Adapting IP across platforms is being driven by the creative
01−12−2024−14
The resolution to the strikes may have momentarily corked the bottle but GenAI was already out. This year shows the creative industries evolving a matured response to the threat of AI with efforts to standardise ethical and rights guidelines in parallel with practical and creative application.
environment (page 78). Broadcasters are using platforms like Roblox to introduce new generations to known franchises but as we learn on page 36 a television-centric approach won’t necessarily work among online communities. Meanwhile YouTube is redefining the notion of television before our eyes (page 46).
WHILE AI CAN SPEED BACKGROUND PROCESSES AND SPAWN ITERATIONS THE QUALITY OF THE OUTPUT IS ONLY AS GOOD AS THE ARTIST IN THE MACHINE.
EDITOR
Adrian Pennington
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
Chris Evans
LOCATIONS EDITOR
Kianna Best
CONTRIBUTORS
Jeremy Lee, Jordan McGarry, Ben Ross, Valérie Allié
HEAD OF PRODUCTION
David Lewis
INTERNATIONAL SALES MANAGERS
Jo Tait, Rodrigo Carrasco
COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR
Clara Lé
COVER
HelloMorning, D Antonini
ART DIRECTION
Les éditions du bois du Marquis
PRINTERS
Gemini Print, UK
The mantra is that AI is just a tool and what’s more it’s not as good (yet) as first feared. While AI can speed background processes and spawn iterations the quality of the output is only as good as the artist in the machine. Humans will be needed more than ever to massage AI to create new forms of storytelling. Filmmaker Peter Luisi released the first feature-length film made with a script generated by AI and tells us about it on page 124 as does Brendan Dawes, the digital artist behind an auto-generated version of the documentary Eno (page 92). A related vogue is that of an analogue aesthetic in the age of CGI as showcased by brands including Just Eat on page 26.
Another macro trend featured this issue is the blending of technologies, media and storytelling techniques. VFX facilities are moving into experiential applications in retail or museums that merge cinematic visuals into the physical
SOCIAL MEDIA & PRODUCTION EXECUTIVE
Barbara Van Orden
CIT MANAGER
Daniele Antonini
FINANCE
Desmond Kroats, Farhana Anjum
MANAGING DIRECTOR
Jean-Frédéric Garcia
CONSULTANT
Ben Greenish
FOUNDER
Murray Ashton
IN MEMORY OF Sue Hayes
Porting ideas across platforms isn’t new but many projects have stumbled in translation. Transmedia designed from the ground-up are increasingly being told across multiple platforms. What’s more, adapting IP is being driven by the creative, say those behind some recent successes, on page 120.
Everywhere, audiences are being encouraged to step in closer to the experience. AI agents are set to transform gaming enabling audiences to explore unscripted experiences with potentially game-changing consequences for the future of narrative media (page 94). Personalised television is coming as are haptics like sense and touch. LA-based outfit AmazeVR is already bringing the concert experience to a VR headset using AI, Unreal tech and some leading artists (page 159).
Everyone here at makers wishes you Happy Holidays and a spectacular New Year!
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>NEWS
008 News In Brief
Production news from around the world
010 The World At A Glance
Mapping global production trends
012 Tech & Facilities News
From cameras to studios, the latest in production technology news
>CLOSE UP
017 Report
FOCUS 2024
022 Around The World EXTREME SCOUTING
With location scout & manager Leann Emmert
033 Interview With HASAN OSWALD
The filmmaker discusses his unconventional approach
035 Comment
UAE: A VIBRANT OASIS OF SCREEN TALENT
Image Nation’s COO Ben Ross explains
045 Profile TORRIANO
ENTERTAINMENT GROUP
The London-based start-up has already put together some of the best viral music video hits
072 Making Of NOIRE
This novel & powerful way to convey history won the Immersive competition at Cannes
081 Report
AFCI WEEK
093 Interview With BRENDAN DAWES
The British artist discusses using generative processes
099 Profile FULWELL 73
The company has been involved in some of the world's most talked about TV shows
104 Making Of GLADIATOR II
In a world of green screen & AI this might be the last great build in movies
113 Comment
6G: TRANSFORMING
THE BEAUTIFUL GAME
Valérie Allié of InterDigital looks at the future of immersive broadcasting
>FEATURES
026 Homemade & Lovingly Crafted
Why are traditional craft techniques making a comeback?
036 Space Invaders
Companies are battling to deliver the ultimate immersive content experience
046 YouTube is the Entertainment Industry
Online content creators are carving the future of film & TV
>AROUND THE WORLD
From incentives, studios & virtual production to location highlights & recent productions, makers offers an insight into some of the world's filming hubs.
025 Barbados
Tropical shores
041 Brazil
Flying down to Rio
057 Croatia
Double delight
067 France
Studio space expands
089 Malaysia
It’s amazing
101 Portugal
An added incentive
111 Slovenia
Far from slovenly
115 South Korea
From K-Pop to K-beauty
129 Spain
Fun in the sun
139 United Kingdom
Film-friendly hotels
151 USA
Film USA steps in
051 Handling the Heat
All you need to know about filming in the desert & hot conditions
062 Scaring up a Success
A24, Neon & Blumhouse are taking the horror genre to new heights
074 Are there Ghosts in the Content Machine?
makers talks to CICLOPE’s winners about how the craft is coping with technology
078 Facilities Shifting the Focus of Entertainment
VFX houses are expanding their inhouse expertise to blur storytelling disciplines
084 Truth is Power
Projects that shine a light on oppression & exclusion has never been more important
094 Get Real: the Future of Storytelling
Have you ever dreamed of having a real conversation with a character in a video game?
102 Ways of Seeing
Artist Cyprien Gaillard has embraced a daunting technology
106 Resetting diversity, equity & inclusion
makers speaks with leaders in the DEI field about the road ahead
125 Interview With PETER LUISI
The Swiss filmmaker discusses scripts generated by AI
136 Report
IBC 2024
144 Making Of DISCLAIMER
Alfonso Cuarón’s first TV project questions the court of public opinion
156 Profile
ATOMIZED
The established content producers are now branching into AI
120 Transmedia Comes of Age
Looking at gaming IP strategies
134 The Rise of the Telly-Verse
What role is the metaverse playing in reshaping TV & IP
146 Creating Global
Studios are producing universal tales with culturally specific references but tread a fine line between authenticity & alienation
159 A Different Performance
makers uncovers how LA-based outfitAmazeVR is transforming the concert experience
NEWS in brief
PRODUCTION NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD
RIPLEY, FALLOUT AND FARGO ARE LMGI WINNERS
Oppenheimer, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, and Ripley were among the winners at the 11th Annual Location Managers Guild International (LMGI) Awards.
Also taking home prizes were HBO’s Fargo and Prime Video’s Fallout, for outstanding use of location in a television series, contemporary and period, respectively.
Winning the lifetime achievement award was location manager Sue Quinn, whose credits include the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts film series.
Bill Bowling, known for his work on films such as Jupiter Ascending and Cloud Atlas, won the Trailblazer Award.
The LMGI Humanitarian Award was given to the Motion Picture & Television Fund (MPTF) for providing health and social services to entertainment industry workers. Jennifer Jorge, director of community social services, MPTF, accepted the award on behalf of the Fund.
Film in Iceland won Outstanding Film Commission for HBO’s True Detective: Night Country and Amazon Studios’ Fallout won Outstanding Locations in a Period Television Series.
NETFLIX & KUDOS PRODUCE GUINNESS
Production is underway on Steven Knight’s drama about the Guinness family, produced by Kudos for Netflix. Set in 19th century Dublin and New York, House of Guinness is directed by Tom Shankland and stars Anthony Boyle (Masters of the Air) and Emily Fairn (The Responder).
CALIFORNIA HOPES TAX CREDIT WORKS
California’s Film Commission is attempting to halt the exodus of production from the state with a new film and television tax scheme that incentivises production and soundstage construction. Suits: LA, a spinoff to the former USA Network series, opted to shoot there as opposed to Vancouver after it won nearly USD12 million to build additional soundstages.
A total of 19 titles were granted USD51.6 million in incentives to film in the state, including a Janis Joplin biopic and Gus van Sant’s Killing Gawker starring Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. The total slate is expected to employ 2,768 crew members, 1,086 cast and 16,997 background performers over 618 filming days, with the expectation of USD284 million spent in the state.
ITV OFFERS GENERATIVE AI AD PRODUCTION
ITV’s inhouse teams are helping small and medium sized brands to craft commercials using Gen-AI. An AI-created advert by Welsh travel company Travel House and another from a Northern Ireland-based furniture company were the first to launch.
The aim is to attract more businesses to advertise on television by using Gen-AI to deliver high production value previously outside of their budgets.
The ads were made by using licenced Gen-AI image and video tools alongside ITV’s voice over artists.
Jason Spencer, ITV Business Development Director said: “Too often the cost of making an ad is a barrier for brands looking to breakthrough and test television. By expanding our existing creative production services to include making ads with GenAI, we can democratise this further, and make the power of television advertising accessible to all.”
“While nothing can beat the creativity of the talent involved in the advertising industry, by introducing a GenAI option for SMEs we’re able to create high quality ads for an accessible cost.”
BRIDGERTON SHOWCASES NEW HOMES
Netflix and Shondaland expanded the filming locations of Bridgerton Season 4 with replicas of Georgian and Regency architecture including homes, buildings, Mayfair streets and more on newly constructed backlots at Shepperton Studios.
The new sets were designed by Production Designer Alison Gartshore along with Supervising Art Director Antony Cartlidge and Art Director Adam David Grant in a build that spans two acres of backlot and eight months of construction. The Showrunner/EP is Jess Brownell and the EPs are Shonda Rhimes, Betsy Beers, Tom Verica, and Chris Van Dusen.
SPAIN BANKS INWARD INVESTMENT
Spend from international film and television productions in Spain reached EUR1.3 billion between 2019-2022, generating a return on investment to the Spanish economy of EUR9 for every EUR1 invested through the incentives programme, according to a report by Olsberg SPI.
The regions with the highest spend by international shoots between 2019-22 were Madrid (EUR194.8 million), Catalonia (EUR119.8 million), the Canary Islands (EUR106.3m) and Andalusia (EUR95.3 million). Data of the impact of the recent rise of incentives in the Basque Country was not assessed.
Spain offers a 30% rebate on eligible costs for the first EUR1 million of eligible expenditure and 25% after with a EUR20 million cap per feature film and EUR10 million per television series episode. The incentive rises in the Canary Islands to a 50% rebate on eligible costs for the first EUR1 million of eligible expenditure and 45% thereafter.
Recent productions to shoot in Spain include Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City for Universal Pictures, Netflix The Crown and Kaos, and HBO’s House Of The Dragon
LOOKING TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE MAKE CUTTING-EDGE TRANSFORMATIVE TECH LIKE AI ACCESSIBLE TO ALL CREATORS, IRRESPECTIVE OF EXPERIENCE OR BUDGET.
CHARISMATIC AI FOR CREATORS
Channel 4 is leading a bid to create an AI prototype and publish new research into how AI could support under-represented content creators as well as established producers.
The Charismatic consortium has received GBP1 million from the UK government to explore how creators could use AI to generate new material such as storyboards, scenes and settings.
Also onboard are Charismatic.ai, UAL Creative Computing Institute, and Aardman Animations. The consortium wants to develop business models that enable creators to be remunerated for their ideas, and specifically to support creators disadvantaged through lack of access to funds to compete with better funded organisations.
Guy Gadney, CEO of Charismatic.ai said: “Charismatic is about how humanity can create new forms of storytelling in ways that were not previously possible, rather than recreating what already exists. This is the perfect group to make sure that creative industries become valuable players in the rapidly changing technology environment.”
Grace Boswood, technology and distribution director, Channel 4, said: “We’re looking to understand how we make cutting-edge transformative tech like AI accessible to all creators, irrespective of experience or budget. Our mission with the project is to empower creators with AI, not replace them.”
INDIE DIFFUSION LAUNCHES IN IRELAND
Showrunner Shane Byrne and Emmy-winning producer Jamie D’Alton launched Diffusion Media, aimed at attracting international unscripted productions to Ireland and to take advantage of proposed local tax incentives for the unscripted sector.
As head of entertainment at Bigger Stage, Byrne produced formats including Big Brother, and The X Factor and previously managed US unscripted shows, filmed in Ireland, for Fox Entertainment.
The indie’s first title is To Hell & Back, for RTE that will see A-list celebrities take on extreme outdoor adventures in some of the most inhospitable environments on the planet.
TRUE GOES FURTHER NORTH
Help! We Bought A Village producer True North is opening a postproduction studio in Newcastle. The facility will be based in the city centre Collingwood Buildings to maintain close proximity to regional and national transport links.
The Leeds-based indie’s arrival in Newcastle comes soon after the announcement of a GBP450 million film studio development in Sunderland, Crown Works Studios, and a three-fold increase in production over the past 12 months.
Gemma Ackerley, Business Consultant, True North Post, said: “The team are thrilled to be opening their doors in Newcastle, abringing top-tier post-production services to the region. Our focus on training and development aims to nurture local talent and create new opportunities within the vibrant North East creative community.”
True North Post also delivered post on programmes including Robson Green’s Weekend Escapes
PASSING THE CONCH
The BBC and Australian streamer Stan are producing a four part adaptation of William Golding’s Lord of the Flies in Malaysia.
The drama is written by Jack Thorne (His Dark Materials) who is also executive producer, directed by Marc Munden (The Sympathizer) and produced by Eleven (Sex Education) with filming on location in Malaysia. Sony Pictures Television will distribute internationally.
Oscar winning composer Hans Zimmer (Dune), will co-create the series’ original score with Emmy nominated Kara Talve (Tattooist of Auschwitz).
Thorne’s adaptation is said to be truthful to the original novel – set in the early 1950s on an unnamed Pacific island – and delves further into themes of human nature, the loss of innocence and boyhood masculinity. The series is being made with the support of Golding’s family.
DEI in UK television not good enough
The UK television diversity body, Creative Diversity Network (CDN) paints a mixed picture of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in its latest report.
Representation of Black, Asian, gay and other minority ethnic groups was found to be better than average compared to other industries in the UK, other minority groups are at much lower levels than their national workforce equivalents.
Analysis in Diamond: The Seventh Cut showed that off-screen contributions by Asians are half the comparable national average. The gender split overall is broadly even, however in senior roles, women are far more likely to be in jobs such as heads of production and less visible in roles such as writers and directors, underpinning how the percentage of women in senior roles overall is continuing to fall.
Craft roles are often strikingly delineated. Some, such as sound and lighting are dominated by white men, with fewer than 8% of contributions to both made by individuals from an ethnic minority background. Fewer than 8% of contributions to lighting are made by women. Conversely, hair and make-up remain dominated by women (95.8% of contributions).
“THE GENDER SPLIT OVERALL IS BROADLY EVEN, HOWEVER IN SENIOR ROLES, WOMEN ARE FAR MORE LIKELY TO BE IN JOBS SUCH AS HEADS OF PRODUCTION AND LESS VISIBLE IN ROLES SUCH AS WRITERS AND DIRECTORS.”
Miranda Wayland, CEO, announced plans to enhance the data it collects. “Looking forward we will also focus on highlighting evidence showing whether freelancers and others from lower socio-economic backgrounds, with disabilities or from ethnic minority groups are disproportionately impacted by the current economic downturn in the industry.”
The latest television version about French detective Maigret shoots in Budapest produced by Playground for PBS’ Masterpiece, starring Benjamin Wainwright.
AUSTRALIA
Production on War Machine, a sci-fi thriller created by Patrick Hughes for Lionsgate and Netflix starring Alan Ritchson is estimated to inject USD49 million into Victoria state.
MALAYSIA
A flagship serial drama of Lord of the Flies shoots in Malaysia, produced by Stan for the BBC and Sony Pictures, scripted by Jack Thorne.
NEW YORK STATE
Upriver Studios, co-founded by actress Mary Stuart Masterson in Northeast New York closed in July after failing to recover from pandemic and labour strikes
NEW JERSEY
Happy Gilmore 2, a Netflix funded sequel to the 1996 hit golf comedy, shoots in New Jersey with star Adam Sandler and director Kyle Newacheck.
ONTARIO
The sixth and final season of MGM’s Emmy-winning Hulu series The Handmaid’s Tale produces in and around Ontario to debut this spring.
AUSTRIA
Tyrol, Austria is the location for writer-director Marco Petry's German comedy Blame the Game about dog whisperers for Netflix, produced by Constantin Film’s Olga Film.
SPAIN
The Mediapro Studio and Reposado P.C. films El Talento on location in Vizcaya (Basque country) with director Polo Menárguez, starring Ester Espóxito.
