Hunt is Over

Box Office India 18 September 2010
26
Shoot Here,
Shoot NowLocation vs budget… It’s a filmmaker’s eternal dilemma. Shruti Gattani brings
you few fab destinations that don’t pinch. And for deeper insights into why
they work, Q&As with the government agencies concerned. Here are some
tempting facts and figures you might like to save for future reference
France
Franck Priot, Deputy Director,
FILM France, French Film
Commission
1-Crore Rebate
Since January 1, 2009, a
production that spends
at least 1 million euros
(Rs 7 crore) in France
can avail a special rebate
amounting to 20 per cent
of the cost in France (not
including hotels).
It’s Easy
• You must enter the country legally with
a (business) visa and work with a French
production service company. You can
arrive alone or with your crew. There are
no restrictions on screenplays. All you
need is a filming permit when shooting
in public places. These permits are free
nearly everywhere in France.
• There are more than 50 running line
producing companies in France and at
least four of them have a track record of
working on Indian shoots. They provide
a range of services, from scouting for
locations, organising shoots, assisting
with accommodation and permits, and
sourcing crew members, dancers
and actors.
• Some regional tourism
boards are more than
willing to promote their
cause by attracting
Indian shoots.
• You may shoot at some
world-famous landmarks such
as the Eiffel Tower and the Notre-
Dame free. And these are only two of the
many star locations that bring amazing
production value to any feature film.
• The 200 productions shot in France
every year range from Hollywood-size
movies to low-budget guerilla-style
ventures. But they all need crews,
locations, accommodation and all kinds
of equipment. The service company and
the local film commissions are more than
willing to help the unit get the best value
for money.
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What makes this destination
exquisite for filming?
Any Indian filmmaker will
relate the relationship
they share with France,
and Paris in particular.
Our affair with Indian
cinema has been
blossoming with each film.
The South Indian industry is
also a major part of the filmmaking
teams that shoot in France. France
is unquestionably a treasure trove of
fantastic, picturesque locations that
add an enormous amount of production
value to a film.
Paris
Sophie Boudon Vanhille,
Mission Cinéma – Paris Film,
tells you about some choice
offers
Why should a filmmaker come to Paris
to shoot a film?
Paris is a world cinema capital, a
popular and established location for
international film production. Around
800 films are made in Paris every year.
It has a profusion of talented and highly
experienced cinema professionals:
acting talent, technical and crew talent.
Paris has great stories and fascinating
places and sets: 105 sq km, 435
parks and gardens, 161 museums and
monuments, 140 theatres, 67 churches
and 35 bridges.

What are the benefits offered by the
film commission or the government?
To facilitate filming in Paris, several key
Q&A with Catherine Oden
(Director, Atout France)
Why should a filmmaker
come to Paris to shoot
a film?
Working with Film
France, the government
has made it extremely
effortless for a filmmaker to
realise his dream in Paris. Armed
with a valid business visa, a filmmaker
can land in Paris by himself or with his
entire crew. There are no restrictions
on screenplays. Moreover, filming at
landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and the
Notre Dame will cost you nothing. All
you have to do is get a filming permit.
This permit is easy to acquire and Film
France is always there to guide you.
Once you get a visa and produce
legal documents that prove that you
are working with a French production
company, all you need is a permit to
shoot at public locations, which is almost
always free. In addition, from January 1,
2009, the government has announced
that any production company spending
more than Rs 7 crore (1 million euros)
will receive a rebate of nearly Rs 1 crore
(800,000 euros).
France has a long history of
filmmaking and it is still a very active
and flourishing industry, enabling it
to provide Indian filmmakers with a
wide range of services, particularly
production companies. Line producers
of Indian origin in France can further
facilitate the shoot with their expertise
and knowledge of location and
language.
measures have been introduced by
City Hall:
- A harmonised fee policy covering the
use of sites belonging to the City of Paris.
- A website www.parisfilm.fr for cinema
professionals, designed to help them
prepare film shoots in Paris. Regularly
updated, it gives details of over 300
potential locations (some with virtual
visits) and specifies conditions for filming
and the permits required.
- A guide to filming in Paris, for
production companies
From the government:
To attract international film productions,
in December 2008, the French
Parliament enacted a law creating an
incentive to attract foreign productions to
shoot in France.

