline is expanded, and where
the different formats cross-fer-
tilise and bolster each other,
multidisciplinary teamwork bet-
ween the various trade sectors
is of decisive importance.”
Joakim Lind
Joakim Lind is an
analyst and communi-
cations strategist with
Cloudberry in Stockholm.
He also researches
international marketing
and cultural economy at the
School of Economics and
Business Administration at the
Åbo Academy in Finland. Joakim
Lind has previously researched
the macro-economic effect of Henning
Mankells ’Wallander’ and Stieg Larsson’s
’Millennium’.
Read more:
http://www.cloudberry.se
communications agency in
Stockholm
Let The Film Do Its Magic
INTERVIEW WITH JOAKIM LIND
© Peter Eriksson

9
VisitNordjylland has been
fortunate enough to work with
films such as ”My Sisters Kids
in Jutland” and some really
major productions such as the
Christmas “calendar” shows
”Ludvig og Julemanden” and
‘”Tvillingerne og Julemanden”,
all of which have generated an
increased buzz about North
Jutland.
Where we are concerned, film
tourism’s big potential is not
just at national level. At the
moment, our region is attrac-
ting major interest from both
Norway and Sweden, as the hit
Danish TV series ‘Badehotellet’
is also shown there and has
created huge interest in beach
hotels in North Jutland. We are
seeing a big boost in numbers
hitting our campaign home-
page, and right now we’re
working on linking bookable
products to it.
The common thread linking
all our projects, and the
guarantee that film tourism
will work, is teamwork – pure
and simple! This means that a
rising tourism tide must lift all
boats, so that we can obtain
maximum synergy. If this is
achieved, even the smallest
of projects can produce big
results.
Sisse Wildt
Head of Sales and Marketing,
VisitNordjylland
In recent years, Danish/Nor-
dic films and TV series have
made Denmark and Scandi-
navia world famous – both as
types of society and as travel
destinations. More than 30 m.
international tourists in Europe
choose their holiday destina-
tion primarily because of what
they have seen in a film that
was shot in, or was about, the
relevant country. VisitDenmark
sees great potential in this
phenomenon.
For us, it’s about attracting
those international visitors
to Denmark. And with this in
mind, we’ve begun assessing
which films and TV series
carry the greatest international
potential for Denmark, and
also the best collaboration
options within the film industry.
For example, along with the
local producer, we looked at
the French launch of “A Royal
Affair”. This was really useful.
We are also in discussions
with the regions and destina-
tion managers with regard to
upping the profile of our inter-
nationally attractive tourism
products: locations or special
experiences and atmospheres,
which tourists associate with
Danish film productions. We
are looking forward to building
these partnerships.
Nobody’s saying it always has
to be “Lord of the Rings”. Even
modest productions can bring
success.
For Mid-Jutland Tourism, it’s
about grasping the opportuniti-
es from all types of production,
because regardless of whether
the film or TV series becomes
a huge hit, there are still bu-
siness opportunities for desti-
nation managers – e.g. during
filming. In Skive for example,
we’ve worked with “Tarok” and
created a link between the film
and the area by using loca-
tions from the film - amongst
other things via guided tours –
and we’ve experienced major
interest from fans right across
the country.
Regardless of the size of
the production, focussing
on the value chain is the key
to ensuring that film tourism
proves a success. Here at
Mid-Jutland Tourism, we act as
strong advocates for inclu-
sive and creative teamwork
between the stakeholders. This
applies both before, during
and post production. Another
key element is being clear from
the start about the formal basis
of team relationships. This
prevents misunderstandings
and ensures the best start for
the collective effort.
Janne Grønkjær Henriksen
Head of Marketing,
VisitDenmark
Karen Buhl Slæggerup
Head of Communications,
Mid-Jutland Tourism
3 TESTIMONIES FROM
THE TOURISM SECTOR
3 TESTIMONIES FROM THE TOURISM SECTOR
© VisitDenmark © Midtjysk Turisme © VisitNordjylland

New Orleans. Honolulu. Austra-
lia. London. And of course New
York. These are the hottest
places to locate film producti-
ons right now according to a
specialist in this field.
For 20 years, Martin Cuff
has acted as consultant for
everything from statutory
bodies to film tourism hotspots
and he doesn’t hesitate when
identifying the most sought
after destinations.
“People want to film in New
York because impossible do-
esn’t exist there. Want to close
off a road? Fine, we’ll do that.
But of course you’re talking a
lot of money, Cuff continues,
explaining that with film crews
it’s always a balance between
the cost and risk.
“It might be very cheap to film
in Somalia. But on the other
hand its very risky and you
have to bring all your equip-
ment with you. Precisely why
few take that option,” he says,
and then adds in the same
breath:
“And it’s obviously a lot easier
to persuade an A List actor
that she’ll have to spend 6
months in London rather than,
say, Rumania.”
Namibia has succeeded in
attracting film productions
However, it’s by no means just
big cities that can attract major
film shoots. Martin Cuff cites
Namibia in South West Africa,
that will provide the desert
BY LENE HALMØ TERKELSEN
The future for film tourism –
seen from a global perspective
Strategy, social media and dedicated fans will have an increasingly dominant role in film
tourism says Martin Cuff - one of the world’s leading experts in the field.
‘But the most successful film locations, in terms of film
tourism, are the ones that were in on the film from its
inception, so they had ample time to create sustainable
tourism products.’
location for the coming Mad
Max film “Fury Road”, as a
good example. To come off the
back of “Fury Road”, a range
of tourism and event initiatives
are being considered – from
hiking tours, big festivals and
solar racer competitions.
But the most successful film lo-
cations, in terms of film tourism,
are the ones that were in on
the film from its inception, so
they had ample time to create
sustainable tourism products
and, at a more mundane level,
were able to secure rights on
for ex. photo stills, Martin Cuff
explains, citing the “The Hob-
bit”, “Lord of the Rings” and
the Disney production “Brave”
as good examples of such
proactive film and tourism
collaborations.
Social media is important
for film tourism
Namibia only has a population
of just over two million, but
with the Mad Max film it will fall
under the gaze of a huge audi-
ence. Partly due to the film’s
megastar, Charlize Theron.
She has six mill. fans on
Facebook and, even months
before the premiere, more than
350,000 people have ”liked”
the film.
In general, social media will
have growing importance in
tourism, because people are
increasingly likely to choose
travel destinations according
to friends’ recommendations
THE PRESS AND MEDIA
THE FUTURE FOR FILM TOURISM – SEEN FROM A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE
© Martin Cuff

11
2003 and decide to go to the
places where it was shot, but
wait for ten years to do that?”
Martin Cuff’s advice to the film
tourism sector is to clarify their
terminology and concepts:
What type of tourists are being
sought, precisely? What are
the actual aims? How will these
be achieved? Who are the ne-
cessary cooperation partners?
And how will it be subsequent-
ly established that the targets
have been met?
“Only at that point will you seri-
ously be in a position to create
sustainable results,” Martin
Cuff concludes.
in China. This is just one of
countless examples of the po-
tential inherent in film tourism,
Martin Cuff says, who expects
this sector to have significantly
upped its professional game
within ten years.
“The greatest film tourism
successes all made use of
strategic planning,” he says,
mentioning James Bond and
Robin Hood as examples of
methodically planned opera-
tions.
If statutory bodies and funding
agencies are to be convinced
that film is the way forward,
clear strategies and documen-
ted benefits need to be put on
the table, but this is not always
easy, Martin Cuff admits.
”The biggest challenge being
that film tourism is very difficult
to measure. Am I, for ex., a film
tourist, when I watch a film in
on for ex. Facebook. But it’s
crucial to use these tools in the
right way, Martin Cuff stresses.
It’s all about creating dialogue
to engage consumers and
optimising ‘co-creation’.
“You don’t sell anymore,
you dialogue. A hotel for ex.
doesn’t write: “Come and stay
with us. We’ve just painted the
rooms red.” Nowadays they
have to write: “We’re consi-
dering a new paint job for our
hotel. What colour do you think
we should use?”
In the same way, film fans
can be involved in creating
future tourist destinations and,
generally, there’s enormous
potential in mobilising fan
bases, Martin Cuff says.
Strategically planned ini-
tiatives enjoy the greatest
success
When the Chinese romantic
comedy “Old Cinderella”
was shot in Israel, the Israelis
used the film’s leading actor
as a tourist ambassador back
‘The greatest film tourism
successes all made use of
strategic planning.’
By means of crowdfunding, director Rob
Thomas and actor Christian Bell were able to
obtain the required funds to produce a new
Veronica Mars film. More than 90,000 put
more than 5,000,000 dollars into the project.
When “Star Wars” fans discovered that the
whitewashed farmhouse built in the Tunisian
desert as Luke Skywalker’s home had fallen
to ruins, they took the initiative to restore it
and collected money via Facebook.
Special package holidays have been devised
for fans of the hit series “House of Cards”,
where they can even get to meet actors from
the show.
ACTIVATE THE FANS!
Loyal fans are quite happy to a pay a lot
of money, travel long distances and even
provide practical help for their favourite
series or film:
Read more:
www.martincuff.com
– Martin Cuff’s official website
www.facebook.com/groups/
filmtourism/ – Martin Cuff’s film
tourism Facebook site
www.omaze.com/experiences/
house-of-cards – “House of Cards”
package trips
www.kickstarter.com/proje-
cts/559914737/the-veroni-
ca-mars-movie-project – crowdfun-
ding project to underwrite the new
Veronica Mars film
www.savelars.com - website for
saving Luke Skywalker’s home
© Ana Raquel S. Hernandes på flickr.com © Classiks på flickr.com
Martin Cuff
Martin Cuff specialises in economic
development, with a unique focus on
the film and media sectors. He works
internationally with governments and
their agencies – from Peru, Tanzania and
Serbia – to help maximise local potential
in film and media productions. Martin
Cuff is a leading expert on film tourism
and is a former managing director of
the Association of Film Commissioners
International.