THAILAND/VIETNAM
Thai director Lee Thongkam shoots horror The Bride in Chiang Mai (Thailand) and Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam) in a rare Thai and Vietnamese co-production.
JAPAN
Kazuo Ishiguro executive produces Kei Ishikawa’s feature of Japan-set novel A Pale View of Hills produced by U-Next, Bunbuku, and Stephen Woolley’s Number 9 Films.
ECUADOR
Ana Cristina Barragán directs sex trafficking drama Amapola in a co-production with Chile’s Clara Films, Ecuador’s Trópico Cine and Brazil’s Klaxton Cultura Audiovisual.
NEW MEXICO
Netflix builds four more soundstages at Netflix Studios Albuquerque after investing USD900 million into productions there since 2019.
SERBIA
Lionsgate Television’s new Robin Hood drama showrun by John Glenn starts production in Serbia at PFI Studios in February, before debuting on MGM+ late 2025.
SOUTH AFRICA
South African features including the next title in the Happiness franchise produced through Blingola Media and four-part anthology, Umjolo will stream on Netflix in 2025.
NEWS tech & facilities
FROM CAMERAS TO STUDIOS, THE LATEST IN PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY NEWS
INDIA VFX EXPANDS INTO EUROPE
Chennai-headquartered VFX outfit, Basilic Fly Studio (BFS), has bought a 70% stake in London and Paris-based VFX house, One of Us (OOU). The studios have a combined capacity for over 900 artists.
India Stock Exchange-listed BFS started with a small team in 2013 and now has more than 500 with studios in Chennai, Pune, Vancouver, and London. Its projects include Avatar, Avengers: Endgame, and The Last of Us (pictured above).
Over the last 5 years, BFS has worked with OOU on Bridgerton (Season 1 and 2); Napoleon and Zone of Interest
AI FOR LIGHTING VIRTUAL SETS
Dock10, York University and indie 2LE Media are developing AI tools for lighting live virtual productions.
The project aims to leverage computer vision and generative Al alongside green-screen virtual studio technology to achieve real-time light interactions between physical and virtual worlds.
Specifically, it aims to create an AI neural network that is trained through the use of synthesised green-screen data to simulate the different pathways light travels between the physical and virtual elements of a scene.
HALO EVOLVES WITH ACQUISITION
Soho post house, Halo Post Production, acquired fellow facility Evolutions in what the Halo Group said “represents the first step in building a diverse group of media focused brands.” Evolutions ran facilities in London and Bristol.
Halo CEO John Rogerson said “With Halo’s brand focused on high-end factual, comedy, drama and film and Evolutions being concentrated on entertainment, factual and reality television; the two businesses will complement each other perfectly. It’s no secret that the post sector has struggled over the last 12 months and in order to survive, consolidation is vital. The economics of providing top-quality post production in central London demands innovation and streamlining. That’s how we will create a vibrant and thriving post sector for the future.”
Evolutions was a casualty of the US writers’ and actors’ strikes and the UK commissioning slowdown. Evos’ Jonathon Kemp, is the new group CEO.
“At a time of great change in the entertainment industry, with studios increasing their use of technologies such as AI, partnering will allow the studios to bolster their IT stacks and further explore ways of harnessing the vision of skilled VFX artists,” said Balakrishnan, CEO & co-founder of BFS.
Rachael Penfold, CEO & co-founder, OOU, added: “This will be a powerful and agile offering, at a time when the industry is transforming itself, and engaging with the work requires new and innovative thinking. On a day-to-day basis, it will remain business as usual, with myself and the founders overseeing the London studio, and Emmanuel Pichereau providing leadership in Paris.”
STIRLING STUDIOS MOVES AHEAD
Plans to deliver a new film studio campus in Scotland are moving forward with the refurbishment of a 160,000 sq ft building as the project’s main hub.
Stirling Studios is planned on a former MoD site at Forthside and got the go ahead with GBP6 million of redevelopment funds from the government.
Cllr Margaret Brisley, of Stirling Council, called it an important step in the project’s timeline, “with the ultimate aim of turning the site into a vibrant location for film and TV production, attracting investment and promoting job creation.”
The Studios are estimated to create 4,000 jobs in key production roles, as well as supply services. Works are scheduled to begin from February.
BLACKMAGIC 17K CAMERA
Blackmagic Design’ Ursa Cine camera capable of recording 17K on 65mm large format 65mm is on the market costing EUR27,000.
Richard Wormwell, dock10 Head of Production Innovation, said: “This R&D project aims to enable live TV productions to apply established creative lighting practices to mixed-reality environments,
achieving fully dynamic light simulation across both physical and virtual worlds. We’re confident that this project will be of significant value to the UK’s creative industries, helping them to compete even more effectively on the global stage.”
NOW WE’RE SEEING A CHANGE IN THE MARKET AND AN EVOLUTION IN THE OWNERSHIP MODELS OF STUDIOS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
HOLLYWOOD OF THE NORTH GREENLIT
Plans are moving ahead to transform the former Littlewoods building (pictured below) in Liverpool into a film and television campus.
The Littlewoods Project includes renovation of the art deco buildings and two new 20,000 sq ft studios for big budget productions.
Liverpool City Region Combined Authority has committed up to GBP17 million to the scheme which includes a roof terrace, screening and performance zone open to the public.
John Moffat, Joint MD at developers
Capital&Centric, said: “When it’s finished Liverpool will have a world-class film and television destination that will cement its place as the Hollywood of the North, creating jobs for decades to come.” The new sound stages would take around a year to be built and become operational.
FRAMESTORE GET LINCOLN DIRECTION
Former DreamWorks Animation and Electronic Arts’ executive Lincoln Wallen is Framestore Company 3 Group’s new Chief Tech Officer.
Wallen’s most recent role saw him as CTO of Improbable, a British software company involved in multiplayer gaming and battlefield simulations.
“From changing the way films are made to transporting household-name IP to theme parks and VR headsets, our artists, colourists and technologists have helped reframe the possible,” said FC3 Chair Sir William Sargent. “In Lincoln we’ve found a kindred spirit in terms of both outlook and ambition.”
One of Wallen’s roles will be to identify new partnerships across business, technology and academia, from bluechip companies to emerging tech start-ups.
DEEPFAKE DETECTOR UNVEILED
French R&D company b-com has unveiled a digital watermarking system called *Tag* that adds a unique, indelible, and invisible digital mark to video content or images.
It helps eliminate deepfakes, ensuring content is the original and hasn’t been tampered with.
B-com’s cybersecurity expert Gaëtan Le Guelvouit explained: “Our watermarking solution verifies that all the images in a video are present and intact and that no faces or elements have been replaced or erased. It can be used anywhere in the content production chain, from camera capture to broadcast. That’s why it’s just as well suited to camera manufacturers, who can include it directly in their devices, as well as to editing software publishers and solutions.”
*Tag* doesn’t require any metadata and can be integrated throughout the production workflow, from production to distribution. The result of the watermarking is robust against video manipulation including compression, downscaling and ‘camcording’.
THE YARD VFX OPENS IN LONDON
French visual effects studio, The Yard aims to being its “unique fusion” of French creativity and international production expertise to the UK with a new London shop.
Founded in Paris in 2014, The Yard was awarded the 2023 Cesar for Best Visual Effects on Notre Dame on Fire, directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud and has been nominated multiple times for awards, including the 2024 Emmys for All The Light We Cannot See, directed by Shawn Levy.
Laurens Ehrmann, Founder and Senior VFX Supervisor, said, “Our vision is to create a bridge between Paris and London, leveraging our international expertise with local insights to deliver groundbreaking visual effects. By establishing a presence in London, The Yard offers international clients the dual advantage of its renowned creative expertise and the opportunity to benefit from the UK’s attractive film and TV tax relief programs.”
Bottle Yard Studios for sale
Bristol City Council is selling The Bottle Yard Studios to “unlock greater investment opportunities, which cannot be pursued under council ownership.”
The facility opened in 2010 and expanded in 2022. Latest figures show that film and high-end television production at the Studios and on location in Bristol is worth more than GBP20 million per year to the local economy.
Bristol councillor Tony Dyer, said: “The Studios began as a regeneration project aimed at stimulating economic and social benefits that could benefit the city whilst providing vital new facilities for the regional film and television sector. Its success over the past 14 years is almost unparalleled with the facility returning on investment many times over through the creation of hundreds of jobs through the sector and being a primary stimulator of millions of pounds of inward investment to the city.
“Now we’re seeing a change in the market and an evolution in the ownership models of studios across the country, it’s the right time for the council to consider the best future course for the facility.”
DNEG STRATEGIC AI INVESTMENT
Abu Dhabi-based investor United Al Saqer Group poured USD200 million into DNEG Group to accelerate a “strategy of innovation and diversification.”
This includes the launch of a new division, Brahma, which is developing an AI-powered tool intended to “democratise photo-real content creation in a wide range of applications.”
In addition, DNEG completed its acquisition of Prime Focus Technologies (PFT), described as a software-as-a-service business that “advances the Group’s status as an end-to-end solutions provider.”
The BBC’s A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder is based at the Bottle Yard Sudios.
THE MEETING PLACE FOR THE INTERNATIONAL PRODUCTION COMMUNITY IS BACK WITH SOME EXCITING
NEW FEATURES
FOCUS London 2024 returns from 10-11 December for a jam-packed two day event of invaluable networking opportunities, critical panel discussions on the need to knows of the industry, and a plethora of exhibitors to connect with and make your project a sure success.
As the industry evolves, FOCUS evolves with it, and we cannot wait to share what we have in store for this year’s event,” says Jean Frédéric Garcia, managing director at FOCUS. “From our panels of experts, moments for conversation and deliberation during our networking opportunities and everything in between, tap into how you can stay afloat the rising tide of the industry.”
The screen industry is a multifaceted machine and this year’s lineup reflects that. The conference is sponsored by Shinfield Studios, the most recent
addition to the UK’s studio facility presence, who is already contributing to some of the biggest film and television productions. This year’s conference will introduce three new stages – Business & Leadership, Craft & Creativity, Tech & Innovation – which will welcome over 150 expert speakers from film, television, advertising, games and XR.
In addition to our familiar panel talk formats, and to provide even more access to the knowledge of the industry’s best, we are launching a brandnew format for the show called In Brief
These 10-minute TED style talks will allow for deep dive presentations into a range of topics from experts in their respective fields.
Kicking off these mini sessions, Melanie Iredale, director of Reclaim the Frame and Marcus Ryder, CEO of the Film & TV Charity ask what you would do to make Just One Change for a better industry and more resilient future. As YouTube stars from Mr Beast to Sidemen make strides into traditional television, we explore the crossover potential and new format opportunities being discovered.
While AI can be a polarising topic for many in the screen sector, have you ever wondered what that could look like in its entirety? Metaphysic's CIO Jo Plaete keeps audiences in the loop as to what this new and developing technology can look like in today’s creative spaces with case study Here, directed by Robert Zemeckis, in which AI has touched every frame.
Take another peek behind a project as Jason Solomons sits in conversation with Sam Breckman, producer of True Detective. You can also uncover what it's like to produce an award-winning series during the live taping for The Production Guild of Great Britain’s Meet the Producer podcast.
Following the strike action of last year, conversations around AI’s presence in the day to day of the industry raised cause for concern and curiosity, but Charismatic.ai’s co-founder and CEO Guy Gadney shows us just how to tap into the technology’s potential for storytelling.
We dive into the bold, new wave shaping the UK’s film and TV landscape – where young, agile creators are breaking traditional moulds, thriving in unexpected hubs from Manchester to Cardiff, and navigating the digital frontier with fresh tools and stories.
“THESE 10-MINUTE TED STYLE TALKS WILL ALLOW FOR DEEP DIVE PRESENTATIONS INTO A RANGE OF TOPICS FROM EXPERTS IN THEIR RESPECTIVE FIELDS.”
In Reinventing British Screen, Sarah Beeny, Founder & Director at Stokeford Studio explains why content producers must now be jacks-of-all-trades. By rethinking accessibility and embracing new models, the next generation is poised to redefine British storytelling—let’s uncover what the rest of the industry can learn from them.
Gen-Z are no fools and appealing to them means doing so with authenticity. In the session presented in association with Stage 32, Telling Authentic Stories with Universal Appeal: Adapting to the Ever Changing Entertainment Industry, The Last Tree director Shola Amoo, development & acquisitions consultant at Red Stag Entertainment Ewan Dunbar, executive producer Sam Sokolow and executive producer and development executive Michelle Farr-Scott explore just how to achieve this whilst ensuring universal appeal.
As the industry evolves rapidly, roles as they have been known are having to cater to the growing demands for new and fresh angles. Branded entertainment is just one to take note of, and Shiny Awards founder and managing director Caroline Bottomley talks with writer and director Isolde
Penwarden and Claire Prince, head of branded entertainment at EssenceMediacom UK on the insights to navigate this new and crucial playing field.
Legal and finance remains a hot topic at FOCUS, where you can have a chance to Ask a Lawyer Anything, facilitated by the expertise of Catherine Flood, managing associate at Harbottle and Lewis, and Katrien Roos Film & TV lawyer at Moss Legal.
At the heart of it all, the industry’s success rests in the hands of creative and innovative collaboration, a quality thought of by PWB founder Kayvan Mashayekh to be the way towards creating a sustainable sector. In conversation with Glenn Gainor, head of physical production for Amazon Original Movies at Amazon Studios, the human approach to the business of filmmaking takes centre stage.
THE PANEL OF EXPERTS WILL DELVE INTO THE WORLD OF IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCES, HONING IN ON THE OLDER TRENDS STILL PUSHING THROUGH INTO THE NEXT STAGES OF THE INDUSTRY.
High profile production case studies include Epic Vision: Bringing Gladiator 2 to Life with costume designer Janty Yates, set designer Jille Azis and makeup designer Jana Carboni and The Art of Adaptation: Crafting Conclave for the Big Screen with screenwriter Peter Straughan, casting directors Nina Gold and Martin Ware and editor Nick Emerson.
For the conventional roles behind the scenes it can be an overwhelming place to be as the industry shifts around you. A conversation around The Adaptable Leader, in association with Directors UK tracks the journeys of three directors as they embark on their unexpected careers and their need to become malleable with their experiences.
On a panel of expert location managers, leading voices share how they are keeping ahead of the curve and explore how to expand within their roles as they navigate Scouting Above the Rest with the help of drone technology, protecting the integrity of real location experiences in the face of an increasingly virtual world.
Samantha Perahia MBE, head of production UK at the British Film Commission conducts a behind the scenes look into what it actually takes to get the most out of your filming in the UK experience with this Locations Masterclass centred on The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.
Discussions resort back to the basics as the BFI Doc Society’s head Luke W Moody and Suzanne Alizart, head of business affairs, share knowledge around financing, distribution and other key elements to establish a firm foundation for independent documentary making and its situation in the years to come.
Surrounding the engaging talks, interviews and masterclasses, the show floor of The Business Design Centre will bustle with activity as over 250 exhibitors from over 100 countries gather. From Åland to Zagreb, representatives from across the globe will be on the ground to navigate your next project, whether it be film office advice, logistical support, or location services. Amongst the familiar faces, we are pleased to welcome newcomers such as Barbados, Montenegro and Tunisia.
“AT THE HEART OF IT ALL, THE INDUSTRY’S SUCCESS RESTS IN THE HANDS OF CREATIVE AND INNOVATIVE COLLABORATION.”
BooksOffice will also be on the show floor presenting AMPlify – Author Meets Producer Presentation and Pitch Sessions – a brand new initiative at FOCUS which will bring talented, undiscovered writers with great storytelling ability directly to the attention of producers.
A range of networking opportunities will also be on offer for attendees, including the emPOWER Breakfast session and networking event sponsored by Company 3 and Framestore touching on whether selfcare is a dirty word as they discuss how to achieve the optimal work life balance. Other events include the Alessia Hartigan Casting supported Producers Brunch with Variety and Pact UK, and the PGGB Lunch in association with United Airlines and Polish Film Institute.
In the spirit of the season, FOCUS will also host their BIG Location Managers Christmas Drinks with Location Managers Guild International in association with Supply 2 Location, Above the Line Security, Qdos Location Facilities, Fews Film Structures, Illumin8 Lights, Autotrak and Get Set Hire. Whether it be a Happy Hour session or scheduled meeting to strike negotiations and make business happen, we have it all.
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Around the world Extreme Scouting
SIX LOCATIONS CHOSEN BY
LOCATION
SCOUT AND MANAGER
LEANN EMMERT
As a kid growing up in Colorado, Leann Emmert had a passion for the National Geographic magazine, hoping to one day become a photographer exploring distant and exotic locations. In college, she directed her studies towards a degree in International Affairs with the intention of becoming an ambassador.