96
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The rebate, which is worth 20 per cent
of all eligible costs, is capped at 4 million
euros. Eligible costs include author’s
rights, salaries of actors and crew,
technical costs (rentals and purchases),
including locations fees, transportation,
food, and all fringes.

What makes this destination exquisite
for filming?
Paris offers filmmakers a huge variety or
prestigious and evocative settings. Over
4,000 different locations are used by film
crews every year. Filmmaking in the city
ranges from small-budget films (filming
in the streets is free, also the permits)
to major productions, from art-house
pictures to films with mass appeal.
Canada –
Vancouver,
British
Columbia
In conversation with Susan
Croome (British Columbia Film
Commissioner)
Why should a filmmaker
come to Vancouver to
shoot a film?
British Columbia’s
vast geography gives
filmmakers the diversity
they need. The province
offers some of the world’s
most spectacular scenery.
From busy urban streets to
winter mountain environments within a
20 minute drive, the range of settings
available make BC (British Columbia)
very cost effective from a locations
perspective.
For over thirty years, BC has provided
the motion picture industry with an ever-
expanding and highly professional cast
and crew base, ready and willing to meet
the challenges this industry demands.
BC has the capacity to crew and service
over 40 projects simultaneously and
local technicians and craftspeople are
experts in their field.
British Columbia offers beautiful west
coast scenery, unparalleled recreational
opportunities, and exciting sights and
attractions set in a spectacular natural
environment. Filmmakers who have shot
in British Columbia keep coming back
knowing that BC has a World of Looks
for their motion picture projects and the
support network that makes it all work.
The BC Film Commission offers a full
range of services to film producers and
production companies interested in what
our province has to offer. Free services
include script breakdowns, digital
location web packages, surveys, location
& resource information and
ongoing production support.
The BC Film Commission
also offers access to a
comprehensive digital
photo library, which
enables filmmakers to
‘picture’ BC’s incredible
range of locations. With
more than 200,000 images
and over 14,000 locations
on file, BC Film Commission
staff scouts, location managers and
other industry professionals use the
digital library to compile photo packages
for script breakdowns, scouting, and
ongoing production and location support.
Our digital photo library has an
extensive and diverse representation of
our incredible province showcasing a
variety of residential and urban areas,
supernatural vistas of mountains,
deserts, rangelands, country roads,
forests, and wild west coast beaches…
we even have castles… more than
any screenwriter could dream of. The
government also offers filmmakers highly
competitive tax incentives when filming
productions in British Columbia.
What are these tax incentives?
Provincial tax credit incentives are one
of the key drivers of film and television
production in the province. British
Columbia’s foreign and domestic tax
credits contribute to the province’s
ability to attract and sustain production
in an increasingly competitive global
market. Clients report that BC’s tax
incentives are the best and easiest
incentives to access in Canada.