STIEG LARSSON’S STOCKHOLM
Case
A Unique International Suc-
cess Story
Since the publication of the first
book in 2005, Stieg Larsson’s
“Millennium” trilogy has sold
more than 75 m. copies in 60
countries and has remained
at the top of the sales charts
in most international markets.
The Swedish film trilogy has
been seen by at least 300 m.
people. Meanwhile the Ame-
rican version of “The Girl with
the Dragon Tattoo” helmed
by David Fincher and starring
Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara
has so far gained an audience
of approximately half a billion
people.
Stockholm – at the heart of
the story
Events in “the “Millennium”
trilogy are location specific.
The Mikael Blomkvist character
lives at 1 Bellmansgatan, on
Mariaberget, with view across
prospect the water to Gamla
Stan. Lisbeth Salander lives
quite close by, in an apartment
on Lundagatan. The coffee bar
on Hornsgatan is not only Mi-
kael Blomkvist’s regular haunt
but was also Stieg Larsson’s
favourite place in real life.
Since 2009, all these authen-
tic references to Stockholm’s
cityscape have been used by
Stockholm’s City Museum to
offer city walks that focus on
places that are central to the
story. These city walks are
based on a range of themes,
where fiction and facts are
woven together. The demand
for city walks was greatest
Stieg Larsson’s
Stockholm
Stieg Larsson’s “Millennium” trilogy has had gigantic in-
ternational success, both as a novel and feature film. The
“Millennium” trilogy has played a large part in moderni-
sing Stockholm’s image as an international “brand”.
‘These city walks are based
on a range of themes, where
fiction and facts are woven
together.’
between 2010 and 2012, with
a turnover of 8-10,000 tourists
per year. Today, demand has
slackened but the “Millenni-
um” tours have proved to be
a major factor in the revival of
guided walks through Stock-
holm.
‘We are still seeing demand
from visitors to Stockholm –
mainly from foreign tourists.
“Millennium” has become a
fixed point that tourists now
immediately associate with
Stockholm.’
– Sara Claesson, Head of
Communications, City Muse-
um, Stockholm
A lift for the whole creative
sector
The “Millennium” trilogy helped
to build the huge wave of inter-
national interest in Scandinavi-
an crime series and detective
films that has arisen in recent
years. The trilogy has also
helped the creative community
in Sweden in general and the
film industry specifically.
In 2008, Stockholm’s City Museum held eight
city walks. In 2009, the number was up to
222, and in 2010 their popularity peaked at
284 city walks.
All city walks end at the City Museum where
the entourage can view original exhibits from
the filming of the trilogy.
All told, the Swedish and American film
productions have generated a combined
turnover of several hundred millions in the
Stockholm region.
A good number of books have been written
on Stieg Larsson and the “Millennium” trilogy.
The story has also been retold on the stage
and has inspired artists, authors, designers,
musicians and filmmakers across the world.
FACTS
Read more:
www.stieglarsson.com/millenni-
um-stockholm-map
- map of Stieg Larsson’s Stockholm
www.visitstockholm.com/en/
See--do/Guides/In-the-footsteps-
of-Lisbeth-Salander/ - VisitStock-
holm’s guide to walking in Lisbeth
Salander’s footsteps
www.stadsmuseet.stockholm.se/
In-English/Guided-tours/Millenni-
um/ - The City Museum’s guided
Millennium tours
© Thomas Karlsson
© Nordisk Film
THE PRESS AND MEDIA

13
Case
Swedish murder mysteries
with tourist appeal
Camilla Läckbergs first novel,
“The Ice Princess”, was pub-
lished in 2003, then came nine
more crime novels, all of which
are centred on the author’s
own local area, Fjällbacka. In
2011, the books were filmed
both as a TV series and feature
film, and more film shoots have
already been agreed. The 12
episodes that comprise the
TV series, “The Fjällbacka
Murders” were all shot in the
area around Fjällbacka and
Tanumshede.
Three years ago, Tanum local
authority, in conjunction with
VisitSweden and Swedish
Destination Management,
launched a joint “Fjällbacka
Murders” strategic plan as
part of their marketing of the
area. The initiative came about
after tourists began to request
information on the popular
crime series.
The work begun by these
tourist organisations has
borne fruit. The number of
day tourists has increased by
approximately 3,000 people
from 2011 to 2014, and
According to the head of
Leisure and Culture, Eva
Petterson, this is very much a
knock–on effect from Camilla
Läckberg’s popularity, both in
Sweden and internationally.
accommodation hire in the muni-
cipal area has increased by 10 %.
‘The number of day tourists
has increased by approxima-
tely 3,000 people from 2011
to 2014, and accommodati-
on hire in the municipal area
has increased by 10 %.’
Read more:
www.enannansida.tanum.se/# - Map of Läckberg’s
locations in Tanum
www.framsidan.net/2012/07/lackbergef-
fekt-aret-runt/ - Article on film tourism in Tanum
Case
Jo Nesbø – from Norway
to the whole world
The Norwegian author Jo Nes-
bø has gained world renown
for his crime novels about
detective Harry Hole, which
are set in Oslo. Nesbø’s books
have sold over 25 m. copies
and have been translated into
more than 25 languages.
2011 saw filming commence
on Jo Nesbø’s novel “Head-
hunters” and, in the same year,
VisitNorway began offering
guided Harry Hole tours. The
tours lead visitors through the
highlights of Harry Hole’s wor-
ld, but the route also passes
some of Oslo’s main tourist
attractions.
The guided tours are offered in
English, German and Russian.
And the demand is great. The
tours have an average of 20
bookings per week – mostly
from abroad. Tourists can
come from as far afield as
India, Hong Kong and Japan.
However, marketing for Oslo
doesn’t focus as actively on
Nesbø’s world as, for example,
is the case with Camilla Läck-
berg in Fjällbacka. Be that as it
may, Nesbø’s stories still help
to promote tourism in the city,
even if it’s just because of his
books’ quirky descriptions of
‘The tours have an average
of 20 bookings per week –
mostly from abroad.’
Read more:
www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destina-
tions/europe/norway/9903140/Jo-
Nesbos-Oslo-Norway-my-kind-of-
town.html - Daily Telegraph article
on Jo Nesbø’s Oslo
www.economist.com/
node/21561109
- Article from The Economist on film
tourism in Scandinavia
life in Oslo and Norway, not to
mention his massive worldwide
popularity.
© Harald Groven på flickr.com
© Tre Vänner
© Tre Vänner
SWEDISH MURDER MYSTERIES WITH TOURIST APPEAL &
JO NESBØ - FROM NORWAY TO THE WHOLE WORLD