On graduation, she decided her love of cinema and possibly pursuing a career in film was the star she needed to shoot for. Years later while working internationally on a film set in Vietnam, it finally dawned on Leann that she had manifested the perfect career as a location manager, combining her love of exploration, photography and diplomacy as the Ambassador of the film crew!
1 VIETNAM: I spent 286 days scouring the landscapes of Vietnam from Ha Long Bay in the North to the Southern tip of the Mekong Delta for Kong Skull Island. I scouted by motorcycle, sea plane and sampan boat. We worked with villagers to keep cattle and ox at home to clear sets or cut through fields for roads and parking. We met with leaders from small villages to the Prime Minister of VN to make it all happen, making this the most exotic and rich of all my experiences.
2 WYOMING: Extreme weather was the challenge in Jackson, Wyoming on Django Unchained (2012). With temperatures at -20F and snow deeper than a semi-truck, scouting as well as filming presented a challenge. We used snow mobiles, snow shoes, large snow clearing machines and hired extreme skiers to help facilitate movement of equipment. Our filming culminated at the never before filmed National Elk Refuge, where we filmed amongst wild elk and buffalo.
3. CALIFORNIA: Although I didn’t go very far from home, my month of scouting and filming in California for Dune: Part One additional photography was personally very rewarding. I put 5,000 miles on my car scouring desert landscapes including Box Canyon, Mecca and driving director Denis Villeneuve around to so see all my finds. His excitement for the potential of each location adding value to his film was an inspiration and a reminder of the importance of our role as location scouts and managers to the creative process.
4 GREENLAND: In addition to the jungles and urban landscapes, we filmed Godzilla Vs Kong (2021) in Ilulissat, which is known as the largest iceberg maker in the world. We scouted and filmed by boat and helicopter in one of the most magnificent locations on earth. I was reminded daily that ‘someone is paying me to do this job’. What a lucky life I lead!
5 SOUTH KOREA: We were was often scouting for POV shots of giant robots for Pacific Rim Uprising (2018), hence, I spent a lot of time scouting rooftops! We considered Tokyo as a filming location for the big robot battle scene, however Tokyo is very restrictive, so we chose Seoul which has great architecture and crew, strong tax incentives and is surprisingly easy to film!
6 HONG KONG: Just like Pacific Rim, Godzilla Vs Kong (2021) filmed in several countries around the world, from the jungles of Hawaii and Australia, to the urban jungles of Hong Kong. There is endless inspiration when you get to explore new cities and continents.
BARBADOS tropical shores
Productions have been flocking to the beautiful Caribbean island of Barbados for many years, but with moves being taken towards an official incentive programme, the exotic locations are just the cherry on top.
Two of the biggest are Netflix show Outer Banks and HBO’s Succession. The latter headed to Barbados to film the conclusion of the Roy family business drama at the luxurious Maddox Villa, designed by Oliver Messel, with its Greek columns and large terraces on the west coast of the island. As well as the shores of Bathsheba on the east coast.
Local production company Parachute Film produced for Succession’s time on the island. The team secured the Maddox Villa after their use of the property in November 2023 for a Ralph Lauren commercial, the first time it had been rented in 30 years.
“IT’S AN ISLAND THAT SEEMS CUSTOMMADE FOR CINEMATIC EXPERIENCES, WHERE EVERY CORNER OFFERS SOMETHING VISUALLY BREATHTAKING AND UNIQUE.”
“The professionalism and hospitality of Parachute Films cannot be overstated,” comments Sue Quinn, supervising location manager for the project. “This is a team that seems to make it their mission to ensure every aspect of the filming process runs smoothly, which is crucial when working in an unfamiliar country. In an industry where time is money, having local support who not only know the island inside-out but are also eager to help is a godsend.”
Outer Banks meanwhile filmed season three extensively in Barbados, even in the middle of winter. Locations included the capital city Bridgetown, the waters of Port St. Charles, a marina and resort near the historic Speightstown, the Lion Castle Estate in
St. Thomas, which includes a plantation house, apartment buildings and cottages, and Welchman Hall Gully, a collapsed cave with tropical trees and plants.
“Filming in Barbados is nothing short of extraordinary. It’s an island that seems custom-made for cinematic experiences, where every corner offers something visually breathtaking and unique,” Quinn adds. “Barbados offers an ideal combination of logistical ease, visual diversity, and cultural warmth that few other places can match.”
Proposals for a 25% tax credit for films shot in the nation and using a Barbadian production company were announced last year and are expected to lift interest in local shoots. The island’s experienced crew base and commitment to quality remain as the foundation that has resulted in a number of film, television and commercial projects heading for its tropical shores.
Is it a coincidence that at a time when agencies are being forced to examine what could be an existential threat to their business model, there has been a return to some traditional craft techniques such as animation, guerrilla advertising and stop-motion?
When the mantra ‘faster, cheaper, better’ first became widely adopted in advertising production circles at the beginning of this decade, AI was still very much in a conceptual phase. Instead, the expression –popularised most famously by the former WPP chief executive Sir Martin Sorrell upon the creation of his new digital-first holding company S4C – applied to a more widespread use of first-party data and CGI in a digitally-led production process.
The ‘faster’ and ‘cheaper’ part of the equation have been plain to see with agencies now turning around ads at a speedier rate and at a lower price as demanded by advertisers – but whether advertising got ‘better’ is another story. And with agencies now adopting and embedding generative AI tools, most notably Dall-E 3, ChatGPT and Midjourney, into the creative process, (and some agencies such as VCCP setting up specialist AI creative agencies
within the organisation), the question of their creative distinctiveness and efficacy has been thrown into further relief.
A further threat has come from advertisers themselves realising that perhaps they won’t need traditional advertising agencies in the future when they can simply acquire a suite of AI tools themselves, thereby extending the practical use of GenAI in marketing communications beyond in-house concepting into creating. ITV is even offering to make ads using AI for new-to-television advertisers and those with smaller budgets itself.
Perhaps it’s no coincidence, then, that a time when agencies are being forced to examine what could be an existential threat to their business model, as well as prove their worth beyond the limits of AI-generated creativity, there has been a return to some traditional craft such as animation (particularly anime), guerrilla advertising and stop-motion.
Moles in McCann London’s stop-frame animation campaign Joy of Everyday for Just Eat.
THE QUALITY YOU GET FROM A MORE ANALOGUE APPROACH IS WORTH IT. YOU CAN FEEL THE HUMANITY AND THE IMPERFECTION THAT YOU DON’T GET OTHERWISE.
McCann London used the analogue technique of puppetry and stop-frame animation for its recent campaign Joy of Everyday for Just Eat. The Wes Anderson-style ads featured animal characters who personify customer cohorts including a family of squirrels, student rabbits, a suburban beaver and otter couple, and city-living moles. They were directed by the award-winning Tim McNaughton of the Bobbsey Twins
Matt Searle, creative director at McCann London, who was responsible for the campaign, says that this approach came after much deliberation, but he pushed ahead with it “as the level of human-made craftmanship would add bags of charm and elevate the personalities of all our anthropomorphised puppets, and had huge potential for the brand.”
He adds that the process was also a lengthy one, which involved filming all day to capture just three seconds of footage for a campaign that required nine films, each 20-seconds long. “As a production, every detail must be agreed upon upfront. It’s like reversing the usual process, as you’re editing and recording VO talent before the shoot, to ensure animators know exactly what they’re working to – as they adjust an eyebrow, take a snap, adjust an upper lip, take a snap – it’s a laborious undertaking, says Searle.
“But the rewards for us were worth it. We knew CGI, animatronics, or a hybrid would be easier undertakings. Stop-motion however offered us the chance to fill every frame with personality, there would be an inherent tension at play between this nostalgic craft and the contemporary dialogue, and of course every nook and cranny of frame would ooze Just Eat joy.”
It's also expensive as Andy Jex, the chief creative officer at TBWA\London, points out. “Amazing craft sits at the axis of money and time. Whilst I don’t think great craft went away, I do acknowledge that in the last few decades money and time have shrunk. So as a result, the craft has taken a bit of a hit. Craft
will continue to get better and better the more time and money you give to it, up until a point where after that it can then become indulgent,” he says.
While McCann London used a traditional craft technique to inject personality into a new cast of brand characters for Just Eat, Fearless Union also decided to adopt stop-frame for one of UK advertising’s more established ones – the Peperami Animal – in its 2024 campaign.
Mark Campion, chief creative officer at Fearless Union, says: “Our decision to use stop motion wasn’t a rejection of new technology or even jumping on the handcrafted bandwagon. It weirdly went a bit deeper than that. We all agreed, Animal just wasn’t Animal when he wasn’t made in stop motion. The crudeness and restrictions of the animation technology in the 90s, were part of the Animal’s DNA. Just like his voice, or his Dr Martens. Seeing him polished and smooth, in a 3D render – it was like we’d cast a different character entirely.”
“CRAFT WILL CONTINUE TO GET BETTER AND BETTER THE MORE TIME AND MONEY YOU GIVE TO IT UNTIL A POINT WHERE IT CAN BECOME INDULGENT.”
This focus on authenticity (including its handmade imperfections) is something that also attracted BMB to use an animated zoetrope for its campaign for Freenow. Jack Snell and Joe Lovett, senior creatives at BMB, say that this approach allowed them to embed hidden little details, some more obviously than others in the spot, many of which you wouldn’t even notice on first viewing, but makes the film fun to rewatch multiple times.
They say: “It’s interesting to see the online reaction to the first AI created ads hitting the scene. Not just on adland LinkedIn but amongst ‘real’ people. Toys R Us and Levi’s have been met with backlash as
BMB used an animated zoetrope for its campaign for Freenow.
The season finale of McCann London’s stop-frame animation campaign Joy of Everyday for Just Eat.
people have shown an instinctive aversion to it. For now at least human beings' reaction generally seems to be to distrust things not made by human beings. And distrustful is the last thing a brand wants to be perceived as.”
FOR ME THE DIFFERENCE WITH THESE KINDS OF CASES IS THAT THE BRAND IS UP FRONT ABOUT THE FACT THEY’RE USING AI, AND THAT THEY’RE USING IT TO DO SOMETHING THAT WOULDN’T OTHERWISE BE POSSIBLE.
Whilst they acknowledge that some recent campaigns that use AI – for example Cadbury’s 200 anniversary campaign, where you can input yourself into a vintage ad, or their own AI photography exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery for Breast Cancer Now – do have a certain creative competence, that makes them the exception rather than the rule.
“For me the difference with these kinds of cases is that the brand is up front about the fact they’re using AI, and that they’re using it to do something that wouldn’t otherwise be possible, rather than simply replacing the skills of a human being to save money,” they say.
It’s the human skill that attracted many to want to work in advertising in the first place. McCann’s Searle says that he particularly enjoys the attention to detail that handmade ads provide, and that AI never can.
TBWA\London’s Jex agrees that creatives have always been drawn to the handmade over the digital. “I think there’s always been a natural preference to make stuff in an analogue way,” he says. “I’m not sure AI has enhanced this feeling, perhaps a bit. Things have become easier and quicker and cheaper to do in another way. And some may prefer that. But the quality you get from a more analogue approach is really worth it. You can feel the humanity and the imperfection that you don’t get otherwise.”
“Having grown up with (and been obsessed with) Lego sets, Captain Scarlet, Thunderbirds, miniature railways, seeing the lengths our partners at Arch Model Studios [the studio that worked on the Just Eat campaign] went to create our little worlds blew our big kid socks off! Then there were the zips, buttons, watches, tie-dyed onesies, mini-knitting needle-stitched cardigans, mini grouted tiles, and even mobile phones, lava lamps and ovens, which could illuminate thanks to microscopic lightbulbs filled with actual gas.
“The combined efforts of skilled sculptors, mould makers, engineers, jewellers, painters, costume makers, foam technicians, miniature eye makers, wig makers, electricians, graphic designers were an incredible sight to behold, as what started on a blank Word Doc became a tactile and tangible world,” he says.
CHILDHOOD
TRADITIONAL
ANALOGUE
That’s not to say that advertising is resisting the new technology that is available, like modern day Luddites. “If there’s a conceptual purpose, traditional craft can always play a pivotal role. We’re in an age of AI, VFX, VR and AR, all of which are incredible tools, which will foster incredible films, images and I don’t think we’ve even scratched the surface of their possibilities. But tools are all they are. They are a means to an end. And creativity will always be about finding the right tool to build unexpected, disruptive, standout work,” says Searle.
“FOR NOW AT LEAST HUMAN BEINGS' REACTION GENERALLY SEEMS TO BE TO DISTRUST THINGS NOT MADE BY HUMAN BEINGS.”
In short, it’s not a case of one or the other – there’s no reason why craft techniques, such as anime or stop motion, can’t coexist with AI (which will do the more functional end-of-funnel advertising). It’s why vinyl persists alongside streaming tunes and why films like Palm D’or winner Anora are still shot on 35mm.
Searle concludes: “I don’t think AI or any other unforeseen innovation will ever temper people’s love for craft. Its irreplaceable charms, the aesthetic pleasure, the appreciation of how it was made. What’s more exciting for me is how creatives will take it to the next level. Combining AI, AR, VFX with film techniques of old, to create game-changing work, or simply to make a pretentious badger an aficionado of an afternoon Tunacado.”
Fearless Union also decided to adopt stop-frame for their 2024 Peperami Animal campaign.
BMB’s campaign for Freenow.
The Region of Valencia: Land of Cinema
The Region of Valencia, located on the Mediterranean coast of Spain, emerges as an ideal destination for filming audiovisual productions. With its modern Ciudad de la Luz studios and a diverse array of landscapes, this region offers a competitive and professional proposition that attracts even the most discerning filmmakers.
BROUGHT TO YOU BY
The region of Valencia is a true kaleidoscope of natural settings that seem plucked straight from a cinematic masterpiece. From its expansive beaches kissed by the Mediterranean Sea to its mountains, along with ancient salt flats and stunning natural parks, the Region of Valencia provides a geographical diversity capable of bringing any visual narrative to life.
One of its major draws is the Mediterranean climate, boasting over 300 days of sunshine each year. This climatic stability not only facilitates year-round filming schedules but also ensures unparalleled natural light that enhances the beauty of every scene captured on camera.
The region’s government, in collaboration with the private sector, has made a strong commitment to the audiovisual industry, aiming to establish the Audiovisual Mediterranean Hub Region of Valencia.
This initiative promotes the local industry and seeks to highlight the excellent natural conditions, infrastructure, and specialised resources available.
The strategy focuses on attracting both national and international productions: notable films such as The Interpreter (2023) by Guy Ritchie, filmed in Alicante; Dolor y Gloria (2019) by Pedro Almodóvar in Paterna; Tomorrowland (2015) and the series Doctor Who (2016), shot at the Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias, are just a few successful examples recorded in Valencian lands.
CIUDAD DE LA LUZ
In this proactive approach to attracting film shoots, Ciudad de la Luz Studios plays a pivotal role. This vast audiovisual complex boasts six sound stages, auxiliary production buildings, workshops, and storage facilities spread across 80 hectares.
This extensive setup allows for simultaneous filming both indoors and outdoors, as well as in aquatic environments. With such comprehensive facilities and a supportive framework for filmmakers, the region is well-positioned to continue its ascent as a premier destination for cinema production.
A GLOBAL REFERENCE FOR AQUATIC FILMING
It is precisely the aquatic aspect that makes these studios a truly unique space. Their impressive outdoor water tank and two indoor pits have established themselves as benchmarks on the international scene.
The external tank at Ciudad de la Luz, covering an area of 8,000sqm with a chroma of 120m by 12m high and an infinite horizon overlooking the sea, gained worldwide recognition during the filming of The Imposible by JA Bayona in 2012.
This outdoor pit allows simulation of weather conditions in any aquatic environment and offers exceptional visibility, reaching visibility up to 16m underwater. Within this tank lies a central pit measuring 30m by 30m and boasting a depth of 5.20m.
NOTABLE PROJECTS
Highlighted projects such as the French Netflix film Under Paris, which became the fourth mostwatched non-English language film in the streaming platform's history; the Spanish production Los Tigres, directed by Alberto Rodríguez; the recent blockbuster Venom: The Last Dance; and the globally renowned series The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon are among the latest productions.
Other great filmmakers have also chosen Ciudad de la Luz for their projects, such as Alejandro Amenábar and his last film The Captive.
With its cutting-edge facilities and a strategic focus on the audiovisual sector, Ciudad de la Luz not only positions itself as a preferred destination for filmmakers but also reinforces its role as a key hub in global film production.
The combination of advanced technology and exceptional natural resources makes this region a place where creative ideas can flourish and transform into striking visual realities.