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The province’s recently increased rates
and new Interactive Digital Media Tax
Credit will help keep BC competitive
on the international stage and at the
forefront of the North American film and
television industry.
The Production Services Tax Credit
(PSTC) is a labour-based tax incentive
that provides refundable tax credits
to Canadian or international film and
television production corporations that
have incurred eligible labour costs in
British Columbia. The company does
not have to be a Canadian-owned
corporation, and there is no requirement
that it have an interest in the copyright.
The package includes four specific
initiatives based on labour paid to BC
residents:
• Basic tax credit (33 per cent)
encourages film and television
production in British Columbia
• Regional tax credit (6 per cent)
stimulates production outside Vancouver
• Distant Location tax credit (6 per cent)
provides an additional incentive for
productions shooting in more remote
locations
• Digital Animation or Visual Effects
(DAVE) tax credit (17.5 per cent)
promotes the digital animation and visual
effects industry in British Columbia.
for filming?
As the third-largest production centre
in North America, British Columbia is
proud of its international reputation as a
full-service production centre and proven
track record for providing exceptional
value for the producer’s dollar. It offers
close proximity to and is in the same
time zone as Los Angeles, and has
experienced and highly skilled cast and
crew, world-class infrastructure (studios,
equipment suppliers, talent agencies).
British Columbia’s position as the
third-largest centre for production in
North America is built on our reputation
for exceptional customer service.
All members of our production and
post-production community keenly
understand the value of customer
service in maintaining and expanding
our client base.
Can you share some anecdotes about
film and television production in Brit-
ish Columbia?
The industry first started here in the
late ‘60s, when Robert Altman brought
A Cold Day In The Park and McCabe
And Mrs Miller to Vancouver, and Mike
Nichols shot scenes for his 1971 film

98
Carnal Knowledge. In the ‘80s, Vancou-
ver became a fresh place for Hollywood
productions, and the success of locally
shot television series like MacGyver,
Stingray, Wiseguy and 21 Jump Street
proved that British Columbia offered
producers a cost effective alternative to
Los Angeles.
In the last three decades, more than
3,000 domestic and international film
and television projects have been shot
in BC. Some feature films that have
been shot in British Columbia over the
years include: Roxanne, Stakeout, The
Accused, First Blood, Jumanji, XMEN 2, I
Robot, Happy Gilmore, Fantastic Four,
Night At The Museum I & II, Juno, The
Day The Earth Stood Still, 2012, Twilight
Saga: New Moon and Eclipse, Tron:
Legacy and The A-Team.
Germany –
Bavaria
Romit Theophilus (Director,
Sales and Marketing
– German National
Tourist Office, New
Delhi) shares some
vital details
Why Bavaria?
Magnificent Alpine scen-
ery, beautiful rolling hills and
fairytale Rivers and lakes all add
up to making Bavaria one of Germany’s
best locations for film backdrops.
Located at the very heart of Europe,
Bavaria is the perfect all-year-round
destination for guests from all over
the world.
If this is not enough, Bavaria also
offers perfect support of daily
filming/shooting work, and
internationally approved
film locations with top-
class movies.
Name a few big pro-
duction houses based
in Bavaria.
Plazamedia, Constantin
Film and Bavaria Filmstudios,
and last but not least film-support
companies such as: Arri, Cinegate and
Caligari Filmproduction.
What are the benefits of shooting in
Bavaria?
In 2008, the Bavarian Film and Televi-
sion Fund (FFF) made available a total
of approximately 27 million euros for
screenplay, production, distribution
and sales, as well as theatre funding.
Financial support can be requested at
each stage of the production process,
starting with script funding to packaging,
production of theatrical and TV movies
as well as exhibition of the same.
At least 150 per cent of the production
support must be spent in Bavaria, and
feature films can be supported with
up to 1.6 million euros as long as the
producer or co-producer is based in
Germany. Foreign producers can only
access FFF funding by submitting an
Film
Footage
All-in-one
Package
Film
Permits
Service
Centre
Hardware
Services
Logistics
Interview
Partner
Location
Scouting
Media
Trips
Events
Photo
Archive
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application through a local partner. In
cooperation with the FFF, the Bavarian
Bank Fund (BBF) is an additional tool in
the process of financing projects, which
promise economic success.
The allocation committee meets
five times a year to decide on
recommendations for individual
funding categories, distributing the
funds for production financing, project
development, screenplay, distribution
and sales funding. Applications for
up-and-coming generation/graduation
funding are accepted three times a year.
for filming?
The following locations: The Bavarian
forest, Garmisch-Partenkirchen,
Starnberg Five-Lakes-Region, Munich
and its surroundings, Romantic Road,
and Limes and Altmühl Nature Park.
• Services for the Media
Whether you need help to find the
perfect location, with logistics, your
equipment or with the planning and
organisation of entire TV production
tours including permits, the one-stop-
shop principle ensures a top-quality one-
stop service. A well-maintained network
is a sure-fire guarantee of success.
• Film footage
Uncut film material about Bavaria
is available on request. Individual
production of further footage is also
available on request.
• Photo archive
Downloadable photos and links to other
external photo archives.
• Media trips
Standard media trips or personalised
tours aim to demonstrate locations for
production.
• Location scouting
For unusual locations to film or
acquisition of filming permits, contact
the extensive network and local
knowledge is a huge advantage to
foreign filmmakers.
• Interview partners
If required, interview partners can be
arranged to complement reporting.
• Logistics
For instance, reasonably
priced accommodation or transport for
the crew.
• Hardware services
It has professional partners with
international experience on hand from
whom filmmakers can hire any technical
hardware they may need.
• Filming permits
Permits are frequently required for taking
photographs or filming. We assist with
acquiring the necessary permits.
Ukraine
A brief chat with Tanya
Siryatskaya, Ukrainian Film
Commission
There are two
main reasons
that bring
filmmakers to
the Ukraine:
fantastic
locations and
cost-effective
budgets combined
with a high level of service. Location-wise,
you can find practically everything, from
Italian sea shores, Prague’s streets, snow
mountains, Irish green hills, American
West landscapes, English medieval castles,
ultramodern urban landscapes, and for
special needs, an unfinished atomic station
in the south and the abandoned city of
Pripyat in the north.