The time is ripe –
tourists are looking
for it, and the
strategic players
are open to the
idea - now it’s
just a question of
being open to new
ways of envisaging
the collective film
experience; so that it’s no
longer restricted to a few hours
on the couch at home or in the
cinema.
How can tourism help
the film industry?
Today, tourism must be viewed as an integral part of many TV or film productions’ eco-system.
Done properly and strategically, it can be of great benefit to the production.
Itwasthecombinationofagrowingmass-tourismindustryandnewAmericanblockbustersinthe1970sand80sthatlaun-
chedfilmtourismasaseriousphenomenon.Somedescribethe1975monsterhit“Jaws”asthefilmthatlaunchedHollywood
productionsintotheirownleague,bothasiconsofpopularcultureanditemsofcommercialconsumption.
A stronger film experience
It was the combination of a
growing mass-tourism industry
and new American blockbu-
sters in the 1970s and 80s
that launched film tourism as
a serious phenomenon. Some
describe the 1975 monster hit
“Jaws” as the film that laun-
ched Hollywood productions
into their own league, both as
icons of popular culture and
items of commercial consump-
tion.
‘ Shooting in unusual
locations, whilst working
with the local strategic
partners can deliver both
financial rewards and new
artistic possibilities.’
Throughout the 1990s, marke-
ting budgets for international
film productions rose drama-
tically. Exposure to the public
grew massively, ditto the
tourists’ wish to “re-experien-
ce” the main character’s world
or the film’s universe.
In a Danish context, it may be
true that it will rarely be big
budget shoots that bring in
the tourists, but factoring film
tourism into the creative mix
is still worthwhile for film or TV
series producers.
As a rule, any film production
will require extensive fundra-
ising amongst both public and
private sources. It is here whe-
re destination managers can
exploit their local contacts and
source possible finance avenu-
es. This type of help can make
the difference for a producer’s
follow-up TV season, or third
film in a series – using the
same location of course. And
both parties get the benefits.
Film tourism can also lend
artistic support by delivering
dedicated fans who can “re-
bound” inspiration to the film’s
creators. The hard core within
the film’s fan base will typically
want more info and therefore
seek experiences beyond the
actual film. It’s here where film
tourism provides an obvious
new dimension, as fans can
still live emotionally within the
narrative by physically “being
there”. The fan base can even
develop that universe further,
to such an extent that the
producers can draw on this
inspiration for film 2, or for the
prequel.
HOW CAN TOURISM HELP THE FILM INDUSTRY?
Read more:
Book: ’The Experiences of Film Lo-
cation Tourists’ by Stefan Roesch,
2009, Channel View Publications
THE PRESS AND MEDIA

15
CarstenHolst
directorof“Filmby”Aarhus
“Via my previous work as a
producer at Zentropa and
then as the head of “Filmby”
Aarhus, the regional film
and media centre for Jutland,
I have concrete experience in
creating the optimum conditi-
ons, so that film projects can be
realised. Here at Filmby Aarhus,
we’re making efforts to set up
cooperation networks between
the film industry, tourism sector,
business community and the
local authorities. Our aim is to
make the whole of Jutland more
film-friendly and attractive by
establishing a strong network
around film and the new media.
The destination managers play
a really significant role in this
network, as they are in a positi-
on to support film productions
using their local knowledge
and anchorage within local
industry and tourism stakehol-
ders. A strong network that can
attract and support several film
productions means more op-
portunities for film tourism and
thereby growth in Jutland.”
NikolajArcel
filmdirector
“Getting the right location real-
ly is one of the most important
elements in a film, as it gives
the required atmosphere and
emotional feel vis-à-vis the
story. If, for example, a film
is shot in Randers or Aarhus,
then clearly this will draw
attention to these places. In
the same way, my film “A Royal
Affair” has brought new life to
the castles in which Caroline
Mathilde lived. The closer you
get to the history, the stronger
your experience of the film
becomes. So it’s obviously
something that can involve the
tourism sector.
It’s expensive to move a film
crew to far away locations. So
it’s of huge interest if the tourist
industry can network with
local hotels and other relevant
businesses and thereby offer
financial savings to film crews,
in return for the town or locati-
on being clearly shown in the
film. Then both parties benefit
from it.”
PeerH.Kristensen
directorofVisitAarhus
“There’s no doubt film tourism is
a rapidly developing pheno-
menon, and from the destination
management point of view,
it can be approached from
several different angles. Film
tourism as a commercial activity
doesn’t just have the potential
to create innovative experience
initiatives for the average tourist;
it also very much relates to film
industry tourism.
Directing efforts towards getting
a film or TV shoot in your own
area also has the potential to
generate turnover for local busi-
nesses like hotels, transport and
catering; whilst the simple fact
that a film crew is in the area
can create new jobs.”
3 TESTIMONIES ON FILM TOURISM
3 TESTIMONIES ON FILM
TOURISM
© Filmby Aarhus © Jeppe Gudmundsen © VisitAarhus

during filming, and partly to
create new tourism products
in the general area as film and
horse tourism spin-offs from
the momentum generated by
the film.
16 EXPERIENCE FILMS - IN REAL-LIFE ’TAROK’ (CATCH THE DREAM) BOOSTED TOURISM IN SKIVE
THE PRESS AND MEDIA
Potentialforajointenterprise
When film producer Regner
Grasten decided to make a
film about Tarok, he knew that
the Skive area would make a
fantastic backdrop for the film.
Tarok’s own home at Hagens-
høj still existed. Tarok’s own
box was still there untouched
in the same stable. Jørn Lau-
rsen, who had sat in the sulky
behind Tarok in 150 out of his
165 starts, still lived just across
road.
Birgitte Bahat, a consultant
for Skive municipal authority,
heard about this budding film
project and got in touch with
producer Regner Grasten right
away. Birgitte realised that a
film of this calibre could create
great openings for the area.
And Regner Grasten knew that
effective teamwork with local
support points was decisive for
his project:
‘We wanted to capture the
atmosphere of the area in our
film. But locating the whole
shoot in Skive was an expen-
sive option.. Only by establis-
hing a close working relations-
hip with local bodies could we
shoot as much in Skive as we
actually did.’
– Regner Grasten, film pro-
ducer
Skive stepped up to the
plate
Skive town council stumped
up a grant of DKK 600,000 for
the project. The money was
to fund shooting in Skive, and
also to screen a national gala
premiere in the town. As a
kind of quid pro quo, Regner
Grasten mentioned Skive every
time he did an interview about
the film.
Regner Grasten inquired about
a range of original “locations”,
including Hagenshøj where
Tarok was born, lived and was
buried. The current owners of
the farm said yes to filming at
the location and entered into
an agreement with the council
that the film set would remain
in place for at least a year after
the premiere.
Skive’s Industry and Tourism
Centre joined up with the
council to aid the project and
established links with a range
of local tourism stakeholders,
partly to reap the benefits from
the massive influx of film and
media personnel that pertained
‘Birgitte realised that a film of this calibre could create
great openings for the area.’
Case
‘Tarok’ (Catch the Dream)
boosted tourism in Skive
The film re-established the link between
Skive and Tarok in Danish minds. A survey
has shown that “Tarok” ranks fourth in those
words that Danes associate with Skive.
The film gave Skive nationwide media
coverage, amounting to a value of around
DKK 9,7 m.
Today, Hagenshøj has become a regular tour-
ist destination with a museum, Tarok walking
and riding trails, and the sale of souvenirs.
The site has welcomed 4,000 guests and
continues to develop new attractions for its
many visitors.
The new Tarok museum at Hagenshøj, which
was built within the original film set is bulging
with memorabilia that Ingelise and Jørn
Laursen have donated. On top of that, there
are lots of original film props, either provided
by the film producer or purchased by the
municipal authority. And finally, but no less
important, there’s a range of Tarok collec-
tions given, or hired out, to the museum by
private collectors and fans.
Team Barok was devised around the horse
Barok, which is Tarok’s “great-grandchild”
and in the film plays Tarok as a foal. Barok is
frequently brought to Hagenshøj for special
events and she has her own box in her great
grandfather’s stable. Barok has her own
Facebook page, where followers can become
nominal joint-owners amongst other things.
FACTS
The trotting horse “Tarok” achieved mythic status in the
70’s. Afterwards, the story of ”Denmark’s four legged
wonder” disappeared, until a 2013 film version revived the
story of Skive’s very own champion horse.
‘As a kind of quid pro quo,
Regner Grasten mentioned
Skive every time he did an
interview about the film.’