FILM OFFICES
Moreover, the region is home to over 30 film offices that play a crucial role in promoting and facilitating shoots across the region. Among them, those in the cities of Valencia and Alicante, as well as Costa Blanca, Peñíscola, Benidorm, Sagunto, Alcoy, and Pilar de la Horadada have established themselves as key reference points for both national and international filmmakers.
These offices also provide logistical support to productions, facilitating access to local resources and collaborating with industry companies to maximise the creative potential of each project.
Furthermore, currently, with the support of Turisme de la Generalitat, the Film Commission Region of Valencia is being developed to position the region as a rapidly growing cinematic hub, attracting an increasing number of productions eager to take advantage of its unparalleled natural and technical resources.
www.sptcv.net/ciudad
The jewel of the Ciudad de la Luz studios is its spectacular water tank.
interview withderspici Hasan Oswald
Hasan Oswald’s entry into filmmaking is far from conventional.
Starting his career as a primary school English teacher in Thailand and Barcelona, Oswald’s travels led him to pick up a camera, at the time a GoPro, and interview the individuals he would interact with on a daily basis.
This led to working as a camera operator on documentaries Hell on Earth: The Fall of Syria and the Rise of ISIS and Are We Not Men?, before making his own features, Higher Love, about a blue collar worker trying to rescue his pregnant, heroinaddicted girlfriend from the streets, and Mediha, about a 15-year-old Yazidi girl who turns the camera on herself to process the trauma of escaping from ISIS slavery.
MAKERS MAG
How did you get into documentary filmmaking?
HASAN OSWALD
I went to Lesbos, Greece, during the Syrian refugee crisis and joined one of the rescue teams. I made a short film about what was going on there. One day Stephen Fry tweeted about it then Emma Thompson emailed me and the next weekend, National Geographic reached out and signed me. So I went from an English teacher to a first-time filmmaker very quickly.
Did it all just take off from there?
Not exactly. I still didn't really have any experience. I wasn't getting any job offers, not even as a film intern. So I bought a camera and I went to Camden, New Jersey, arguably one of the US's most dangerous cities, and made Higher Love, about the opioid epidemic there. I selftaught editing to cinematography from YouTube. I wore all sorts of hats, shooting with these guerilla filmmaking techniques on a tiny budget. That film did well on the awards circuit and jump started my career.
What sparked your interest in Mediha?
Because Covid-19 hit, and the festivals for Higher Love were all cancelled or put online, I was able to go to Iraq and start this film. For the trip I made to Lesbos, my translator, Amal, was actually Yazidi. She introduced me to what was happening over there. After filming, we would have tea with her friends and family and the seed was planted.
Why did you give Mediha the camera?
Watching documentaries, I was always interested in the power balance between filmmaker and participant, because that power is often heavily in the hands of the filmmaker. I wanted to find ways to rebalance that. I was inspired by the documentary Born Into Brothels where a photojournalist
went to Calcutta and taught the kids photography as a way for them to fund their education. But it was a huge challenge because directors, like myself, are very hands on and like control. There's not a whole lot of control when you're dealing with kids that age, but I don't know if there's a single person in the world who could have told that story the way Mediha did.
What instructions did you give her?
I’m not Yazidi. So if you tell a story that's not yours, you better get it right. And what better way to get it right than to give her the lens and give her the power to share her perspective directly with the viewer. She had incredible technical skills right from the start, using the DJI Osmo pocket (gimbal camera), which she called her friend and therapist. But she also had a strong point of view being so in touch with her feelings, despite what she’d been through. It naturally took on this poetic final form.
How did you fund the project?
Some donations and small grants here and there, but we’d have to stop and start with editing. As an American indie doc maker, as far as institutional and governmental support, it's basically non-existent
which makes it really tough. This movie was a real struggle. You get funding where you can, wear a lot of hats, have a small super dedicated team and a story you believe in.
How does your experience as a teacher inform your approach to filmmaking?
Teaching taught me empathy and patience, as well as how to be comfortable in uncomfortable situations. During all my travels, teaching gave me the ability to go and have tea with Sri Lankan farmers or to interview shop owners in Delhi about civil unrest.
Also being an English teacher really helped me tell Mediha’s story. Because I had worked with kids that age for years I understood the importance of dedicating time and letting Mediha and her brothers know that we weren't going anywhere.
This wasn't just a three-week interview process where I was going to gather the lurid details. This was going to be a collaboration. I hoped to return some semblance of agency to Mediha and her brothers, the same way I’d done teaching in Thailand. How can we help them find their voice? How can we provide the tools for them to become what they want to be, and also to make a difference.
PATIENCE
Image courtesy of Lou Aguila.
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italianfilmcommissions.it ice.it
UAE: A Vibrant Oasis of Screen Talent
THROUGH SUSTAINED INVESTMENT AND SUPPORT FROM FILM COMMISSIONS AND CREATIVE AUTHORITIES, AS WELL AS THE PASSION AND DRIVE OF INDIVIDUALS, THE UAE PRODUCTION SECTOR HAS GAINED REAL MOMENTUM SAYS BEN ROSS CHIEF CONTENT OFFICER AND ACTING CEO, IMAGE NATION ABU DHABI.
Storytelling has always been central to Arab culture, with an ancient tradition of beautiful stories and poetry rooted in a complex mythology. Today, there are over 400 million Arabic speakers globally. Yet historically this was a hugely underserved audience for film and television content, with a limited number of productions across a few, established genres. Now, all that has changed.
Today, the landscape is dynamic, with incredible Arabic-language projects coming to the screen. We’re seeing international recognition, with strong Arab representation at Venice, Cannes, and the Oscars in the past few years.
I see three important ingredients which have fueled this development over two decades: investing in training; building partnerships; and an increasing willingness to take risks with creative storytelling.
TRAINING AND OPPORTUNITIES
When Image Nation launched, we found that there was vast untapped creativity in the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) region – but with few locally grown film schools or production houses, there was little opportunity for aspiring professionals to build their skillsets for sustainable careers.
Our mission was more than producing fantastic films and shows, but also offering training, in-production internships and mentorship, and generating opportunities for emerging stars to test their skills and tell their stories. For example, our recent comedy Al Eid Eiden was written, directed and produced by three Emirati women – a historic first for the UAE industry. Each of these talented women honed their skills through Image Nation internships, jobs or training programs like Arab Film Studio, then went on to prove their talents by overseeing a feature-length production.
LONG-TERM PARTNERSHIPS
Finding the right partners and building long-term relationships has been vital. The Arabic-language film and television industry has forged powerful alliances with international studios and streamers, who are increasingly recognising the region’s potential.
Importantly, these are not just financial partnerships, but true creative collaborations which fuse cultural narratives and innovative storytelling – and offer worldwide reach. Too often, we see producers coming to the region for pure financial gain and not considering how the local industry could benefit in return.
Image Nation’s partnership with Spooky Pictures, for example, has seen us co-produce acclaimed horror features Watcher and Late Night With The Devil What’s special isn’t just the outstanding films we’ve created, but the alignment in approach; they value capacity-building for emerging talents as much as we do. The Emirati producer of Al Eid Eiden was an intern on Watcher where she honed her craft and gained knowledge on a working international film set. Each of our co-productions has been a platform for local talent to gain employment or training on ground-breaking international projects that would not usually have been possible.
WILLINGNESS TO EXPERIMENT
The kinds of productions in play today have opened new avenues for creative storytelling. Traditionally, Arabic content was known for telenovela-style soap operas and family dramas. Now, new genres are emerging, from fantasy productions like Kaboos and HWJN, which offered a contemporary take on ancient legends, to boundary-breaking comedies.
The rise of OTT and streaming platforms in the region has fueled this creative risk-taking; one standout was Netflix’s AlRawabi School for Girls which was praised for an unflinching look into real-life issues faced by the region’s youth.
International franchises are also making a big splash here, with some of the biggest hits like Shark Tank, Suits and the first international franchise of the Emmy-nominated reality series Million Dollar Listing: UAE. All are tried and tested concepts, but married with local expertise and cultural knowledge to impact the regional market.
It’s also fantastic to see the success of Arab diaspora stories like Ramy and Mo, which bring a contemporary, nuanced approach and demonstrate how regional voices can be globally relevant.
CONCLUSION
What consistently impresses me about regional filmmakers is how culturally honest and authentic their work is. Across formats, styles and genres, Arab storytellers are bringing distinctive and fresh points of view on what life in the Arab world really looks like and means today – but with universal relevance.
The fact that there are now more opportunities and platforms than ever to create and share their work with growing audiences is deeply exciting.
It’s often been said that the ‘golden age of Arab cinema’ happened in 1960s Cairo. Today, I think we can safely say that the next golden age of Arab content is happening here and now.
Since joining Image Nation in 2013, Ben has overseen a range of successful film and television projects, including the critically acclaimed Scales, Oscar-winning documentary Free Solo, popular comedy Rashid & Rajab and the UAE’s most successful Arabic-language film The Ambush (Al Kameen).
Space Invaders
As millions of people move into, and interact with, the world of immersive content, companies are battling to deliver them optimum experiences, including through the use of IoT sensors. But who controls all the data?
The ‘linear’ immersive content experience where users consume an environment through the use of virtual reality or augmented reality technologies is effectively “theatre on steroids” argues Paul Becker, head of Outsyders Technology, who oversaw the CG production on the Apple Vision Pro for the immersive format called Prehistoric Planet.
But when you get into the interactive immersive space, “it’s just a wild west” in terms of who’s tracking what data, and how the data is managed and monetised. “You need to asses each piece of content and platform on a case by case basis,” he insists.
In ‘open world’ games like Minecraft and Roblox users can make money themselves from creating content and experiences within the games by selling avatar items, in-experience purchases, building and monetising maps, creating and selling studio plug-ins and more.
“These games are a form of metaverse where it’s all about the IP and privacy,” says Eitan Jankelewitz, partner in the digital media group at law firm Sheridans. “Most games companies and studios are very protective of their characters and stories. If people are creating their own IP within the game, this will be closely monitored. They’ll make sure that nothing undermines their monopoly ownerships over the rights of the game. Increasingly, they’ll allow the user to create proprietary services to make money, as long as it doesn’t interfere with the game itself.”
When it comes to data protection and rights, it’s also about breaking down the various different relationships attached to the content. Each will have its own rights and everything needs to be transparent (including the use of any personal data involved).
IF YOU’RE DISNEY, YOU’RE GETTING YOUR LAWYERS PREPPED TO JUST WAIT UNTIL SOME KID MAKES A MOVIE USING WOLVERINE FIGHTING SUPERMAN.
“Content creators are using immersive technology to make and monetise something, which they’ll either directly sell to the consumer or to a content distributor,” explains Becker. “The privacy question is then interwoven into that. Where did the original idea come from? Are you asking for people’s data for them to consume the content?”
Rupam Dave, a partner specialising in technology and data law at Harbottle & Lewis says, “If you’re creating a VR game for Apple Vision Pro where everyone in the game interacts with each other, you’re required to do a data protection impact assessment to work out what personal data they’d be giving. An example is the user uploading their actual face to create a personal avatar. Then you’d have to work out how the data is going to be used, segregated and protected, and how to explain this to the user.”
This analysis is necessary to determine how game creators can process the data lawfully under GDPR and create privacy notices which tells the user how their data is being used.
There are additional complications with user to user experiences because there will likely be third parties involved when people have to log in. On top, there’s the marketing data because publishers tend to send targeted ads to the users.
It's up to the game’s data controller to pre-emptively evidence why what they’re doing with the user’s data is lawful and “that they’re delivering a service that the user actually wants (which is a form of contract),” argues Jankelewitz.
when they hit a certain level, which could be an indicator it’s too hard or boring. So the developer might revise the game,” adds Jankelewitz.
BIOMETRIC SCANNING
Where it becomes a little more complicated is in the case of tech companies (often hired by US studios, distributors, gaming companies and cinemas) that use sensors to monitor user/audience heart rates and temperature to gauge their reaction when viewing films, games etc.
“Let’s say there’s a screening of a film and a company wants to understand if the audience prefers particular scenes,” poses Jankelewitz. “They’re going to have to record them to view their faces, monitor their reactions, run sentiment analysis, see if they use their phone, get up etc. In this case, there would need to be a contract between the entity who wants to learn this information and the provider of the services. Then each individual audience member would have to give their consent to this process.
“IT'S UP TO THE GAME’S DATA CONTROLLER TO PRE-EMPTIVELY EVIDENCE WHY WHAT THEY’RE DOING WITH THE USER’S DATA IS LAWFUL.”
“Those consents would then need to be managed because it might be that someone two weeks later says ‘I withdraw my consent’. In which case you have to take their data out and not use it.
There’s also what is known as ‘legitimate interest’. “That’s a scenario where a company is trying to do something legitimate and demonstrated that the impact on someone’s private life is not disproportionate to the interest being pursued,” says Jankelewitz. “For example, to prevent fraud then it’s legitimate. But if it’s to serve more relevant advertising then it’s less compelling, so the amount of data I can collect is lower. It’s the proportionate and necessity test.”
Once the game is being used, the owners are gathering data on how people are interacting with the game. “Some people might abandon the game
“Or alternatively, the companies could say ‘we’re doing this because it’s in our legitimate interest to do so because we’re trying to make immersive content that is appealing to people and have a successful business. We need to know that our content is engaging’.
“In order to reduce the impact on people’s privacy, a good way to do that is to be really transparent about what is happening so people can take steps to preserve their own privacy.”
There might be some other more qualitative type information gathering, so companies need to stress they’re not going to use it for anything else like targeting the audience/user with marketing, discounts etc.
THESE DEVICES OFFER UNPRECEDENTED ACCESS TO PERSONAL DATA, RAISING CONCERNS ABOUT PRIVACY AND DATA OWNERSHIP.
“They might say we’re going to use this data for legitimate interests and in a narrow way because that’s what’s proportionate, reducing the impact on someone’s private life,” says Jankelewitz. “But then say if the user ticks the box, the company might target them with offers and promotions that may interest them. This basically means we’re going to try to read your mind and tell you what you don’t know.”
Anything with predictiveness, personality or behavioural assessment is always the highest impact and almost always going to require consent. As for the opposite, where the user tries to control the content, for example aspects of the plot using their mobile phones, then it is still up to the content service provider to establish rights and data protection.
AI PROBLEMS
Immersive technology is essentially a load of open source technology being spot welded together to create something, using ML and AI.
“The problem is that AI is based on copyright material. The LLMs are scraping people’s data and copyright content,” says Becker. “I assume they must be building a huge war chest because they’re going to have to pay out a bunch of lawsuits. If you’re Disney, you’re getting your lawyers prepped to just wait until some kid makes a movie using Wolverine fighting Superman. Disney’s lawyers are not going to sue the kid, they’re going to sue Open AI.”
Becker believes it’s key to open everyone’s eyes to what’s going on when they sign up to immersive games and apps. “We have to keep asking questions and make people aware that their rights are being signed away and your content and imagery will show up in Chat GPT,” he stresses. “One day, someone will recreate your face and use it in an inappropriate or even illegal way. And you’re not Disney, so it’ll be hard to sue them or open AI.
“The problem is the easier that content is to consume, the less robust we become. It’ll be like in the film Wall-E with all the fat people gormlessly consuming everything. But for those of us that don’t want to do that, we’ll be ready when change comes. I still think originality will triumph.”
FUTURE MINEFIELD
Looking ahead, Becker believes that immersive entertainment will be heavily impacted by the higher bandwidth of VR technology. “When we get to 6G and we have headsets that are light and easy to wear, and affordable, you’re going to see kids wearing glasses and interacting with media together in an interconnected way, whether that’s playing in an escape room mapping in the real world, sitting in a virtual movie theatre or just hanging out together.
“But the bigger question is how are they paying for it? Will they be offering it free to consumers? Because if they are, it won’t be free. They’ll still be gathering data that is private and monetising that by selling it to marketing companies. It’ll be a further minefield.”
FACIAL REAL ESTATE BATTLEGROUND
With the rise of Mixed Reality headgear a new battleground is developing for data collection around the real estate and sensory signals of a wearer’s face.
Apple even requires that users have their faces scanned with an iPhone or iPad before you can order a Vision Pro. It explains this as necessary in order to deliver a model with the right fit, which can make the difference between a good and bad experience.
It also has an indicator on the front screen which shows when it’s recording – allowing other people to get out of the way if you see someone wearing the device coming in your direction.
But that’s just the start. There are also concerns about how Big Tech will use the data they collect from and around a user’s face and eyes. Data from eye scanning – which is key to the user’s experience – would be incredibly valuable to advertisers. If they know where you are looking they can target ads and notifications with greater accuracy than ever before.