100
Being a film-friendly country, the Ukraine
has a simplified procedure of getting
permissions for shooting: it will take from
two to five days to get permission for private
locations and 14 days for state institutions.
It costs as much as 20 per cent less to
shoot in the Ukraine than in Romania,
and 40 per cent less then in the Czech
Republic, Hungary etc.
The Ukrainian Film School is known
for its high professional standards, and
Ukrainian specialists are proud of providing
excellent services to honourable directors
such as Luc Besson, Tornatore, Stelling,
Yimou Zhang and Spielberg. In 2006,
Ukrainian company Filmotekhnik won
two ‘Technical Oscars’ from the Academy
of Motion Pictures and Sciences, the
most prestigious awards in the world of
equipment.
In addition to all the above reasons, the
Ukraine is a hospitable country and citizens
of most countries do not require visas to
enter the Ukraine.
The Ukrainian Film Commission
The Ukrainian Film Commission (UFC) is
a non-profit organisation, which promotes
the country as an international filming
location and to service international film
and TV productions shooting in the region.
UFC combines the best local resources to
ensure foreign filmmakers the best possible
experience on location.
Its staff will assist filmmakers with all
their filming needs, from initial scouts and
pre-production to principal photography
and post-production. The commission also
provides professional and timely consulting
for production questions, and assists
with the inevitable last-minute changes
with production needs. Best of all, the
assistance comes free of cost!
Rome
Cristina Priarone,
General Director
of the Rome
Lazio Film
Commission,
explains why
Rome?
The Rome Lazio Film
Commission (RLFC) is a rather unusual
Film Commission, in that it covers
an area where 80 per cent of the
filmmaking/AV sector is present in Italy.
So its mission is to be a driver for audio-
visual production, not merely providing
the usual assistance for scouting and
shooting, etc.
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In this regard, the RLFC plays a major
role in giving the Lazio territory a new
high profile in international filmmaking
circles. An example is the fact that
the European Commission’s MEDIA
Programme’s Italian desk operates
under the auspices of the RLFC.
In addition, RLFC encourages/
develops international co-productions
with Co-production Meetings organised
as part of the CRC Capital Regions for
Cinema group. These meetings (run
almost like an informal dating agency
matching producers with projects) are
an integral part of the network of Film
Commissions in the European regions of
Ile de France (Paris), Lazio, Comunidad
de Madrid and Berlin-Brandenburg.
These appointments, held at major
international festivals (Berlin, Cannes,
Rome and San Sebastian), are now an
important fixture for European producers
(the 18th edition was held in Cannes
2010, with the 19th due to take place
during the International Rome Film
Festival at a date to be fixed between
October 28 and November 5, 2010).
These meetings now involve more than
150 producers at every meeting. And,
once again, with a view to stimulating
international co-productions, each meeting
also has special guest producers from a
non-European guest country, for example
from India, New York, Israel, Argentina,
Brazil, Egypt, etc.
Examples of recent sets in our
territory, which have received assistance
and support from the Rome Lazio Film
Commission include:
• The Rite by Swedish director Mikael
Håfström starring Anthony Hopkins and
Colin O’Donoghue. The RLFC supported
the production, helping obtain locations
for shooting, providing services and