© Petit
17
17
Read more:
www.tarok.skive.dk
– Skive Municipal Authority’s
“Tarok” website
www.facebook.com/tarokskive
– Facebook page for Tarok film
tourism initiative
www.facebook.com/BabyTarok
– Facebook page for Tarok’s
great-grandchild Barok
www.skiveet.dk/visitskive/ople-
velser/tarok – Skive Industry and
Tourism Centre’s Tarok experiences
Guaranteed benefits for the
Skive area
With the “Tarok” film, Skive re-
ceived massive media covera-
ge, as well business turnover
whilst shooting took place, and
since then horse tourism in the
area has been boosted in the
form of horse trails and coope-
ration agreements between, for
ex., Skive Fjord Camping, Skive
Trotting Course, Team Barok
and Hagenshøj. Lastly, but not
least, the people of Skive expe-
rienced a memorable period
for the town, when the whole of
Denmark turned up for the gala
premiere with green carpet
runners, gala-clad and famous
stars and flashing paparazzi. BIRGITTE BAHAT, SKIVE MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY
What’s your experience of
working with a film producti-
on crew?
“It was incredibly positive. It
was driven by mutual goodwill
all the way through. Of course
we had a contract, which
stipulated what our input was
to be used for, and the recom-
pense for that. But the contract
was never looked at and we
continually got more back than
had been agreed on paper.
For ex., Regner Grasten held
the film’s first press conferen-
ce here in Skive, where he pre-
sented the actors to the world.
So the whole Danish press
corps had to come up country
if they wanted to get the story
in the can. There was nothing
about this in the contract – it
was the icing on the cake, and
it goes without saying that this
gives a local feelgood vibe.”
What was the key thing that
meant you could use the
film for good publicity and
tourism?
“The decisive thing was obtai-
ning loads of material from the
film whilst it was being shot.
We shot our own videos and
got hold of props whilst they
were recording. This proved
really important further down
the road. Sure tourists are
interested in Tarok’s story, but
they are also really interested
in the film about Tarok. They
really love going behind the
scenes.”
Were there things that took
you by surprise?
“Recording the film shoots
was very time consuming
and it’s vital that you are well
prepared. When a film crew
hears “action”, then it really
means action. It’s right now
this second and not tomorrow.
So it’s all hands on deck and
get your material while you
can. Overall, it took far longer
than I expected but it was all
worth it.”
Do you have any useful tips
for others preparing to work
with film or TV production
crews?
“Make sure you are clear
about what you want to record
– Things can take off very quickly, so be prepared
or keep from their filming. Do
want to take photos whilst they
are shooting? Do you want
behind the scenes stuff? Do
you want the rights to short
clips from the film for an app
or experience events? Make
sure that this is agreed with the
producer, and remember to
plan the logistics for obtaining
this material.
I would also recommend using
the Western Denmark Film and
Media Commission for creative
interaction and use this hand-
book on film tourism. We used
it a lot when we were setting
up the “Tarok” project and it
was a real help.”
‘Overall, it took far longer
than I expected but it was all
worth it.’
© Geisnæs

THE PRESS AND MEDIA
INTRODUCTION TO THE TOOLBOX

19
Film tourism begins long be-
fore the premiere is screened.
It’s important to factor in the
tourism element both before,
during and after a film or TV
production’s presence in your
area. It’s for this reason that
the Toolbox is divided into
the steps to be taken in the
above three phases of a film’s
creation. Each step is marked
with a colour that matches the
value chain model on page
5. The aim is to provide a
quick overview of the relevant
stakeholders in their individual
contexts.
Some of the steps belong to
all three phases, but for our
purposes are placed where
they are most important. Move
things around, prioritise, and
arrange the process to suit
your strategy. The point is that
there is no single recipe for
success in film tourism. Needs,
and what works, will differ from
location to location. Be inspi-
red by the tips in our Toolbox
and consider different ideas.
One main rule of thumb does
however apply: Be bold but
flexible. If you wish to clearly
demonstrate the film-friendli-
ness of your area , it’s a must
to invite the relevant film/TV
makers, and location mana-
The following pages contain our Toolbox with 38 specific bits of advice and suggestions as to how to begin film tourism
initiatives. Anyone seeking to work in this the area will find the mixture of overall theory and practical tips useful.
How do we
get started?
www.film-tourism.com
– Stefan Roesch’s own website about film
tourism
www.thelocationguide.com – A free online data-
base with some of the world’s best locations
www.filmturist.dk
– FilmFyn’s own website about film tourism
www.mixedreality.info – Ystad’s annual confer-
ence on film tourism and virtual worlds
www.filmbyaarhus.dk/wdfc
– The Film and Media Commission for Western
Denmark
Book: ’Wallanderland – medieturisme og skandi-
navisk tv-krimi’ af Anne Marit Waade, 2013,
Aalborg University Publishers
INSPIRATION LINKS
- READ EVEN MORE ABOUT
FILM TOURISM
gers, to the area and convin-
ce them, not only that with
you they are getting a highly
suitable situation, but also the
goodwill and resources for the
creation of exciting projects.
And get in early! Otherwise
the production will end up
somewhere else.
Happy networking!

THE PRESS AND MEDIA
‘The tour has to be built up,
so that audience curiosity
drives them onwards.’
A TOUR MUST BE AS GOOD AS A STORY
Find an enthusiastic and
eloquent guide. Some sturdy
footwear. A route that has
no great distances between
stops. And an audience that
really wants to see and hear
more about their favourite film
or TV series. The formula for
good guided tours sounds
simple. But mastering the art of
entrancing a moving audience
requires not just a fondness for
walking and subject experti-
se - as Lise-Lotte Frederiksen
explains at “Peter and Ping”,
which specialises in city walks.
There’s much more to it. The
tour has to be built up, so that
audience curiosity drives them
onwards.
“A tour must be as good as a
story. There has to be progres-
sion. The tour audience needs
to feel that something is going
to be revealed - so they get ah
ah! moments along the way.
The guide must also avoid set-
ting off the fireworks too early,”
Lise-Lotte explains..
In the last ten years, she has
pounded the pavements, pro-
nouncing on literature, film and
TV series, and her package is
popular with both Danish and
international tourists. She has
brought many interested visi-
tors to Copenhagen Police HQ,
which they’ve seen in “The Kil-
ling”, and also to “The Castle”
of Birgitte Nyborg fame. The
experienced guide underlines
that this popular tour mixes
recognisable scenes with more
surprising places.
“It’s about having one or two
locations on the tour they
would never have found them-
© Jette Schwartz
BY LENE HALMØ TERKELSEN
‘A tour must be as
good as a story’
Before we delve into the Toolbox, we’d like to present a
good example of a specific film tourism product in Den-
mark. Lise-Lotte Frederiksen has, namely, enjoyed great
success with her guided tours, where she has led her
audience through the Copenhagen of “The Killing”, “The
Bridge” and “The Castle”.
selves, so they really feel like
they’re getting a glimpse into
something quite different and
special. It might be just that
you get someone to open a se-
cret room, or they are brought
to a backyard that’s off the
beaten track and mysterious.”
Think big scenes and memo-
rable incidents
The good guide thinks visually
and identifies the most attracti-
ve sights and buildings.
“I put a lot of stress on making
the locations stand out for
people, so we arrive at just the
right angle. You have to think
big scenes and memorable
incidents and remind the audi-
ence about that particular part
in the film or series where the
characters were exactly HERE,
Lise-Lotte explains.
Another important point is that
it must never become just ano-
ther boring tour for you. The
audience picks this up and
switches off immediately.
“You have to keep the tour
fresh the whole time. Maybe
you can inject a new element,
or change the order of the
stops,” Lise-Lotte says.
Her own operation has linked
up with a hotel to offer tours,
and she stresses the oppor-
tunities for working with other
tourism stakeholders; for ex.,
by offering tours as part of an
overall package.
Tailor the tour to the audi-
ence
Guided tours are so well suited
to the modern tourist preci-
sely because of the potential
for tailoring the narrative to a
specific audience and thereby
offering a unique product.
Are we talking total nerds that
know every tiny detail about
the series and its universe? Or
slightly less engaged film fans
that just want to go behind the
‘The idea is to make the
participants feel it’s “their”
tour.’
Knows everything about and lives for his/her
material
Ensures a narrative thread and progression
in the story
Intros cliff-hangers like: ”But how could it be,
in fact, that …? Well we’re going to find out
when we get to …”
Engages with the group and adapts the story
to precisely what they know and expect
THE GOOD GUIDE
Involves no more than 20-25 participants, so
the guide can engage with everyone
Has 10-12 stops and usually lasts an hour
and a half
Can be extended or cut short depending on
the weather
Does not have long distances between stops
Includes 1-2 places participants never would
have found themselves
Can be arranged as a planned tour with
bookings, or as an open tour where people
just turn up.
THE GOOD TOUR