“These devices offer unprecedented access to personal data, raising concerns about privacy and data ownership,” says Rachel Joy Victor, a co-founder of fbrc.ai which is exploring AI storytelling.
Victor has a background in computational neuroscience and Spatial Economics – an emerging field which seeks to understand how spatial factors influence decision-making.
For Victor the opportunity is for unique immersive storytelling and audience engagement “where viewers have agency in shaping the story” but she is not blind to the risks of trading away the most intimate of our data for this purpose.
“It’s crucial to establish robust data policies to protect individuals’ privacy while still enabling immersive experiences,” she says.
Apple says its eye tracking information isn’t shared internally or with third party apps. In theory this means app makers can’t access the data to capture imagery, so they can’t run facial recognition on people. But data protection advocates warn that this is for now and the potential is out in the wild.
An article in Forbes voiced concerns: “The Vision Pro can understand objects, so in theory it could detect if you’ve got a crib or a wheelchair or even drug paraphernalia [at home]. All of this data would be very attractive to advertisers and data brokers, or even the government, experts suggest.”
One of those experts, Jake Moore, global cybersecurity advisor at ESET, is quoted: “Everyone should be wary of new datacollecting devices. It is packed with sensors, cameras and microphones so could be a nightmare to control in terms of privacy.”
BRAZIL Flying down to Rio
From Fast X to Netflix’s Senna, Brazil is hosting a huge variety of local and international projects drawn to the South American country’s striking locations, enticing incentives and skilled crew.
Aetflix’s dramatic mini-series Senna about Brazil’s legendary F1 driver Ayrton Senna is the streamer’s most ambitious and largest budget local project to date. The large-scale production filmed at the end of 2023 including in São Paulo, and Angra dos Reis in the state of Rio de Janeiro. It tapped into the country’s cash rebate worth up to 30%.
Hundreds of local crew and cast were used on the bio-drama, which is produced by Brazilian production company Gullane Entretenimento with Vicente Amorim serving as showrunner and Amorim and Julia Rezende as directors.
This project is the flagship of Netflix’s USD182 million investment in Brazilian-based production. The streaming giant has also committed to invest USD912 million towards initiatives for the development of professionals in Brazil's audiovisual community.
“THE TALK OF THE TOWN SURROUNDS THE POTENTIAL CREATION OF AN OVERARCHING BRAZILIAN FILM COMMISSION.”
Netflix has already backed several original local series and films, including Sintonia and Invisible City, which also showcased São Paulo’s urban sprawl and Rio’s mix of nature and cityscapes.
São Paulo has become particularly popular as a filming location for productions aiming to blend gritty realism with compelling storytelling. This is thanks in great part to the work of Spcine, Sao Paulo’s film and television body, which works hard to promote the city to international producers.
LOCATION HIGHLIGHT
Fernando de Noronha
This breathtaking archipelago off Brazil's northeastern coast is a popular filming locale known for its natural beauty. Its pristine beaches, dramatic cliffs and vibrant marine life have attracted filmmakers from around the world.
Several Brazilian television shows and films have been shot in Noronha, including the telenovela Amor à Vida, which featured the islands’ beaches as a romantic backdrop. The BBC shot part of its documentary series Blue Planet II on the island, showcasing the richness of underwater ecosystems, including dolphins, sea turtles, and colourful coral reefs.
Strict environmental protection rules preserve its delicate ecosystem, ensuring that filming is done responsibly. Fernando de Noronha's untouched beauty makes it a cinematic treasure and a natural paradise.
Last year, the organisation signed a production pact with South Africa, investing USD20,000 in four projects, two led by South African producers and another two from São Paulo-based producers.
One of the biggest draws for international productions, set up by Spcine in 2021, is the 30% cash rebate, which in its first run saw the USD2 million fund allocated in just one day. As a result, they secured four times the budget for the second round, which was allocated to four projects that invested a total of USD12.7 million locally.
The organisation works to ensure the funding application process is as streamlined as possible. There is also a simulator that allows producers to see if their project will qualify for the rebate, and at what level, to assist in drawing up accurate budgets.
Since the incentive was launched, more than USD400 million has been invested into the city of São Paulo from a number of productions. Some of which had considered filming in other parts of South America but were drawn to the city by the incentive.
There are also plenty of local production companies in São Paulo (nearly 10,000 according to the Brazilian institute of Geography and Statistics) working on projects and available to support international productions.
BEACHES AND FAVELAS
Meanwhile, Rio’s exotic popularity remains undimmed. “This year (2024), we had 24 international productions arrive in the city from January until August,” says Daniel Celli, head of RioFilme, the city’s film commission. “We have a
TAX INCENTIVES
Sao Paulo offers a 20-30% cash rebate for international films and television shows. The programme requires a minimum spend of US$2m with a cap per project of USD3 million.
Rio offers a tax break worth up to 35% (30% foundational incentive + 5% cultural bonus).
International productions are eligible to receive USD380,000 for projects filmed in Rio de Janeiro, with at least two locations identifying the Brazilian city. To qualify, a minimum spend of USD3 million must be made.
specialised service for foreign producers called the Exclusive Service Desk for Foreign Filming, providing a support team that is ready and attentive to take the best possible care of foreign producers who are looking at Rio as a possible destination for their production, or who come here already in the production phase.”
Maurício Hirata, RioFilme’s investment director, adds: “From 2021 to the second quarter of 2024, the Rio de Janeiro city has invested USD24 million in audiovisual content production, including international co-productions, from feature films to television series and games.”
Universal Pictures’ Fast X filmed key scenes in Rio in 2022, taking advantage of the city’s 30% cash rebate, which can rise to 35% for projects that feature Brazil as their main location. Rio’s favelas (pictured above), bustling streets, and famous landmarks provided stunning backdrops for action sequences in the movie.
More recently Adam Wingard’s Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire backed by Warner Bros. and Legendary Entertainment shot in and around iconic locations such as Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf Mountain, Copacabana Beach, Botafogo and downtown Rio.
Bianca Costa, one of the blockbuster’s producers said, “All of these locations were thoroughly studied by production designer Tom Hammock and production director John Marx during previous trips. This made the difference because we had time to plan, and to have the location manager Chris Habib showing the location options in advance of applying for the permits.”
JOINED UP THINKING
Other cities and regions around Brazil are working hard to attract productions, including the Fernando de Noronha archipelago but the talk of the town surrounds the potential creation of an overarching film commission.
The proposal for a National Network of Film Commissions was announced in August by government officials and Embratur, the Brazilian tourist board. If this happens then a synchronised approach could lead to even more international productions flocking to all parts of the country and receiving joined-up support to make their projects a success.
SINCE THE INCENTIVE WAS LAUNCHED, MORE THAN USD400 MILLION HAS BEEN INVESTED INTO THE CITY OF SÃO PAULO FROM A NUMBER OF PRODUCTIONS.
SOMETHING ELSE
The Rio Carnival traces its origins back to the early 18th century, influenced by Portuguese colonists who brought the tradition of Entrudo, a pre-Lenten celebration where people threw water and mud at each other in festive chaos. Over time, the celebration evolved, incorporating African rhythms and indigenous customs, which shaped its unique cultural fusion.
By the late 19th century, the carnival began to resemble its modern form, with organised parades, street parties, and the rise of samba music. The first official samba school parade was held in 1932, marking a key turning point in the event's history. Since then, the carnival has grown into one of the largest and most famous festivals in the world, attracting millions of visitors annually and continuing to evolve with Brazil’s dynamic cultural landscape.
In the favelas, the months of preparation unite entire communities, creating a sense of belonging and pride as they craft intricate floats and costumes from recycled materials. The energy isn’t confined to the Sambadrome; it pulses through the streets, where blocos (street parties) bring together people of all walks of life, transcending social boundaries.
PROFILE
Torriano Entertainment Group
Londonbased Torriano Entertainment Group (TEG) has already put together some of the most viral music video hits for artists such as FireBoy DML, YungBlud and AntsLive. makers speaks to the founders about the secrets of their success.
The week before the shoot, directors Tom Emmerson and Billy King flew to the Italian Dolomites to recce every iconic viewpoint and location,” says Harry Wilkinson, co-founder of Torriano, talking about AntsLive’s viral video for his track Number One Candidate.
“The idea really came together in that week as the shots and scenes often just fell at their feet. For example, the goat picnic scene came as the pair sat at a mountainside deli waiting for it to open. On the window, there was an image of a family with a picnic surrounded by goats. They shot the entire film on their phone before the rest of the team came out.”
London-based production studio and artist management company, TEG, led by King and Wilkinson, working with producers Lola Kaeppelin,
TRADING SINCE 2022
FOUNDERS
BILLY KING & HARRY WILKINSON TEAM
LOLA KAEPPELIN, DANIEL COEN & ASTRA PRITCHARD
CLIENTS
UNIVERSAL, ADIDAS, NEW ERA, RELENTLESS ENERGY DRINK, TOMMY HILFIGER, BARBOUR & CHARLES TYRWHITT
MY WAY: 1.1 MILLION YOUTUBE VIEWS NUMBER ONE CANDIDATE: 749,000
YOUTUBE VIEWS & 1.5 MILLION ON TIKTOK
Daniel Coen, and Astra Pritchard, is all about creative challenges, pushing the boundaries of filming logistics and locations, and contributing to the new wave of filmmakers.
“We understand there's a host of production companies out there and there’s so much competition making you question how you separate yourselves from everyone else. I think the values we have on set with clients, and the way we’re building our brand are our strong suit. We're more than just a service production company. We direct, we produce, we’re making our own shows, and we have our music side too.”
King and Wilkinson met at university. Wilkinson managing artists and King works on videos and commercials. After Wilkinson joined King on a spot for the USC clothing brand the partnership was officially formed. The pair went on to dabble in a variety of music promotional content, notably for rap artist AntsLive.
“We talk about how great the creativity is, but even like in the Number One Candidate video, it's about the graft we put in to make the creativity happen,” comments Wilkinson.
Regarded by the founders as the project that launched TEG in the film aspect of their work, Number One Candidate spread across social media with its striking scenes of the rapper horseriding through the fields of the Dolomites.
For the shoot to work, the Torriano team had to form relationships with the locals, allowing them to forgo permits and secure locations and accessibility through fortunate encounters with residents.
“I think the most obvious challenge was capturing the hero shot of AntsLive riding the horse. So many variables could have gone wrong with him only having a week to learn how to gallop on a horse, but we pulled it off,” says King.
“Tom had his mind fixated on a reference from the film The Black Stallion. It was of a boy riding a horse on a beach,” says Wilkinson. “This is where the idea for Ants riding the horse came from. And when listening to the track, the alpine sounding horns were hard to ignore. So, that’s where the mountainous setting for the horse riding came from.”
This threw up further challenges including having to source Alphorns (Swiss wood wind instruments) from a 93 year-old man three hours from the shoot site near Austria; and travelling around unforgiving roads.
The team worked with the artist again for his track Estelle, alongside rapper Rushy, directed by King and featuring jet skis. TEG secured The Royal Docks for the high octane one day shoot.
“Primarily, we shot the using an Alexa Mini rigged to a boat travelling up and down the river,” says King. “We also used a GoPro rig attached to the artists’ jet skis. Most impressively, our sound engineer, Cameron, enabled playback for the artists on the jet skis through in-ears, whilst being based with his kit on the lead boat. Without this, there would have been no way the artists could have performed the song from the range we were shooting them at.”
Next up for Torriano is creating their own produced shows and content, building on their catalogue of behind-the-scenes content shot and produced by Pritchard.
“We want to explore more narrative pieces,” says Wilkinson. “We've just started moving into commercials. Working with agency Mother on AntsLive’s video for the new song Cutlery [using hacked CCTV cameras across London] was great because it gave us quite a clear sense of what it would be like to step into that world.”
Founder Billy King.
Founder Harry Wilkinson.
No Side Hustle. YouTube is the Entertainment Industry
“This
is not a spin-off of the entertainment industry. This is an entirely new industry, and we need to treat it as such, and buy into it.”
THE LAST TEN YEARS HAS PRODUCED A WAVE OF ONLINE CONTENT CREATORS WHO HAVE USED SOCIAL MEDIA TO LAUNCH THEMSELVES AND NOW APPEAR TO BE CARVING THE FUTURE OF TELEVISION AND EVEN FILM. CAN STORYTELLERS IN CONVENTIONAL MEDIA WALK THAT PATH?
2024 has been a busy year for YouTube. In February it became the world’s biggest streaming platform on televisions, according to Nielsen. May saw the TryGuys joining the group of YouTubers whose profile has grown to the point that even YouTube can’t quite hold them, launching their own SVOD channel, 2nd Try. In June the headlines were all about Mr Beast, and how he had more subscribers than Netflix (and a USD100 million Amazon deal). The Sidemen launched their own GBP1 million version of Love Island Meanwhile, Amelia Dimoldenberg was everywhere, all year, serving chicken nuggets and awkward moments on Chicken Shop Dates with just about everyone, from Ryan Reynolds to Sabrina Carpenter.
All the while many directors and producers were trying to find work in the traditional industry on the face of advertising downturns, shrinking commissioning budgets and industry layoffs: it would be fair to wonder if the old school industry is missing a trick or two.
The last ten years has produced a wave of online content creators who have used YouTube to launch themselves and now appear to be carving the future of television and even film. Is that path still open given that social platforms have evolved so much over the last decade?
“Definitely,” says Michael Jones, SVP Creators at Wasserman, the agency managing household names across sports, music, entertainment and increasingly, creators. “The evolution of technology and the pace that it is evolving continues to shorten the window of reaching ‘success’,” he says.
TikTok, in particular, has made the path a lot faster for some: “Today we're probably seeing more creators rise on Tiktok. Instagram has had a really nice return over the last 12 to 18 months, and I think that's going to continue. But YouTube is always going to be the most sustainable long term platform.”
Wherever his clients post, consistency is key as is a move to YouTube at some point. Jones says platform’s algorithm is more forgiving of a less intense posting schedule. The power of its AdSense programme helps too. YouTube eventually opens up other projects for its top creators, including merchandise and licensing deals.
But how many social video creators make this work? It depends how you define success, says Jones. “The fact that you can do a creative storytelling format and make a living from it should be applauded in every environment. Can you make USD80,000 to USD150,000 a year and be a creator and be very successful? By all means, that is a very nice living and it is really accessible. Or if you're defining success as what we read in headlines that some of our bigger talent are seven figure earners remember it’s 0.1% of creators who can achieve that level.”
“THE EVOLUTION OF TECHNOLOGY AND THE PACE THAT IT IS EVOLVING CONTINUES TO SHORTEN THE WINDOW OF REACHING ‘SUCCESS’.”
While these numbers might seem wildly wishful to some early career independent filmmakers, there are some shared issues for content creators and more traditional filmmakers, he says.
Jones says, “The creator side is similar to the entertainment business in that this isn't like being a pilot or a doctor where I go to school, I do XYZ hours of flight time, and I know what the outcome is. There is the unknown factor about it. For some people, it's going to click and, boom, everything comes together; the algorithms make it work and it's done in six months. And for others, their craft develops slower, or their audience comes at a different pace.”
However, there’s a key difference between the worlds of cinema and social video, says Jenn Byrne, Head of Development at Academy Films. “To be a content creator, an influencer, you put so much of yourself front of camera, whereas, traditionally, being a filmmaker, you're observing other people. That doesn't sit easily with everyone. I don't think it's the same skill set.”
Not everyone wants to thrust themselves into the spotlight or be famous, she explains. “They say the best writers are the ones who listen the most. I wonder, if you're always talking, can you observe other people and other characters, which is so much of what filmmaking is about?”
footage horror Milk & Serial on the same platform in August. That caught the attention of the industry and rave reviews in press from Variety to The Guardian. He is now in development on his next film with award-winning horror producer James Harris.
With the overwhelming abundance of creators making work for online platforms, we should also expect the lines between the two tribes to blur further as social video creators become yet more creative and ambitious in their storytelling in an effort to cut through online.
I WONDER, IF YOU'RE ALWAYS TALKING, CAN YOU OBSERVE OTHER PEOPLE AND OTHER CHARACTERS, WHICH IS SO MUCH OF WHAT FILMMAKING IS ABOUT?
That’s not to say you can’t do both. “I think that if you see content creation as PR or marketing for yourself and your brand, to build an audience who love your work, then it's probably easier to get funding for your films later down the line. But we should be cautious of ignoring the quiet ones who might have so much to say.”
Huge effort has been underway in the screen industries to level the playing field and pass the mic to storytellers from more diverse socio-economic backgrounds in recent years, but film remains a tough industry and often takes years of making work for little financial reward.
“It's very difficult to survive as an independent filmmaker without making commercial work or having a side hustle. And it makes sense that that side hustle involves building your own audience,” says Byrne. “I think there's been a snobbery around people who perhaps see an opportunity to make some money by being an influencer. But that snobbery has always existed, in the UK for sure.” Attitudes, surely, are changing.