102
collaborating with the Italian Ministry of
Culture and the Rome Superintendence for
the scenes shot in the Courtyard of S Ivo
alla Sapienza, the headquarters of the State
Archives in Rome.
• Elaignan by Krishnan Suresh, an Indian
film produced by Martin Production
(Chennai – India). It was shot in Central
Rome (Collosseum, the Forum, Ponte
degli Angeli and Largo Giovanni XXIII), at
the parco degli acquedotti and in Cinecittà
studios.
• Notizie Degli Scavi by Italian director
Emidio Greco, produced by La Fabrichetta.
Starring Ambra Angiolini and Giuseppe
Battiston. It was shot in Rome and at
Hadrian’s villa at Tivoli.
• Cinque Ore Di Luna Piena, the first film
by Italian-Danish director Nicolaj Pennestri.
Produced by Lello Monteverde and Cristina
Zucchiatti’s Leader Film Company and
shot at the Fiera di Roma, an area in Rome
called EUR, and at the Ripa Hotel. It is shot
in English, given that it will be distributed by
an American major. It was shot using state-
of-the-art technology like the Red Cam.
• Appartamento Ad Atene by Ruggero
Dipaola starring Laura Morante. This is a
co-production between Italian company
L’Occhio e la Luna and the German
operation Pandora Filmproduktion. It
was made with a contribution of the
Italian Ministry of Culture and developed
with a contribution from the EU MEDIA
programme.
Why Rome?
Let me explain why producers should
come to Rome. It is a historic filmmaking
destination. The Lazio region is also home
to many other types of lesser-known
beauties (hilltop towns, coastal resorts,
mountains, lakes etc) that can offer a less
conventional and more unusual set for
producers wanting to make something that
is not just a cliché of classic Rome.
Nepal
R H Kampani, Ex-Honorary –
PRR, Nepal Tourism Board,
says filmmakers couldn’t ask
for more
Why should a filmmaker come to Ne-
pal to shoot a film?
Nepal is a popular
destination for
tourism and film
shooting as there
are facilities for
trekking, boating,
rock climbing,
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bungee jumping, jungle safari, mountain
biking, hunting, honey hunting, rafting,
kayaking, mountain flights, paragliding,
ultralight aircraft, angling/fishing and
mountaineering. In fact, it is called the
Switzerland of Asia. Hindi film producers
have shot Hare Ram Hare Krishna, Love
In Nepal and many Bengali films here.
There a incentives as such for filming
in Nepal. But there are concessions
for hotel rates, machinery and other
equipment or facilities a producer may
need to hire. Also, the film commission
offers location scouting services. The
Indian rupee is higher in value than the
Nepal rupee (1 INR = 1.60 NPR), thus
reducing the actual costs even more.
for filming?
Indians do not need foreign exchange.
Also, there is connectivity by rail from
Rakshoal (Bihar) and air connectivity
as well. Five-star and other hotels are
available at very attractive rates for film
shooting.

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