21
Sponsor
Value partners
Suppliers
Contributor
Ambassadors
Host
Working together on
common values
Providing a service to film or TV
production or film tourism initiative
Holding a themed/brand activity in relation to
the film or TV series
Supporting film tourism efforts both commercially/non commercially, for
ex. by highligting services that fit theme from the film/TV series
Providing welcoming attendance for guests visiting the area in connection
with a film or the TV series
The possibilities are endless,
but succeeding at guided
tours is dependent on one
thing more than anything else
Lise-Lotte says: a passionate
guide.
“If you’re going to bring people
into ”The Castle”, you’d better
be nuts about the series and
absolutely love talking
about it.”
scenes? Or is it a stag party
that just wants an entertaining
tour? Different audiences want
their own special kick and it’s
for this reason that Lise-Lotte
warns against having too many
people on a tour. Participants
are then better able to ask
questions or make comments
en route.
“The idea is to make the
participants feel it’s “their”
tour. It must never become a
conveyor belt.. A good tour is
made by all the people on it.”
‘If you’re going to bring
people into ”The Castle”,
you’d better be nuts about
the series and absolutely
love talking about it.’
A few months back, one
of Lise-Lotte Frederiksen’s
guides decided to specialise
in film and TV productions and
created Nordic Noir Tours. The
company advertises via social
media, and Lise-Lotte knows
other guides who only publicise
themselves via Facebook and
Twitter.
“They might for ex. ask a tour
group for permission to take a
picture at a certain place and
post that on, say, Facebook.”
Read more:
www.peter-og-ping.dk
– Peter and Pings website
www.nordicnoirtours.com
– Nordic Noir Tours’ website
www.walks.com – guided tours in
London
ENGAGEMENT CAN HAPPEN AT DIFFERENT LEVELS
Not all stakeholders in the va-
lue chain will have exactly the
same enthusiasm, motivation
or resources to get involved in
film tourism teamwork. Fortuna-
tely, it’s possible to engage
with film tourism at several
different levels – right from a
local citizen’s chance encoun-
ter with film tourism to strategic
cooperation with a film or TV
production at a municipal level.
The engagement model below
gives an overview of teamwork
and engagement levels that
often apply in relation to the
presence of a film or TV crew
in an area. It’s a guiding fra-
mework rather than a complete
summary, but it’s useful as an
overview of film tourism.
The three lowest levels are
informal engagements, or ini-
tiatives from stakeholders who
don’t necessarily want or need
to involve the film/TV producti-
Engagement can happen at different levels
Municipality grants sponsorship to a film or TV
production
A DMO cooperates strategically with a film
or TV production to give easy access to the
local area
Local hauliers deliver transport services
for film and TV production
A local branch holds a theme evening
on film or TV series, where speakers
broaden the theme
A restaurant invents and sells a dish
named after the film or TV series and
based on the given theme
A local describes his/her experi-
ences as extra when meeting film
tourists in the local area
Strategic coorperation partner
level (initiatives with film and TV
production)
Stakeholder level (own
initiatives)
Citizen and stakeholder level
on in their initiative. The three
upper levels in the model are
formal, strategic engagements
between stakeholders and the
film/TV production.

THE PRESS AND MEDIA
I N T R O A C T I O N
TOOLBOX - BEFORE
B
E
F
O
R
E Get a head start. Continuously monitor current activities, especially with respect to which film or TV productions may be in the planning
phase. Contact Filmby Aarhus and Mette Elmgaard at melm@aarhus.dk or +45 89 40 48 73 to get a quick overview.
www.dfi.dk (click Funding) www.filmbyaarhus.dk
Learn more. Before commencing your targeted work with film tourism, you should begin by investigating what this will require. In
addition to this handbook, there are various alternative opportunities for learning more about film tourism and about
how to get started on developing new tourist experiences.
Explore the exciting film
locations of your area.
UsetheFilmbyAarhusFilmCommissionplatformtopromoteyouruniqueandexcitingfilm-locationpotential.Thiswillfa-
cilitatetheexposureofyourareaasanelementintheeasilyaccessibleoverviewofpotentialfilmlocationsintheCentral
andNorthDenmarkregions.Thelocationdatabaseisavailablehere:www.filmbyaarhus.dk/wdfc.
Establish contact with the
people responsible for
finding film locations.
The DFI book can be used for identifying location managers – in all of Denmark and within your local areas.
Visit http://www.dfi.dk/Service/English/Films-and-industry/DFI-Bogen-EN.aspx.
Consider organising guided tours for location managers so that they may become aware of the distinctive qualities
and atmosphere of your area.
Provide assistance to your
location owners.
When a film is shot in your area, it will involve a number of locations. These locations may be private or public proper-
ties. Typically, a location owner will invest considerable time and resources to facilitate the shooting. This may require
the erection of special sets, the postponement of renovation plans, or that the location be temporarily closed to the
public. Altogether, this represents the location owner’s ‘investment’ in the film. Help your local location owners to get
an overview of the investment required and, also, to make an agreement with the film producer as to what will be ‘paid
back’ to the location owner – typically by way of exposure in the film.
Consider membership in the
West Danish Film Fund (Den
Vestdanske Filmpulje)
Consider establishing a collaborative relationship between the Destination Management Organisation (DMO) and
the municipality with regards to joining the West Danish Film Fund (WDFF). A membership will make your area more
film-friendly. Productions that receive funding from the WDFF generate a regional turnover – in average 3.9 times the
size of the investment.
Membership in the WDFF ensured that the locations for the shooting of the children’s television series, Ludvig og Jule-
manden and Tvillingerne og Julemanden, were primarily located in the municipalities of Hjørring and Aalborg. Similarly,
WDFF helped to secure the Dicte shooting for Aarhus. Find information about the West Danish Film Fund here: www.
filmbyaarhus.dk.
Use video to promote your
area.
Video is a forceful and important medium in the communication of film and TV experiences. You should therefore
decide how and when you intend to produce video material. You could for example make small video clips of the
crew’s working area; video interviews with the team behind the film; and/or interviews with the people living in the area.
Readily offer your assistance with the production of additional material for the eventual release of the film on physical
and digital media.
Organise and develop a
strategy.
Always be sure to coordinate collaboration and communication with the film production to ensure a good process.
When the crew arrives in the area, it may be a good idea to have a task force comprised of local players who are
particularly involved in the film production. They may be location owners with whom the producer has entered into
agreement; cultural institutions; the municipality; and/or the local tourist office. The task force’s first important duty is
to develop an action strategy. When you have received confirmation that a film or TV production will arrive in your area,
and when you – as an area – have decided to invest an amount in securing visibility, the next step will be to lay down a
strategy for how you intend to use the production. What are your objectives and who is your target group? When can
your efforts be deemed to be a success?
Get hold of a premiere! If you contribute funding to a film production, one of the negotiable elements is the premiere. The premiere can
generate considerable coverage and several things may be structured around the event as such. Use the premiere as a
kick-off for the activities you can subsequently link with the film, for example a “Premiere package with hotel and film”
followed up by guided tours in the area.
Be of assistance to the film
or TV production.
Offer to provide services for the film production such as applying for permits and looking for locations. Also, you
should always be prepared to answer questions. Take advantage of the fact that you know your local area better than
most producers.
Invite the press. Propose a collaboration between the production and your local area. Include the film in your media plan and let the
press know that the production will soon arrive in your area. Also, consider inviting the press to tour the locations you
know will be used in the production – always in collaboration with the producer.
Establish a commercial
network.
Establish a commercial network of local businesses in a position to offer discount agreements or other assistance to
a production in your area. Such initiatives may contribute to making your area attractive to film productions. You help
the production, and the production, in return, promotes your businesses or your municipality, for example via patches
on the jackets of the film crew.
Be sure to obtain the rights
to the material you will need,
before during and after the
production.
Even before the production, you should determine the type of material you will need to promote your local area. This
could be for example pictures, video or interviews for use on your website or a subsequent guided-tour concept.