Jones sees the social video world as a key tool in the work towards a more diverse media landscape, “The best storytellers are now able to access the tools they need to, and to reach new audiences. I'm optimistic that our future looks like the storytellers that make it to the top are ones that just have the best stories to tell.”
We should expect, even hope, to see more ‘traditional’ filmmakers harnessing these tools, especially in light of recent case studies, from Adjani Salmon launching the Dreaming Whilst Black pilot on YouTube before landing his A24/BBC TV deal, to Curry Barker launching his USD800 found
STORYTELLING CREATORS
MONETISATION
Ultimately, the opportunity is there for anyone to take, whether you’re sharing stories about your personal lifestyle, or exploring the wider world. But audiences are getting more specific in their tastes, given they can now curate their own media very precisely and across borders: “We’re working towards an environment where people are able to find their ecosystems and niche down into them. I do think the unfortunate part about that is, the days of having something that truly connects the world are going to be few and far between.”
He cites the reach of television shows like Friends as an example.
“WE SHOULD EXPECT THE LINES BETWEEN THE TWO TRIBES TO BLUR FURTHER AS SOCIAL VIDEO CREATORS BECOME YET MORE CREATIVE AND AMBITIOUS IN THEIR STORYTELLING.”
“Because now we're all in our individual environments and ecosystems, and there are very few things that pull everybody out of that to tie into something.”
That’s why we’re seeing a drop in budgets for traditional entertainment, “with huge production budgets, hundreds of millions of dollars, you need hundreds of millions of people to tune in.” That is getting difficult today, where younger audiences can follow their interests very precisely with content and community for any conceivable niche interest available online and on TV.
But it seems that YouTube’s shadow will continue to grow around us, the tastes and habits of Gens Z and A are already clear. The question is how we grow with it: the more traditional screen industry needs to fully engage with the idea that this sector’s influence is not going away.
On this point, Jones is bullish: “This is not a spinoff of the entertainment industry. This is an entirely new industry, and we need to treat it as such, and buy into it. Because I think, as humans, we're always nervous for change. But the unfortunate part is change doesn't care that we're nervous about it.”
In the third part of makers’ filming in extreme conditions series, we take a look at all you need to know about filming in the desert and hot conditions.
Shooting in the desert is not for the faint hearted,” warns Karen Coetzee of Central Films, who provide production services across the Middle East. “You are walking up and down the dunes, carefully covering your same footsteps, in intense heat that can go above 50 degrees celsius, potentially carrying heavy equipment, while protecting the environment. You’ve got to be tough and smart, and drink lots of water.”
LOCATIONS AND LOGISTICS
One of the biggest productions to shoot extensively in the desert recently was Warner Bros’ Dune: Part Two, which filmed across Jordan, Namibia and Abu Dhabi.
“There’s a balance of finding somewhere practical with how awe-inspiring it is,” explains Duncan Broadfoot, the film’s supervising location manager. “For that movie we had quite a lot of specific locations we needed, which required going deep into parts of the desert in Wadi Rum that had never been shot in before. We thought let’s find them and then figure out how to make it happen.”
They even built their own temporary, environmentally-friendly, road network leading to various different sets and units, like colour-coded
ski routes; some of which were as long as 14km. These were vital as it’s easy to get lost or disorientated in the desert.
It was a slightly different situation filming action sequences on the dunes in Abu Dhabi. “When we filmed in the Liwa desert, there was a five star hotel that led into the sand dunes,” explains Broadfoot. “Although we still had to build another extensive road network using a natural material called gatch.”
On site they had a central production base with tents for prosthetics, costume, catering and make-up. Then everything satellited off from there. “The main unit would be on the red route, including toilets and catering tents for the crew and cast to eat and not lose time,” says Broadfoot.
Supervising location manager Mandi Dillin talks about a similar experience shooting Transformers in Ruidoso, New Mexico on the Apache reservation. “We had to build a road to get to the filming locations, which meant working with local tribespeople. You have to be organised and respectful.”
Image courtesy of Central Films.
IN A REMOTE LOCATION ON THE SAUDI BORDER, WE TRIED EVERYTHING BUT COULDN’T GET A PHONE SIGNAL. SO WE HAD TO BRING EVERYONE TO THE LOCATION AND NOBODY COULD LEAVE, THEN WE’D HEAD BACK WITH THE FOOTAGE.
Broadfoot insists the right transportation is also key. For some aerial shooting on the east coast of Jordan in the black desert, the production team on Dune: Part Two flew the director, cast and required crew in on a Black Hawk helicopter. The equipment had been driven in and was waiting for them. They filmed and then jumped back in the chopper.
For transporting the crew and equipment across sand “you need a proper 4x4 vehicle and the right driver behind the wheel,” insists Broadfoot.
“We also have a fleet of fridge and freezer trucks with ice onboard, so there’s plenty of water,” adds supervising location manager Christian McWilliams, who’s worked on several big projects in Morocco including John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum and The Old Guard. “On average each crew member will drink 12 bottles of water a day. If you’ve got 500 people on the dunes that’s a shitload of water. We have laborers who just put ice in bags 24 hours a day.”
Plus, relaying your route beforehand to people you know and local authorities is vital because “when you’re in the deepest, potentially darkest, parts of the desert landscape, there’s no phone signal and you can easily get taken off course,” adds Broadfoot.
TECH
To help with navigating these challenging landscapes, the production and location teams often use technology. “I have the Gaia GPS app to download all the maps offline, but also in areas I haven’t scouted before I can use it to record my route,” says Broadfoot.
For the shoot, many bigger productions will bring in their own internet and phone signal. “On Dune: Part Two, we had the local phone company put up masts so footage could be sent from different units back to a central location for the director to view it,” says Broadfoot.
Sometimes that’s not possible. “In a remote location on the Saudi border, we tried everything but couldn’t get a phone signal. So we had to bring everyone to the location and nobody could leave, then we’d head back with the footage,” adds Broadfoot.
TEMPERATURE AND TIMING
“On Dune: Part Two, we managed to film in the mid-day heat, including the spice harvester action scenes. But the magic hours are morning and afternoon when the sun is lowest. The micro units would capture those,” says Broadfoot. “On Dune it was slightly different. They only wanted the magic hour stuff, so they shot in the morning and then everyone would go back to base camp to relax, then return in the evening.”
DESERT LOCATION HIGHLIGHTS
Morocco
Many projects choose to shoot in Morocco, especially Ouarzazate, the gateway to the Sahara Desert, which can double for the Middle East and Far East.
Travelling between locations is easy. There are plenty of flights and an extensive network of good motorways.
Permits to shoot are usually straightforward but before obtaining one, “you must identify a Moroccan production partner who has an ‘Autorisation d'exercice et agrément de production,” says Said Andam, owner of local production service outfit Ozz Films.
The one challenge is if a production wants to shoot desert and water scenes within a short distance of each other. “It’s usually about five hours between the dunes and lakes. The only chance is if it’s been raining in the area,” says Hicham Hajji, head of H Films.
Tunisia
Since hosting most of the original Star Wars movies, Tunisia has had an influx of projects, although few other blockbusters.
It has a stunning array of landscapes, a good amount of crew, all types of hotels and an extensive road network. “It’s a small country so you can go from desert to sea in just a couple of hours. We have dunes and rocky, Mars-like landscapes,” says Anis Absi, CEO of Scouting Tunisia, who’s provided services to shows including HBO/BBC drama House of Sadam
Productions just need to have a military observer on set, but they can be integrated into the team and actually help with road closures, insists Absi.
Dunes are easily accessible in 4x4s and there are equipped desert camps every quarter of an hour with electricity, ideal for productions and to prevent getting lost. Absi recommends avoiding the luxury camps as they get busy. But you can still film the desert 360 degrees without seeing anyone. “There are plenty of wells to supply water for crew.”
Most equipment is also available for desert shoots, and anything that’s not (like the Russian arms) can be imported from Italy (one hour away by ferry).
It’s worth noting that the deserts in the south are closed between early July and the middle of September due to the heat and dry sand. Absi says there are Desert Openers (local experts) who can clear paths to help productions shoot then if required.
“In LA we have snake wranglers all the time. On a recent shot we had three of them walking through the bush making sure pathways were clear for the crew. There are also red ants that just come up out of the ground, climb up your leg and bite you. So we have spray to deal with them.” Mandi Dillin
“We have a guy who checks for critters. He’ll often come back with a washing line of snakes.” Christian McWilliams
Experienced Moroccan location manager Mustapha Adidou (Sahara, Black Hawk Down) agrees: “When it’s really hot, we start like 4am and stop at about 11am. Then we shoot again at 5pm until 9pm.”
For the HBO TV series Westworld, the production team were filming May to October in the intense heat of Los Angeles. “It wasn’t the Sahara desert, but it was really hot still and we had to be careful,” says Dillin, SLM on the series. “On season two there were about 300 background artists dressed in period western costumes made of wool doing fight sequences in 104 degrees Fahrenheit.
In Morocco, McWilliams says they bring in vast aircon units that pump air into the tents where the extras are changing, and have bins full of wet flannels and ice for the crew to cool down. “Helicopters are on standby in case of medical emergency to fly them out,” he says.
WEATHER PROOF
Beyond the heat, productions also need to manage other extreme weather conditions.
“We’ve had serious sandstorms on productions, and sometimes lose our base camp because of strong winds,” says Khalid Boulasri, an experienced location manager in Morocco. “You have to be prepared for quick changes in the weather and protecting sets.”
Equally, he points to the devastating effects of rain storms. “On Charlie Wilson’s War, we lost the location and set to the rain and wind because it was so bad. We had to rebuild, which took a few weeks and a lot of money.”
In Jordan, Broadfoot experienced a severe electrical storm. “We lost that whole filming day. It was not ideal, but safety is paramount, especially with electrical storms and high winds.”
THEY BRING IN VAST AIRCON UNITS THAT PUMP AIR INTO THE TENTS WHERE THE EXTRAS ARE CHANGING, AND HAVE BINS FULL OF WET FLANNELS AND ICE FOR THE CREW TO COOL DOWN.
In Spain, where Amazon Studios has been filming The Mallorca Files in soaring summer temperatures, “we have to follow extreme weather protocols with plenty of medics and health and safety officers on hand ensuring people have respite in the shade and rehydration,” insists Mike Day, owner of Palma Pictures, who provide service support on the series.
Ben Donald of Cosmopolitan Films, executive producer of the series, adds: “It doesn’t matter if you’re filming in a field, desert or city, if it’s 40 degrees it’s going to be dry and the same rules apply. You need a lot of water, shade and everything moves slower. You have to focus on your page count for the day.”
The cast on these films also have the benefit of a temperature controlled environment that they can retreat to when not performing to preserve themselves for longer in a day.
Donald also points to little things to keep an eye on, like sweaty shirts and hair and make-up. “There needs to be consistency. If you’re doing a lot of walk and talk scenes you need to give the actors breaks, while conscious of the schedule. It requires a conversation with all parties to make sure they’re happy we’re doing it a certain way that makes sense.”
Dillin agrees. “You have to make sure the medic and assistant director are aware of the time that people are spending in the sun and there’s enough water and sachets to go around and that people are eating. It’s really physically challenging in these conditions, so it has to be a team effort between production and locations.
“Even now on The Morning Show we started filming at the beginning of July and temperatures were 95 degrees Fahrenheit in LA so we need to provide moving air. There are safety standards if it’s over 82 degrees.”
Local knowledge is vital in these situations. “We’ve used Mustapha (Adidou), who will lick his finger, hold it to the sky, and say there’s a sandstorm coming when everything appears calm. Others say he’s mad, but then 20 minutes later everything goes black,” says McWilliams.
“WE’VE HAD SERIOUS SANDSTORMS ON PRODUCTIONS, AND SOMETIMES LOSE OUR BASE CAMP BECAUSE OF STRONG WINDS.”
While protecting cast and crew is priority number one, looking after kit is also important. “In the dunes, we create this spider web of walkways so that people can drag the equipment off the sand, and then we have pads where it can rest,” says Broadfoot. “But this is desert filming. You’re going to get sand in everything. I’ve lost a couple of cameras from sand getting in the zoom lenses.”
“At base camp we’d have marquees set up with compressed air guns and jet washers, so that people can clean their equipment.”
CLEANING UP
Clearing up after the shoot is also important from an environmental standpoint. “You cannot just go into the desert with 400 crew and heavy duty vehicles and do whatever you want,” says Broadfoot. “We had a consultant from the environment agency with us through prep. For example, when shooting Arrakis in the desert it had to be just dry sand. But Wadi Rum had plants in the landscape, so we had to carefully cover them with hessian material.
“After filming we had to remove all the roads and infrastructure we built, brush out tyre marks, even our footprints as we retreated to base camp. In Abu Dhabi, the roads (made of natural material) actually dissipated themselves due to the sand and wind. If you went back there now you wouldn’t even know anyone had been there.”
One of the hottest filming territories for good reason with stunning historic and coastal locations, an abundance of great crew and a stable incentive programme.
The US studios, streamers and even famous YouTubers are among many to descend on Croatia in the last couple of years to film their various projects. These include Sky Studios series The Day of the Jackal, starring Eddie Redmayne, Universal Pictures/Blumhouse Productions’ film Speak no Evil, starring James McAvoy, BBC series SAS Rogue Heroes, Amazon series The Terminal List: Dark Wolf and YouTube sensation MrBeast’s latest video, which he shot in an abandoned hotel in Dubrovnik.
“WE WERE DRAWN TO THE BREATHTAKING HILLS OF ISTRIA, AS WELL AS THE BEAUTIFUL TOWNS OF MOTOVUN AND GROZNJAN.”
Many of these productions have taken advantage of a variety of locations across Croatia, which they’ve often doubled for other countries, and accessed the enticing 25% financial incentive (which rises to 30% for productions that shoot in regions with below-average development), including spy thriller The Day of the Jackal, which shot in Dubrovnik, Zagreb and Istria.
“We managed to double Spanish locations in the town of Rabac on the eastern side of the Istrian peninsula, and some French locations along the coast, in places like Opatija (on the Kvarner Gulf, known as the Croatian Riviera). Plus we shot some Afghanistan locations on the island of Pag,” says Erika Milutin, managing director of Embassy Films, the service provider of the series in Croatia.
LOCATION HIGHLIGHT
Rabac
This small resort town is on the eastern side of the Istrian peninsula, so less well known than the popular destinations on the west side. But that’s part of its alure. The beaches are clean and the water clear. There are a growing number of villas and other accommodation available, mostly on a hill slope as the town is set against an impressive mountainous backdrop.
Just 5km away is also the pretty hill town of Labin with its old town streets, churches and palace.
Both locations were used for The Day of the Jackel as doubles for Spain
*ADDITIONAL 5% FOR FILMING IN REGIONS WITH BELOW AVERAGE DEVELOPMENT
132 productions have benefited from the
since
Photo: Damir
Fabijanić
Filming in Croatia Incentive Programme
2012, including Game of Thrones, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, McMafia, Tribes of Europa, Succession, The Playlist, The Witcher, Vikings: Valhalla, Hotel Portofino, The Ipcress File, Infinity Pool, Lee, Canary Black and many more.
Q&A
ERIKA MILUTIN MANAGING DIRECTOR Embassy Films
Q: Tell us about your work on the Searchlight musical drama film O’Dessa?
A: The whole film was done in Zagreb (apart from a few scenes in the US). They needed a post modern sort of look and used some of the demolished buildings for the story.
Q: Did the production use mostly local crew?
A: Yes, it was about 95% Croatian crew. The rebate requires international productions to use at least 50% local. But we need to expand our crew base because a lot of productions come here and take our best people back with them.
Q: What do you make of the studio situation in Croatia?
A: There needs to be more built. We actually used one as a location because it was so run down. The few that are usable tend to be booked up with local productions. So, much like the rest of the world, we end up converting warehouses into studio spaces (as we did on O’Dessa).
Impressively, the production team also managed to shoot at the busy Zagreb airport. “It was complex preparation for very simple execution,” explains Milutin. “There were security measures and airport approval procedures to sort out and follow, but we were only filming on the outside, not inside, which meant just changing the approach to arrivals and departures and the parking lots. We were there with about 200 crew and trailers, but it all worked really well. It just took a little longer in terms of permits and prep.”
Milutin also provided production services on The Terminal List: Dark Wolf, which doubled Zadar for Mosul, Iraq. “The streets were similar, while the art and dressing departments changed things a bit, like signage. Lots of productions are now choosing to do their Middle East set projects here – it’s safe, great production value (in terms of history and costs) and the crew are excellent.”
On SAS: Rogue Heroes season two they needed extensive rural and town locations for Italy. “This led to a search for exteriors in Istria where it is 40% less than the cost of shooting in real Italy,” says Stephen Smallwood, series producer. “Since Venice had ruled Istria for approximately 400 years, the architecture was and is distinctly Italian in selected areas and it worked extremely well.”
Smallwood also points to the quality and low cost of the local crew and the cash rebate as enticing factors, “making shooting in Croatia advantageous”.
The only challenges that he highlights are the potential “wet weather and shortage of hotel rooms as the summer tourist season started. The schedule was very much worked around local accommodation issues, but successfully so.”
It was a similar story on Speak No Evil. “We were drawn to the breathtaking hills of Istria, as well as the beautiful towns of Motovun and Groznjan, which were perfect for our film,” says Paul Ritchie, producer of the film. “Secondly, the cash rebate is a huge part of deciding where to film in Europe and Croatia’s cash rebate programme has always been a reliable and straightforward system.”
Ritchie admits they had a short prep time, which made it challenging and they had to move fast, but “MP Film Production and Igor Nola were the perfect partners to help us achieve everything”.
SPOILT FOR CHOICE
Early 2024 proved particularly busy with productions. “There were so many projects coming in that I had to hire people to help,” says Andjela Prnjak, founder and CEO of production service providers and casting agents Croatian Creative Films. “One of these was the popular US reality show 90 Day Fiance, which shot for about 30 days in and around Split.”
The challenge on that project was that the locations kept changing because it’s a reality show, which meant “quickly thinking on my feet, like suddenly needing to find a bar overlooking the city. But I thrive on that challenge,” adds Prnjak.
Finding the right locations is a lot easier when there are so many good ones to choose from. “It’s amazing what and how much you can film in Croatia,” says Prnjak. “From Split with its beautiful beaches you can be in the mountains in half an hour, and then in an hour you’re in a completely different country (Bosnia). Plus there are so many little islands to choose from.”
THE WALLED CITY OF DUBROVNIK ALSO REMAINS A POPULAR SHOOTING SPOT, BOASTING A MIX OF ROMAN, MEDIEVAL, RENAISSANCE AND BAROQUE ARCHITECTURE.
The walled city of Dubrovnik also remains a popular shooting spot, boasting a mix of Roman, medieval, renaissance and baroque architecture, as well as beaches with azure seas, castles, vineyards, cobblestones and snowy peaks. The city has a good infrastructure, with an airport and hotels for large crews. HBO shot several seasons of Game Of Thrones there and more recently Netflix series Vikings: Valhalla and Sky’s biographical drama Lee, starring Kate Winslet, filmed in the city.
“Dubrovnik has a distinct look with incredible historic locations that were perfect,” says Milutin, who provided services for both projects. “On Lee, we used an abandoned resort called Kupari that was ideal as a war torn location. They wanted one with a Mediterranean feel, more French looking, so this worked, and was cheaper than building a set.”
While for Vikings: Valhalla, the production team had to shut down some city approaches and main streets. “We even shot in front of the Rector’s Palace and the main cathedral, which required special permission, but the authorities were very co-operative. We just had to be careful to avoid tourists, so kept an eye on the number of cruise ships in town.”
The one thing productions need to be careful of when shooting in Dubrovnik is it’s a protected UNESCO World Heritage site.
Croatia’s capital Zagreb and the city of Rijeka are also popular shooting spots.
CREW AND INFRASTRUCTURE
Shooting at these locations can be relatively straightforward, say producers, but requires the assistance of experienced local production service providers and crew. There are plenty to choose from across Croatia, all of whom speak good English, including those quoted here.
Finding the right equipment is also easy through rental houses, most based in Zagreb, and general costs are lower than in the US and UK.
The one thing missing is studio space. The options are limited with the stand-out being Zagreb-based Jadran Film’s facility in the city with five soundstages, including one with an internal pool. There have been plans for a few years to build a state-of-the-art studio complex near Zagreb, but these have yet to be brought to fruition.
Looking ahead, after a relatively quiet few summer months, partly because of the US strikes and ensuing disputes, production levels are expected to rise again over the winter months and into 2025.
SOMETHING ELSE
Building fast
The number of building permits in Croatia rose 19.8% year-on-year to 948 in June, according to the latest Croatian Bureau of Statistics.
A total of 1,816 dwellings are planned to be built, up 58.3% on the previous year.
However, Dubrovnik mayor, Mato Frankovic recently announced that building permits will no longer be issued for the construction of new holiday apartments because any further expansion of tourism in the Adriatic coastal city is unsustainable.
“Every new building in Dubrovnik was not built so that someone could live there but to rent it out,” he boldly claimed.
This follows the Eurostat report which said Croatia maintained its position as the EU country with the highest growth in housing prices in the second quarter of 2024.
Companies like A24, Neon and Blumhouse are taking the horror genre to new heights. makers unlocks the secrets of their success.
The horror genre is proving more popular than ever, doubling its market share from 4.87% in 2013 to 10.08% in 2023, according to movie industry data service The Numbers
Producers and distributors A24, Neon and Blumhouse have set a new standard for the independent horror filmmakers, taking the genre to new heights, reinventing franchises and welcoming a new era of spooky and sinister storytelling.
LOW BUDGETS AND HIGH RETURNS
Once a small budget up-and-comer, A24 kickstarted its rise with Jonathan Glazer’s sci-fi Under the Skin in 2013 and has since produced a string of successful projects with bigger budgets and box office figures, right up to the terrifying trio of Ti West’s X series. But the A24 vibe remains the same.
“A24’s ability to market their films with distinct, memorable campaigns while still allowing the director’s voice to come through is something I respect,” says Chris Cronin, award-winning
Independent horror has not only become a profitable niche but also a creative haven where filmmakers can experiment with bold ideas that may not be embraced by larger studios. Several factors have contributed to the rise of indie horror, from the genre's inherent flexibility and low production costs to its deep psychological connection with audiences.
“Independent filmmakers often work with limited resources, which forces us to be highly creative in building tension and fear without relying on massive budgets or special effects,” adds Cronin.
“These constraints push us to focus on storytelling, atmosphere, and character-essential elements in creating effective horror. I also like to believe that we take more risks and explore unconventional ideas, which keeps the genre fresh and evolving. Not having a budget forces us to present horrors in ways other than expensive visual effects. Our budget for The Moor was tight, so we had to be sparing with VFX and rely on storytelling techniques to be scary.”
INDEPENDENT HORROR HAS NOT ONLY BECOME A PROFITABLE NICHE BUT ALSO A CREATIVE HAVEN WHERE FILMMAKERS CAN EXPERIMENT WITH BOLD IDEAS THAT MAY NOT BE EMBRACED BY LARGER STUDIOS.
Blumhouse Productions revolutionised the horror industry with its micro-budget model. Founded by Jason Blum, the company has produced many successful projects on a shoestring, including Paranormal Activity (2007), made for just USD15,000, and more recently Get Out (2017), with a budget of USD4.5 million. Both films grossed hundreds of millions of dollars worldwide, proving that horror does not require big budgets to make a big impact.
“We borrowed the French auteur system and applied it to very commercial filmmaking. We give them more control than they typically get in Hollywood, but they have to give us something as well: a commitment to make movies inexpensively,” Blum commented on a panel at the Locarno Film Festival.
The immense profitability of the Blumhouse films has inspired other independent production companies to follow their lead, demonstrating that horror can be a low-risk, high-reward venture.
CREATIVE FREEDOM AND RISK-TAKING
A recent good example of this is Neon’s film Longlegs, directed by Osgood Perkins and starring Nicolas Cage, with a budget of less than USD10 million, which thrived on suspense-filled marketing campaigns and chilling testimonials of audience members. The film set a new box office record for Neon, raking in USD22.6 million in it’s opening weekend, and has since gone on to take more than USD100 million.
The company used clever marketing, pushing cryptic messages on billboards, eerie images and mini clips across social media, and one frightful poster that simply read: ‘The birthday girl. 8 years old. Police report: January 13, 1974. So lucky to celebrate.’
Neon’s founder and CEO Tom Quinn has often touched on the company’s “agnostic mantra”, regarding “great cinema as great cinema” regardless of the genre of their projects. This inclusive approach to all their films has established a consistent quality from drama to horror.
“I view our entire slate as equally valuable, regardless of whether a movie is subtitled or belongs to a certain genre,” Quinn commented at the Marché du Film in Cannes this year.
Horror films produced by indies often embrace creative risk-taking in ways that mainstream studio films may not. The freedom to explore unconventional ideas has allowed independent horror films to delve into subject matter that may be seen as too risky or niche for mainstream audiences.
For instance, Ari Aster’s Hereditary (2018) and Robert Eggers’ The Witch (2015), both produced by A24, are examples of horror films that defy conventional expectations. These films do not rely solely on jump scares or traditional horror tropes, but instead focus on psychological tension, character development, and unsettling atmospheres.
“HORROR HAS LONG BEEN A STAPLE IN THE FILM INDUSTRY, DOUBLING ITS MARKET SHARE FROM 2013 TO 2023, SPURRED ON BY THE SUCCESS OF THE INDIE FILMMAKER.”
Hereditary, in particular, explores themes of family trauma and grief in a way that is both emotionally resonant and terrifying, creating a nuanced horror experience that mainstream studios might have been reluctant to embrace.
“The market is quite heavily saturated at the moment, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing,” says Ryan Hendrick, filmmaker and founder of Magic Monkey Films, whose credits include The Bench and Mercy Falls. “When companies like A24, Neon and others come out with more rated horror it legitimises the genre. I think audiences are bored of the studios pumping out nothing but the big tent pole IPs. People want originality.”
Hendrick and Magic Monkey co-founder David Newman hopped on the Scottish horror The Bench after a 17 year stand still on the production due to logistical and financial issues. Inspired by classics of the genre such as Halloween, The Hills and Texas
I THINK AUDIENCES ARE BORED OF THE STUDIOS PUMPING OUT NOTHING BUT THE BIG TENT POLE IPS. PEOPLE WANT ORIGINALITY.
Chainsaw Massacre, Sam Wilkie’s grisly slasher exemplifies technology’s contribution to the longevity and development of the Indie horror. With continuity issues, Hendrick was able to cut around the character’s differing appearances from 17 years ago to now, leaning into its 1970’s 16mm film aesthetic.
In addition to thematic and technological risks, independent horror often defies audience expectations by rejecting genre conventions. While mainstream horror films tend to rely on predictable formulas and recycled tropes once reserved for the C-list actor, independent filmmakers frequently subvert these conventions to surprise or challenge their audiences.
FLEXIBLE GENRE
One of the key reasons horror has thrived in the independent sector is the genre's remarkable flexibility. Horror films can span a wide range of subgenres, from psychological thrillers to slasher flicks, supernatural terror, body horror, and even comedy-horror hybrids.
This adaptability allows filmmakers to create stories that resonate with diverse audience segments without adhering to the rigid formulas often found in mainstream films. Indie filmmakers are able to craft stories that reflect their unique visions, exploring taboo subjects or unconventional narratives.
“I tend to focus on the psychological aspects of horror, creating tension through unsettling atmospheres rather than jump scares,” says Cronin. “That’s not to say I don’t enjoy a good jump scare –I made a short film, Oscar’s Bell, that totally played into that vibe – but I think the ending of that film struck the strongest chord with me. How long can you hold a shot without losing the horror feeling? I like to blur the lines between reality and paranoia, making the audience question what’s real and what’s in the characters’ heads. It’s also important for me to ground the horror in the human experience, using relatable fears rather than relying on gore.”
Horror as a genre also tends to rely less on high-end special effects and large-scale production values, focusing instead on tension, atmosphere, and character-driven storytelling. This makes it an ideal playground for independent producers who can work within limited budgets while still delivering compelling films.
The stripped-down nature of many horror films allows for greater creative freedom, as filmmakers are not constrained by the need to appease mainstream expectations for glossy production values. Iconic films like The Blair Witch Project (1999), made on a shoestring budget, prove that horror can succeed when stripped down to its essential elements of suspense and fear.
PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SOCIETAL RELEVANCE
Horror, more than perhaps any other genre, is capable of tapping into the deep-seated fears and anxieties of its audience. Filmmakers have capitalised
on this by crafting stories that reflect societal concerns, from political unrest to economic instability, environmental crises, and cultural divides. These films often resonate deeply with viewers, as they tap into real-world fears that extend beyond the supernatural or fantastical.
“I think we’ve leaned into a wave of horror that focuses more explicitly on commentary around society, identity, and trauma,” says Cronin. “There’s a much greater emphasis on psychological horror, tapping into deeper fears and anxieties. Not that horror hasn’t always done that metaphorically, but it feels like these themes are more on the surface now.
“It’s suspense of disbelief, the imagination, and the plethora of concepts and stories that you can tell in that genre that makes it so enticing for audiences,” says Hendricks. “You can tell an incredible number of stories, but you can also be quite clever and actually tell a cultural significance under the guise of an entertaining horror film. You can talk about serious issues without preaching to the audience.”
Jordan Peele’s Get Out is a prime example of a film that uses its genre trappings to explore broader societal issues.
“INDIE HORROR’S SUCCESS IS BASED ON ITS SEPARATION FROM THE MAINSTREAM, ADAPTING TO DIFFERENT SUBGENRES AND EXPLORING NEW MEANS OF STORYTELLING.”
The film’s depiction of racism and cultural appropriation within the framework of a psychological horror thriller elevated it beyond the genre's traditional confines, earning it widespread critical acclaim and an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.
“What I also see emerging is a renewed appreciation for the stripped-down, visceral style of classic horror,” adds Cronin. “I believe the 70s style of horror will make a comeback, and archetypal monster movies can feel fresh again, much like in the Hammer horror days. The genre keeps reinventing itself. Every few years, it breaks into the mainstream, but there’s always that constant horror base keeping these stories alive and relevant.”
Independent horror films have often thrived because they operate outside of the constraints of the mainstream, which may shy away from political or controversial content in order to avoid alienating certain demographics. The smaller, more niche audiences targeted by independent horror films are often more receptive to challenging or provocative themes. This allows independent filmmakers to engage with issues such as mental health, gender, race, and identity in ways that feel authentic and unfiltered.
Even as technology evolves and audience tastes shift, indie filmmakers have adapted to remain at the forefront of the genre, pushing boundaries and exploring new ways to terrify and engage their audiences.
Expanding studio space, intriguing coastal and historical sites and increased government funding are making the south of France a very appealing location for international productions.
Traditionally, international productions have flocked to Paris. But an increasing number in recent years have chosen the south of France instead (or as well), particularly drawn to the impressive Provence Studios in Martigues near Marseilles and Victorine Studios in Nice, as well as the incredible historic and coastal locations. Plus, the expanding/returning experienced crew base now settled in the region.
Another huge attraction is the 30% financial incentive, which rises to 40% when productions do VFX work in France too. “It is so important. Before the incentive there was a mass exodus of talent to Los Angeles, London, Vancouver etc, but in the last few years many have returned. My business went from picking up little bits and pieces of shoots, a week or two here and there, to several major projects shooting long term,” says John Bernard, executive producer at Peninsula Film, who’s provided services to several big projects shooting in the region, including the Amazon Studios film Heads of State, which filmed at Victorine Studios and on location, including Sospel, which doubled for Spain, Grasse and Theoule Sur Mer.
“ANOTHER HUGE ATTRACTION IS THE 30% FINANCIAL INCENTIVE, WHICH RISES TO 40% WHEN PRODUCTIONS DO VFX WORK IN FRANCE TOO.”
“That film came in on a 30% rebate and by the time they left they were on a 40% rebate because they embraced the extra 10% by doing visual effects here too.”
The regional government (Region Sud) has undoubtedly done its bit too, investing EUR67 million in cultural developments in 2024, including EUR20 million to support artistic creation, production and distribution. Plus providing local funding (on top of the potential 40% national financial rebate) for projects that shoot and spend 160% of the subsidy in the region. Total funding amounted to EUR7.25 million last year.
“The south has become the preferred location for audiovisual fiction, series and television movies, both for traditional networks and on-demand platforms,” insists Michel Bissiere, regional delegate counsellor for cultural and artistic life at Region Sud.
Last year, there were 215 shooting days of foreign fiction projects (films, television series and platforms) in the south, including the popular Lionsgate series The Serpent Queen and Warner Bros. Pictures/New Line’s horror sequel The Nun 2. And several more have arrived in 2024, including Disney+ thriller The Amateur, starring Rami Malek. All of which shot at Provence Studios.