23
D O N ’ T F O R G E T
Even at this early stage, you can help yourselves by considering which special features of your area to highlight:
- Specific historical events
- Specific locations
- Specific advantageous conditions you can provide for a film production.
Relevant links for further reading have been listed in connection with a number of articles in this handbook. Consider also seeking further information on your own, and/or contacting persons from
the cases you find particularly interesting.
Check whether your area has been represented and, preferably, offer to help keep the information up-to-date in order to ensure that it is always correct.
Find the most professional location managers by studying their CVs on their private websites, or look up the names on IMDB.com.
The balancing of expectations is key. Thus, there must be absolutely clear agreements as to whether the film mentions a given location by name. Frequently a film is a piece of fiction; and so it is of
course natural that the scriptwriters use fictive place names. This, however, may result in a loss of exposure for the individual location. Consider inviting the film’s scriptwriters to the locations in
question, in order that they can experience them as early in the process as possible.
Membership to the WDFF is not free of charge. But it will help your area become much more film-friendly and, consequently, more attractive to production companies.
Contact manager Carsten Holst (Tel.: +45 8940 4846) if you have questions about WDFF membership.
This will obviously require planning and an explicit agreement with the film production. The appropriate contact person with respect to such permissions will, as a rule, be the producer of the film.
Even if it is not possible for you to produce video in collaboration with the film production, there should still be ample opportunity to create a small video clip for use on your website and on soci-
al-media platforms such as Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. You will find a few pieces of good advice here: seismonaut.com/guides/videoguide (in Danish only).
Dealing with the arrival and stay of a professional film crew may be a tall order. Working full steam ahead, the crew is 100% focused on getting their footage in the can.
For the sake of efficient communication, it may be a good idea to appoint one task-force representative to be in charge of the primary communication with the producer.
Even if a film production intends to hold the gala premiere somewhere else, it may still be possible to get hold of a less grand preview to be held in your local area – prior to the official national
premiere.
It’s a matter of being proactive and show them what you have to offer.
Think about how you can use your expertise and local knowledge to lend the production a helping hand with media relations. Then, use the drawing power of the film to market your own interests.
The distributor of the film or TV production will have a media strategy which benefits the product in the best possible way. You should therefore always coordinate with them before taking
anything to the local press. Present the distributor/producer with proposals for approaches and stories, but never send out anything without their approval.
Be sure to show the local businesses how they can promote themselves in the light of a production. Relevant trades may be anything from the transport sector (car rental, planes and taxi) to
builders, DIY stores, local catering, hotels, fitness centres plus the delivery of jackets and clothes for the film crew. In principle, all kinds of funding and sponsorships will be of interest to the
production.
It may be difficult to find out who holds the rights to various materials. You should therefore establish right from the start a permanent contact person who can point you in the right direction. Fre-
quently, a production company will not be able to spare the time needed to produce additional material. Therefore, you should first concentrate on obtaining rights to the material they already
intend to produce.
Your WDFF membership ensures that favourable arrangements for your area are maintained through contracts between the WDFF and the production company.

THE PRESS AND MEDIA
TOOLBOX - DURING
D
U
R
I
N
G Help with local casting. Offer to help with the casting. This way, you help the production whilst embedding it in your local area. Offer to provide
facilitation and advertising assistance in connection with the casting. Use the communication channels you already
have in place – digitally and with regards the local press. Also find out whether a business within your commercial
network will provide the necessary space.
Provide insight into the world
of the film.
Subject to agreement with the production company, organise guided tours during the shooting. As an appreciative
gesture, you could for instance invite your commercial network inside – always providing that the production company
will allow the opening up of the production.
Create attention during the
shooting of the film.
Usethetimeduringtheshootingtobuilduphypeaboutthefutureproduction,asthismayhaveapositiveeffectonthe
subsequentfilmtourism.Onanongoingbasis,youmayalsoattractattentionbyholdingpresseventswhichpresent
updatesontheproductionstatus.Oryoumaypersuadetheactorstoparticipateininterviewsduringtheshootingwhere
–ifpossible–theytalkaboutyourareaandtheproduction.
Organise unique events. Take advantage of the fact that, for a time, a number of famous and exciting personalities are gathered in your town
or region. There are multiple opportunities for creating unique events for tourists but, in particular, for the business
trades and politicians as well. You could, for instance, consider the organisation of a VIP fund-raising dinner attended
by the stars appearing in the film and perhaps started off by a presentation from the director.
Produce ”behind the sce-
nes” video.
The actual production period presents really excellent opportunities for creating video material which can be used a
long time after the premiere of the film or TV production. Therefore, concentrate your efforts here during the produc-
tion period and include the content in your media strategy. Remember that explicit agreements with the production
are crucial.
Get interviews ”in the can”. Be sure to strike while the iron is hot. If, during a frequently very tight production schedule, the opportunity to interview
the actors, producers and/or the director should present itself, then make sure to get the interview on video, as a radio
broadcast and in writing all within the same interview round. The code word here is planning!
Adapt the commercial
network.
Be sure to balance the needs of the production company with what can be provided by the commercial network.
Should your commercial network be in a position to help with problem-solving in here-and-now production situations,
this may lay the groundwork for an even closer collaboration. This will be to your advantage in any future production
work carried out by the same people. Personal relations are crucial!
Music for the film? A more alternative line of approach could be music for the film. Are there any musicians in your community who would
be game for entering into an agreement with the production company with regards to the inclusion of their musical
compositions in the film – well, this would be good PR for the musician and a fine anecdote to include in your represen-
tation of your area.
Think collaboration and
exchange
Continuously consider what you can do to help the production in return for material or cooperativeness.
Be on the look-out for
special and peculiar film
artefacts
In the course of the shooting, you should keep an eye out film artefacts which may subsequently be useful. Børglum
Kloster, for instance, bought Father Christmas’ workshop from the series Ludvig og Julemanden. This has provided the
local area with a brand new and really popular attraction. Such an investment may prove extremely valuable.
Develop new attractions. Use the production time to envision new experiences to offer tourists. Set aside half a day to organise a workshop
for those of your employees who find the subject exciting. Perhaps you could also involve a few local collaborative
partners. Work towards developing ideas for new tours, new products and new attractions.
Do this exercise: What will an interested tourist find when googling your destination and the film title? Will she be met
with products/experiences she can pursue further, or with “behind-the-scenes” info?
Consider exposure after the
premiere of the film.
Even at this early stage you should think about how to promote your interests via the lifespan of the film or TV produc-
tion on VOD, DVD, Blu-Ray etc. This may be through embedded video material, printed logos on the cover, or special
inserts for physical media that reference you and your partners’ products.
Use new and social media. Use new and social media platforms in order to reach the individual tourist and the global market quickly. Use Fa-
cebook to your advantage by creating a unique page for your work with the production. This provides ongoing opportu-
nities to present your content and interact with tourists.
Communication via social media is by no means a swift and easy task. But you should begin by making a plan for the
content you intend to publish on the Internet, for instance, in the course of the film’s production time. This way, you
will have a shared understanding and a shared overview.

25
Obviously, the need for local casting will depend entirely on the individual production.
Any guided tours must be specifically agreed upon with the production company to prevent their getting in the way of the shooting. Make your plans well in advance and be realistic as to expecta-
tions – the film crew will not have much time to spare once the shooting has started.
Even though the production has not been completed, there will still be lots of news that can be used to attract tourists both during and after the production. Remember to coordinate all press
work with the distributor/production company.
Event development is limited only by the imagination. Suggestions for events: Master classes with the participation of the director or the actors; a local cinema’s presentation of previous films
made by the director or with participation of the actor(s); guided tours round the set; etc.
Think about material for various purposes. Consider, for instance: Brief video clips for social-media content; video for a collective promotion of your local community; and video for the additional
material included in the digital and physical publication of the film or TV series.
You could maybe team up with the local media for the production of your media material. Maybe they can be of assistance if, in return, you help them get access to the production.
Keep an eye out for relevant opportunities presented by new businesses and continually seek opportunities for expanding your area of contact with the local business community, including with
businesses that are not classic tourism players. This may also work to your advantage in other contexts.
Music is one of many devices used in film or TV production, so it must be of a certain quality. Hence, you should be sure to seek out collaborations with local experts within the area, for example
local music venues, the local press, or institutions for musical education.
The film trade is used to bartering and to making things work. So remember that your services and the attraction value of the production both constitute negotiation currency.
Film tourism is about communicating the narrative of the film and, at the same time, it is about concocting the story’s further progress. It is, however, also a matter of telling the story of the film as
such. “This is how the film came into being” experiences constitute an extremely popular element in film tourism.
It might be a good idea to contact your film and media commission for further advice in this connection.
There are many possibilities for new initiatives. For instance, you could consider new kinds of foodstuff and other consumables to be sold against the backdrop of the film, or you could offer ”walk
in the footsteps of the leading character” types of city walks or guided tours.
This is another area where the film and media commission will be a good source of advice.
Always find out who is in charge of the general press strategy for the film production. Maybe you can contribute, or become a part of something which will enhance your visibility. It is important to
know what is permissible and what is not with respect to the rights holders within the universe of the production.

THE PRESS AND MEDIA
TOOLBOX - AFTER
A
F
T
E
R THE PREMIERE! The premiere is the most important of all the events, especially if it is a film premiere. It is your opportunity to get your
local area on the map. If the premiere is held in your area, make an event out of it! And make it into a special occasion
by taking advantage of local competences or a particular location – it need not be a cinema! Make it a memorable
event by holding a banquet for the film crew, local politicians, the commercial sector and the actors. Design a journa-
lists’ package so that in addition to the banquet and the film, they receive an overnight stay, talks, location visits, and
exclusive interviews with local actors – or whatever else naturally presents itself in connection with the film.
You will obviously have to begin negotiations early in order to secure the premiere. But, even if you do not secure the
official premiere, you can still organise a remarkable event. For example, Skive organised a major event in connection
with the Skive premiere, resulting in nationwide television coverage by the Danish news channel, TV2 News, transmit-
ting live from the town.
Create an online community. Although you may have had a presence on social media both before and during the production, now is the time when
the film or TV series begins to attract the attention of the general public in earnest. Hence, you should be prepared to
maintain and cultivate the audience attracted by the production on platforms such as Facebook or Twitter.
Market the destination. TherearemanyfineopportunitiesforfollowingintheslipstreamgeneratedbytheattentionfocusedonafilmorTV
series.Takeadvantageoftheseinordertopromoteyourowninitiativesorattractions.
Retain the commercial
network.
Retain your film-tourism work by continuing the work in the commercial network. Even though the exciting process
before and during the film or TV series production has now been completed, it still makes good sense to work with
development within film or TV production. Now is the time to reap the fruits of all the work done so far. Be prepared to
act on reactions to the premiere or unexpected demands from tourists or others which may be difficult to foresee.
Continue to think along the
lines of new experience
concepts.
Continue the work you began before and during the production, namely thinking along the lines of new attractions and
experiences for tourists. But you should also be prepared to seize on the response you get from the audience once
they have seen the film or the TV series. Their reaction may easily usher in entirely new demands for the experiences
you can offer tourists.
In the review of the film-tourism initiative pertaining to the Tarok film (pages 16-17), you can find inspiration for creating
cohesive offers.
Concept-holiday packages. Use the news value of the film to offer specific film travels to your area. Such packages can be big or small – the impor-
tant thing is that you can experiment with your particular strengths within tourism provision whilst shaping the holiday
around the experience of reliving the particular aura of the film or TV series.
Organise talks and story-
telling.
When the entire production period has come to an end, and the premiere of the film or the series has come and gone,
the audience begins to show an interest in knowing how the whole thing came about. Therefore, think along the lines of
talks or online storytelling (blog posts, video blogs) to communicate the exciting process you experienced.
Use the soundtrack of
the film
Continue to think in terms of events. If you have somehow got a hand in with respect to the soundtrack of the film or
TV series, then this may also represent an opportunity for creating an event. Use the artists from the soundtrack and
organise a concert in your own local area – or perhaps a show/performance tour of Denmark.
Market and sell film
souvenirs.
Souvenirs and small everyday articles that represent the link between the film and the locality constitute yet another
opportunity for thinking up new products. Go through the opportunities for developing, making and selling products
which may generate business within your local area.
Hand out goodie bags. Give your guest a souvenir they can take with them. A collection of assorted film merchandise and sponsor gifts may
be an impressive gift to present not only to premiere guests, but also to those who purchase a film-related travel
package to your area.
Work with the theme of
the film.
Use the history or the theme of the film or TV series as your point of departure. If, for instance, a film is set around an
historical event rooted in the area, then you could use this as a framework for what you offer tourists.
Think ahead to the next film. It is important that you retain the experience gained, especially if you have opted to invest considerable resources in
film-tourism. Once the process is complete, you should get together and discuss what went well and what was less
successful. This way, you are already one step ahead when the next opportunity for working with film-tourism arises.
Remember to share your experiences with the film and media commission as they are your knowledge centre within
film tourism.

27
It is similarly important to make sure that both the actors and the director will be present at the premiere – for this is by no means a matter of course! And at the end of the day, the stars are the
ones who attract the press.
The financing of the premiere could come about by entering into sponsorship agreements with the local business community, for instance involving nationwide cinema spots in connection with
the premiere.
It’s about establishing a community centred round the film or TV series. In this connection you could, for instance, bring your core competences to the fore, namely your knowledge of the locality
in which the production was shot. Against this backdrop, you can give the audience something to gather around.
In this connection, it is important to establish agreements with the production and distribution companies. You could, for instance, try to suggest cooperation with respect to co-advertising.
The experiences gained from your collaboration should not go to waste. Therefore, remember to evaluate them with an eye towards new projects. Even at this early point in time, you should
preferably begin to think about how the next film or TV project can be realised.
Use social media platforms for input from the audience itself. Encourage them to talk about the experiences they would like to have within your locality. For instance, you could establish a focus
group where, together with the audience, you continue devising new ideas. You could perhaps reward them with tickets to the film.
Use your commercial network to create new holiday packages – if, for instance, you have been collaborating with hitherto unknown business partners, they might bring new dimensions to the
package travels. In order to add further authenticity to the experience, you should check out the possibility of using a member of the film crew as your guide. In connection with a bus tour, it is
worthwhile to remember that while underway you can show clips from specific locations – always providing that you have secured the rights. Alternatively, you could exhibit props.
This can be anything from your own story, the film crew’s story, or stories linked with the location used in the production.
If you have a local music festival then it obviously makes sense to check out the possibility of a collaboration.
Think along the lines of alternative souvenirs. In the Swedish town, Ystad, they have been tremendously successful with the ’Wallander cake’.
These need not necessarily be expensive to produce. However, anything exclusive will be preferable as this intensifies the experience.
A film theme can unfold in many directions. Select those most compatible with both the film/TV series and your destination’s tourists and brand. Themes to work with: The initial idea (the book,
poem, short film, TV series, etc.), the historical perspective (Denmark’s history), local stories, factual historical or fictional persons, genres such as drama, detective films/series, thrillers, or
comedy.
This handbook includes several interviews with persons from the tourist trade who have worked with film tourism. You might contact them for a quick discussion about their experiences within
this particular field.

For those of you who want to
know even more, Stefan Roesch
PhD delves even deeper into film
tourism and looks at two more
interesting cases.
Film tourism
under the
microscope
THE PRESS AND MEDIA
FILM TOURISM UNDER THE MICROSCOPE

29
Film tourism as a phen-
omenon has gained
widespread attention in
recent years, which is
especially due to the
rising number of film
and TV series that
have boosted tourism
the world over. Many
regional film commis-
sions have long seen
the advantages of film
tourism and are therefore
seeking to set up professi-
onal collaboration initiatives
involving local and regional
tourist organisations.
If film tourism is going to work,
it’s vital that a professional net-
work is built to link the relevant
stakeholders. It’s via these net-
works that tourist organisations
gain new expertise and aware-
ness of how film tourism can
be integrated into marketing
work, as well as understanding
the production phases and
their impact on cooperation
and income possibilities. For
ex., it’s very important that
destination managers are in-
volved in a production from the
get go, so as to fully utilize the
opportunities that are there.
This can be done by initiating
professional collaboration with
the on-site location scouts and
main location manager. In this
way, the DMO’s marketing
coordinator has a better chan-
ce of securing rights to film
related marketing material. It
might even be possible to get
a few positive statements from
the actors about the location.
Film commissions can help
DMOs in setting up a tools
store with equipment that may
well be needed when the film
crew finally arrives in the area.
With professional networks in
place, the film commissions
can also give the nod on up-
coming film and TV series, that
DMOs might want to engage
with. TV series are becoming
a much more dominant theme
within film tourism: This is
because TV series generally
have a longer shelf life than
feature films and often last for
a number of seasons. This
makes it easier for DMOs and
film commissions to establish
a much more long term rela-
tionship with the production
company.
More and more countries and
regions have joined in the
race to attract film produc-
tions by offering substantial
tax incentives. In return, the
production companies have
to provide marketing material
that supports film tourism to
the relevant destination. Thus,
DMOs, governments and film
commissions become more
involved in the marketing of a
film. They can for ex. get film
credits, or after negotiations
get names of towns or areas
written into the screenplay,
which was the case with the
film commission in Genova-Li-
guria, Italy and the 2008 film
“Inkheart”.
However all film(tourism)
projects are unique and can’t
be handled in exactly the same
way. So it’s important that a
professional network is set up
with the regional film commis-
sion, the DMOs and regional
tourism stakeholders in order
to maximize the benefits film
shoots can give to film tourism.
Film tourism carries huge
potential, but it’s a special
kind of set-up that needs to
be understood properly and
worked at before its fruits can
be harvested.
Professional
networks support
film tourism
SUMMARY OF AN INTERVIEW WITH STEFAN ROESCH - PH.D AND FILM TOURISM CONSULTANT
© Simon Jeppesen

© Per Arnesen /TV2
THE PRESS AND MEDIA
Case
The biggest media producti-
on in Aarhus - ever
The storylines in Elsebeth
Egholm’s Dicte books are set
in Aarhus, so the city was a
natural location choice for the
producers at Miso Film for their
”Dicte” TV series. Financial
support from Aarhus municipal
authority, Central Denmark
regional authority and the We-
stern Denmark Film Fund, as a
supplement to other financing
sources, ensured that both
location and studio shooting
was done locally. Studio 1 at
Filmby Aarhus provided the
main scene stages for the
series, and, with large numbers
of the film crew coming from
Jutland based on two half year
shooting periods, “Dicte” is
the biggest media production
Aarhus has ever had. It has
placed the city centre stage as
a “film town” and has boosted
the local environment.
”Approximately 35 film crew
from Jutland and 50 runners,
assistants for extras and road
blocking have been emplo-
yed on the 2nd Dicte filming
season for shorter or longer
periods and have been part
of a top-drawer film crew.
The production has had an
enormous knock-on effect in
the local area and everybody
– right from the local authority,
the tourist organisation and the
business community – have
gained experience from having
to cater for such a large media
production and taking advan-
tage of it.”
– Mette Elmgaard, Project
Manager, Filmby Aarhus
New opportunities for the
business community
A range of local businesses
also made hay whilst the sun
was out. 40 film crew members
lived, ate and were driven
around the city for 14 months.
‘Dicte’ opens new
business horizons
TV 2’s popular TV crime series about the journalist Dicte
is set and shot in Aarhus and its environs. It has given the
local film industry a huge lift and created new business
opportunities.
The Scandic Aarhus City hotel
agreed a deal with the produc-
tion company on accommoda-
ting a large number of actors
and crew. Before long, this rela-
tionship opened new business
horizons for the hotel. Scandic
realised that “Dicte” was a
great publicity angle: whenever
scenes in a hotel lobby had to
be shot, the choice became the
Scandic Aarhus City, and the
hotel then got space on banner
advertisements at the football
stadium that was the location
for a key football scene. The
good relationship between
hotel and production company
has proved to be of benefit to
both parties and has laid the
groundwork for further coopera-
tion in future productions.
The “Dicte” production in
Aarhus has also resulted in new
tourism initiatives. Via various
platforms, tourists can now
experience the city through
Dicte’s world. The TV series
shows Aarhus as a multilayered
“mini-metropolis” - big city, but
close to forests and beaches,
but also giving the viewer
glimpses of both its tourist attra-
ctions and then the less salu-
brious parts of town as well. On
top of this, comes the publicity
for Aarhus both nationally and
internationally.
“Dicte” is TV 2’s biggest drama success in
years with 1.2 m. Danish viewers per showing
and a 4.3 share. So far it has sold to Norway,
Sweden, Benelux countries and Germany.
Season 2 has used approximately 80 loca-
tions in Aarhus and environs.
Season 2 has used approximately 2,800 local
extras during shooting – 720 of these for a
large scale football scene at the stadium in
Aarhus’s NRGi Park & Arena.
Approximately 86 local film crew were
employed on season 2 for shorter or longer
periods.
“Dicte” gave Aarhus nationwide media
coverage, amounting to a value of around
DKK 15 m.
Epinion conducted a “potential” analysis in
the Swedish market, which showed the likeli-
hood of Swedish tourists visiting Aarhus was
greater amongst those who’d seen “Dicte”
than those who hadn’t.
The same analysis showed that awareness
of “Dicte” in Sweden was relatively high, but
the link between Aarhus and “Dicte” needs
strengthening.
Behind the scenes guided tours were a great
success.
FACTS
Read more:
www.itunes.apple.com/app/
west-danish-film-walks-filmgui.de/
id626802588?mt=8 – download the
“Film Walks” app at the App Store
www.visitaarhus.dk/dictes-aarhus
– VisitAarhus’s official “Dicte”
website
www.dicte.tv2.dk
– TV 2’s website about the TV
series
© Per Arnesen /TV2
‘DICTE’OPENS NEW BUSINESS HORIZONS

31
valuable material “on a plate”
– such as glass jewellery, polar
bears and much, much more.
© Tina Pedersen
AN AUTHENTIC DANISH CHRISTMAS IN NORTH JUTLAND
Case
A positive tale for all the
family
TV 2’s popular Christmas show
”Tvillingerne og Julemanden”
is a further development of the
2011 ”Ludvig og Julemanden”
series. The story is set in North
Jutland and features a range
of well-known destinations and
places as plot markers. The
production received, inter alia,
support from the Western Den-
mark Film Fund and Aalborg
Municipal Authority.
The idea behind setting and
co-financing this Christmas
series in Aalborg was both
commercial and politico-cul-
tural: a Christmas series gene-
rates publicity and increased
turnover for local companies
and tourism and is, at the
same time, itself a cultural
product with good and positive
storylines for the whole family.
In this way, a Christmas show
differs from, say, crime series,
which normally have far darker
tales unsuited to general family
entertainment.
”With this Christmas series,
we get a really well made and
positive story, which is set
right here in our area. At the
same time, the format itself
offers high levels of publicity.
We are talking about 24 shows
and 24 repeats in 24 days – at
optimum broadcast times for
Danish families. That’s unique.”
– Tina Pedersen, Health and
Culture Agency, Aalborg Muni-
cipal Authority
Substantial support from
local stakeholders
Erik Peitersen, a veteran TV
fixer, was employed as pro-
duction manager, and he very
quickly contacted a large num-
ber of companies and tourism
stakeholders who helped to
get things to the “Action” stage
with great enthusiasm. For
example the “Light Stone” for
the show was made by local
glassblower Anne Flohr, and
the stone was placed in the
Stone Grotto, guarded by Aal-
borg Zoo’s polar bears. In this
way, a large number of local
An authentic Danish
Christmas in North Jutland
The Christmas “calendar” show ”Tvillingerne og Juleman-
den” proved to be a great publicity and tourism platform
for Aalborg and North Jutland. This Christmas-time family
show with its positive storylines is perfect for the area’s
name brand and tourism strategy.
stakeholders became involved
and contributed in their own
way to the Christmas show
value chain.
In order to coordinate the
initiative and strengthen the
interaction between the various
stakeholders, a working group
was set up with location and
North Jutland tourist organisa-
tions and Aalborg Municipal
authority. The group members
were in a position to bring all
the strands together and bol-
ster the local benefits via their
framework for networking and
initiative taking.
‘In order to coordinate the
initiative and strengthen
the interaction between
the various stakeholders,
a working group was
set up with location and
North Jutland tourist or-
ganisations and Aalborg
Municipal authority.’
Mutual value creation
”Tvillingerne og Julemanden”
is a good example of how
the world of fiction and real
life tourism stakeholders can
cross-fertilise each other to
their significant mutual benefit.
Aalborg Zoo, and the many
other locations featured in the
Christmas series, have gained
immeasurable publicity for
their sales target groups. And
at the same time, the pro-
duction company has gained
The Christmas series was filmed in collab-
oration with tourism stakeholders from the
whole of North Jutland, incl. Klarupgaard
Estate, Klithusegaarden, Skallerup Seaside
Resort, Thingbæk Chalk Mines, Hirtshals
Lighthouse, Aalborg Zoo and Helligånd Clois-
ter in Aalborg.
The Stone Grotto from the Christmas series
is now a visitor attraction at Aalborg Zoo.
Likewise, visitors to Klarupgaard Estate can
explore many of the original film sets used
there for the Christmas series.
FACTS
Read more:
www.visitnordjylland.dk/tvillingerne-og-jule-
manden – VisitNordjylland’s website about
the Christmas series
www.visitaalborg.dk/aalborg/tv2s-juleka-
lender-i-aalborg-tvillingerne-og-julemanden
– VisitAalborg’s website about the Christmas
series
www.aalborgzoo.dk/aktivite-
ter-(1)/23-12-2013/besoeg-stenens-grot-
te-fra-tv-2s-julekalender.aspx
– visit the Stone Grotto at Aalborg Zoo
www.instawebgram.com/i/anneflohrglas
– Instagram profile for Anne Flohr Glas
© Lars Holm

Vi investerer i din fremtid
DEN EUROPÆISKE UNION
Den Europæiske Socialfond
CONTACT INFO
Filmby Aarhus
Filmbyen 23, 1
8000 Aarhus C
www.filmbyaarhus.dk
Contact:
Mette Elmgaard
melm@aarhus.dk
Keep up to date on film tourism and coming
events at:
www.filmbyaarhus.dk
www.facebook.com/FilmbyAarhus
www.mediatourism.info

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