“We have built our own one-stop shop, sustainable, eco system at the studios (converted from a warehouse) for international productions – like these three projects - here in the south, including stages, workshops, rental companies and more,” says Olivier Marchetti, CEO of Provence Studios. “We are in the perfect location close to the big city of Marseilles with all the infrastructure – hotels, airports, highways etc - and a climate and light like Los Angeles.”
THEY’RE ALSO TRAINING UP THE NEXT GENERATION AND THOSE CHANGING CAREERS TO WORK ON VIRTUAL TECH – AND OTHER AREAS OF THE FILM BUSINESS –THROUGH THEIR ON-SITE TRAINING HUB.
For The Serpent Queen, the production team built huge standing sets in the Provence Studios stages for season one and returned there for season two. “We have a very good relationship with the studio and all our teams love being there because it’s very user friendly,” says Bernard, producer of the series.
“There’s plenty of room around it for construction, hair and make-up, wardrobe, storage and everything. Plus, we managed to build an entire permanent base camp on one of the backlots, so the actors were happy because they had their own homes on the compound.”
The series also took advantage of The Next Stage virtual production volume (from La Planete Rouge) at Provence studios. “This helped reduce the costs and the carbon footprint of the production,” says Marchetti, adding that sustainability is one of the key things at the studios, where they recycle and upcycle sets and costumes and the roofs are covered in solar panels.
They’re also training up the next generation and those changing careers to work on virtual tech – and other areas of the film business – through their on-site training hub.
“We want to initiate the projects and talent from here, rather than just welcome them in,” insists Marchetti. “Productions coming in have everything they need here. Plus, there’s less traffic than in Paris and it’s easier to find crew here. So a lot more producers are shooting Paris in Marseilles instead.”
Xavier Roy, executive producer at Froggie Production, adds that “international projects are finding it increasingly hard to find studio space (and parking) in Paris, London and Eastern Europe, so Provence Studios is a great option because they have a lot of space, can be flexible and adapt to the needs of each project”.
Conveniently, Italy is also only a short drive from the studios. The production team of The Serpent Queen shot some scenes in Genoa, which is “only a two and a half hour drive away from Marseilles, so we could leave our base and be at the Renaissance buildings there really quickly,” says Bernard.
Impressively, Bernard managed to shoot both The Nun 2 and The Serpent Queen at the studios at the same time. “It stretched things a little in terms of offices, but worked really well for both productions and me. When they came back for reshoots on that film, I was still doing The Serpent Queen, so it was easy.”
He also points to the affordable local accommodation available around the studios; that it’s cheaper to shoot there than in Paris; and, like Marchetti pointed out, “by season two we had a lot more local crew in and around Marseilles available to us on the show. A lot of them have moved out of the capital and are happy settling down in Provence.”
“THE AGENCIES ASSIST WITH PERMITS QUICKLY AND LOCALS ARE HAPPY THAT A LOT OF MONEY IS BEING BROUGHT IN TO THE LOCAL ECONOMY.”
Bernard says they’ve even managed to pay to keep their sets standing in the stages between each season of The Serpent Queen, “so we could start up next week if we wanted,” he adds.
The local people and film agencies (17 film commissions across the region) are also enthusiastic and supportive about the increased activity in the south. “Everyone’s pulling in the same direction,” says Marchetti. “The agencies assist with permits quickly and locals are happy that a lot of money is being brought in to the local economy.”
Marchetti is also in the process of setting up a new studio in the suburbs of Marseilles with stages, workshops and offices which will, he hopes, be ready in about three years. “This is in development and I want it to include a backlot of Los Angeles streets because a lot of productions want to shoot USA in France,” he says.
Roy adds: “We managed to double the mountains north of Nice for Afghanistan for US television show Covert Affairs a few years back. We built an entire terrorist camp there.”
Pruss argues, though, there is not only competition between the southern region and Paris, but also between Marseilles and Nice. “They are two distinct cities with their own cultures and landscapes –Nice with its villas and palm-lined streets, Marseilles a more urban set up - and obviously they want to attract productions. Both have great infrastructure, although Marseilles probably has more crew available.”
OUR DOUBLING LOCATIONS ARE A REAL COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE, THE LUBERON CAN STAND IN FOR THE WILD WEST, NICE FOR ITALY, CANNES FOR LOS ANGELES, MARSEILLES FOR NORTH AFRICA, AND THE HAUTEALPES FOR CANADIAN LAKES.
It’s not just Marseilles getting in on the action though. Victorine Studios has also been busy hosting a number of international productions, including Heads of State
“That film was due to shoot in Italy and England, but was put on hold because of the strikes. “It was going to cost a lot to rebuild the sets there again, so they called me about shooting at a similar location to Italy where they could be striking distance from a studio, so Victorine worked perfectly,” says Bernard, who has an office at the facilities.
Victorine Studios is just 15 minutes from Nice airport and situated close to the Riviera. The facility is also changing hands from being managed by the local town hall to private management by the company Color (a subsidiary of the post production company Digital District Entertainment) in collaboration with the Chamber of Commerce. “So, the plan is to develop and modernise the studios,” adds Bernard.
The Provence-Alpes-Cotes d’Azur region is also one of the priorities of the national France 2030 plan to improve infrastructure, so further construction of audiovisual facilities, including virtual production and post production studios, is expected to take place in the south in the coming months and years. This includes a 30,000 sqm Pics Studio facility being built outside Montpellier.
“A lot of VFX companies are moving to Montpellier as well,” says Pruss. “The crew and rent are cheaper there than other parts of France, so it’s turning into a great production base.”
Roy adds: “The local Occitanie film commission in Montpelier is also really helpful. We shot a Netflix film there recently and they helped with finding people and locations to shoot in, including SaintClement-de-Riviere, a small, picturesque fishing village west of the city on a cliff looking out to sea. And we’re going to shoot a project in the port city of Sete, also in the Occitanie region, which has a canal network like in Venice. It’s very cinematic.”
“THE PROVENCEALPES-COTES D’AZUR REGION IS ALSO ONE OF THE PRIORITIES OF THE NATIONAL FRANCE 2030 PLAN TO IMPROVE INFRASTRUCTURE.”
Nice itself is also a huge draw with its stunning beaches, historic buildings and stylish villas. “There’s 300 days of sunshine and you can easily cheat Italy in in the city,” says William Pruss, head of Gaumont’s production services division. “We managed to shoot MGM series The Reunion in Nice and Cannes. Even scenes that were supposed to be the UK, we cheated them in France. While at the Esterel Massif mountain range on the French Riviera (located between Cannes and Frejus) there is beautiful coastline made of red rocks, which can double for Texas.”
Overall, it’s easy to see why the Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur region is proving so popular. “Our doubling locations are a real competitive advantage, the Luberon can stand in for the Wild West, Nice for Italy, Cannes for Los Angeles, Marseilles for North Africa, and the Haute-Alpes for Canadian lakes,” enthuses Bissiere. “Plus, we are a recognized professional sector with 9,000 professionals, including 4,000 technicians, 2,000 actors, and 800 writers/directors, 50 production companies, and the highest concentration of technical industries after Île-de-France.”
International producers are often “pleasantly surprised with what they can achieve here in the South of France, in terms of quality of crew, production people, locations, studios and all at a reasonable price,” concludes Bernard.
A NOVEL AND POWERFUL WAY TO CONVEY HISTORY WON THE IMMERSIVE COMPETITION AT CANNES
Making of Noire
Arench-Taiwanese production Noire won the inaugural immersive competition at the Cannes Film Festival. Created by Tania de Montaigne, Stéphane Foenkinos and Pierre-Alain Giraud, Colored is an augmentedreality, location-based installation at the intersection of digital arts and live performance. It takes viewers back to Alabama in 1955 when 15-year-old Claudette Colvin refused to give up her seat to a
white passenger on a bus. Nine months later, famously Rosa Parks repeated the gesture igniting the civil rights movement.
With the help of a light augmented reality helmet (HoloLens 2) and a bone conduction headset, holograms of the young Claudette and characters in the narrative come to life (in reality, actors filmed in volumetric capture and then digitised). The space is minimalist, the stage is practically bare, and the presence of balancing suspended objects suggests
the fragility of a story being reconstructed. On a screen, montages combine archives, videos, promotional clips and original images. Documents collected on-site in Montgomery form bridges between the real world and the virtual world.
In addition to AR, the experience includes fans blowing air, ambient lighting design and evocative music of the era. Noire is produced by Novaya with Flash Forward Entertainment and first performed at the Pompidou Centre.
Mistrali’s campaign The First Speech for Reporters Without Borders shows how newly elected world leaders have championed democracy only to quickly turn against human rights.
Are there Ghosts in the Content Machine?
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND CGI ARE PROVING TO BE BENEFICIAL TOOLS OF THE TRADE IN CREATIVE CONTENT, BUT HANDCRAFT IS STILL HUGELY VALUED. MAKERS SPEAKS TO FESTIVAL DIRECTOR, FRANCISCO CONDORELLI, AND SOME WINNERS OF CICLOPE, THE GLOBAL AWARD EVENT OF FILM AND ADVERTISING, ABOUT HOW CRAFT IS STANDING THE TEST OF TIME AND TECHNOLOGY.
This October, CICLOPE returned to Berlin for its annual three-day networking event of creative professionals, which concluded with awards honouring the talent across commercials, music videos and short films.
It comes at a time when AI tools are transforming the creative process. Open AI’s Sora platform (yet to be publicly released) which can create realistic and imaginative scenes from text instructions, or Meta’s Movie Gen, which transforms existing videos with text inputs.
What makes human-created content still stand-out is the emotional side of the filmmaking. Brands and production companies still seek a distinct human touch, thought and guidance.
For Gucci’s creative director Sabato De Sarno, choosing directors Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman to make the documentary Who is Sabato De Sarno? A Gucci Story was hugely important because he’d been impressed with their style on the 2012 short documentary A Brief History of John Baldessari.
The Gucci film, about Sarno’s first collection, follows a similar approach with hand-held footage, intimate interviews with close friends and family and impressive animated intercuts, all with a voice over by brand ambassador Paul Mescal, and done in a humorous style.
“We had the freedom to make this project fun and different, mixing fashion and comedy together, which is a rare thing,” says editor Matt Posey of the film, which picked up the Grand Prix award at CICLOPE.
“The craft of it all reflects the style that Henry and Ariel have created throughout their career. It informed the level of craft that we put in it, from what the best font was for a specific joke to what background to use to communicate each idea and emotion we want the viewer to feel.”
Conveying subtle emotions, from the flicker of doubt in the eyes to the tension in De Sarno’s posture as he anxiously watches everything coming together, are details captured without the need for digital interference.
“There are a few personality traits of Sabato that we wanted to get across,” adds Posey. “He likes to say ‘this is just who I am’, so we wanted to get that across, but also things that the directors picked up spending so much time with him. One of those qualities was that he likes words in art, so we toyed with including them in the visuals. But even on a more emotional note, we learned that he’s very much a family person, so we ensured that was a through-line of the piece.”
Stink Films’ director Giordano Mistrali, also insists on the importance of human craft and creativity, which he believes will continue to be relevant, much like the white t-shirt and pair of Levi Jeans combo, “classics that will never die,” he says.
Mistrali’s campaign The First Speech for Reporters Without Borders shows how newly elected world leaders have championed democracy only to quickly turn against human rights. The key was exploring the clash between the visuals and vocals.
His background in photography helped him build tension through subtle movements of the actors, from gripped fists to rolling eyes. The film ends with the statement: ‘The loss of freedom is never obvious at first.’
“WHAT MAKES HUMANCREATED CONTENT STILL STANDOUT IS THE EMOTIONAL SIDE OF THE FILMMAKING. BRANDS AND PRODUCTION COMPANIES STILL SEEK A DISTINCT HUMAN TOUCH, THOUGHT AND GUIDANCE.”
“It's just simple, natural, down-to-earth and grounded in real situations,” says Mistrali of the project, which also picked a Grand Prix. “It was a very intense process of dialing into the most tiny details to bring out that depth. Although we portray different cultures in the project, facilitated by filming in Georgia and southern Brazil, there is a commonality between individuals victimized by political exploitation. We wanted that to bleed throughout the scenes whilst keeping the viewer as a third party observer.”
COLLECTIVELY KNOWING WHAT WE'RE AIMING FOR AND KNOWING WHAT WE WANT FROM THE CHARACTER ARC, KEY VISUALS AND GENERAL ARC OF THE FILM IS KEY.
Francisco Condorelli, director of the CICLOPE festival, is keen to showcase and celebrate this kind of attention to detail. “We like the idea of providing the big picture of what is going on in the industry today, which includes people from all different creative disciplines, both up-and-coming and well-established,” he says. “We like the elegance of classic work that is well-crafted, but also the boldness of experimental work created by talent that forces us to see things in a new way.”
This was certainly the case for another Grand Prix winner, Spreadsheets, which managed to combine new tech with old crafts. The campaign by The Youth uses impressive stop-motion techniques to transform an advertiser’s media buying spreadsheet into an animated four-minute music video.
“No AI. Just human ingenuity,” is explicitly stated in the video, as the 25 million data points of the spreadsheet are transformed with the help of creative coding.
Behind the project are software development team Georgis Adamopoulos and Eleana Polychronaki, London based tech company Uncharted, directing duo Rafael Monti and Vinicius Kluge (known as Maldita), and executive producer Diogo Gameiro.
“We have a philosophy here that everyone is an artist in their own way,” adds Gameiro. “I think that when we respect that we make people free to put their soul into it. Collectively knowing what we're aiming for and knowing what we want from the character arc, key visuals and general arc of the film is key. I think that opens space up for everyone to to express what they're feeling and their vision, and, on top of that, have a cohesive result.”
CREATIVE DIVERSITY
“Craft has always been our mantra, and it will continue to be so, as we think it is becoming more and more important,” says Condorelli. “It has the power to transform messages into something truly inspiring and extraordinary.”
“I got into this visual world through tech and post, but trying to align both was something that I'd never actually thought of,” says Gameiro. “The first time I heard it was possible was very exciting. What we tried to do first was look at the spreadsheet as a character. What is the emotional story? What is this character going through? Why is it trying to evolve? Why is it trying to become something else? Then we linked that emotion behind it with the technology. We don't have our usual audience for this project, being used to commercials and music videos in the traditional sense, so it was a challenge.”
Collaboration was key both with the technology and between creatives. “One of the most amazing parts of our work is that we get to learn a lot by talking to the people we work with,” says Monti. “Interacting with new people and learning about their craft oxygenises the workflow.”
Every filmmaker brings their own cultural background, personal experiences and artistic vision to a project. This diversity is crucial to the industry’s ability to continuously innovate and surprise audiences. The process of human collaboration allows for experimentation, mistakes and moments of inspiration, all of which contribute to the development of unique and innovative content.
“ONE OF THE MOST AMAZING PARTS OF OUR WORK IS THAT WE GET TO LEARN A LOT BY TALKING TO THE PEOPLE WE WORK WITH. INTERACTING WITH NEW PEOPLE AND LEARNING ABOUT THEIR CRAFT OXYGENISES THE WORKFLOW.”
It is the human touch that ensures stories remain emotionally resonant, culturally relevant, and creatively vibrant. These qualities are foundational to storytelling in the screen industry, making human craft indispensable.
“Asia may seem like an endless bamboo forest, Until you find the path that leads to the clearing.”
Verdant paddies, marble mountains, ancient citadels, grottoes… just some of the landscapes The CREATV Company has extensive experience navigating. Our hundreds of hours of film, primetime TV, streaming, and digital produced over Vietnam (and our region), are a bridge to the scene-stealing locales, enthralling culture and untapped potential of Vietnam.
We’re exhilarated with the support received from the Government of Vietnam for the last 25 years – a collaboration that has and will continue to underscore our commitment to putting this dynamic nation on the global stage as a premier filming destination.
Brought to you from Ho Chi Minh City by
@CREATVAsia Initiative
The CREATV Company congratulates the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism of Vietnam for the Destination Vietnam: A New Filmmaking Frontier event at the Director’s Guild of America, Los Angeles in Sept 2024. At this event, a delegation of Vietnamese government officials and business representatives announced a framework for attracting further international filmmaking activities to our country.
Since being integral in fostering the return of international film production to Vietnam during the country’s reopening after the COVID-19 pandemic, The CREATV Company has pushed tirelessly to provide
cost-efficiency, logistical support and locations. We’re at the ready to help navigate the intricacies of filming in our home turf. We offer access to a wealth of knowledge and resources, enabling clients to take advantage of the filming ecosystem flourishing in Vietnam.
The CREATV Company, in partnership with our associates and affiliates in the region, is pleased to announce our new initiative @CREATVAsia, offering unparalleled access to the diverse and picturesque locations of what Asia has to offer from our Vietnam hub. The perfect backdrop no matter the vision.
Generated by AI
Facilities Shifting the Focus of Entertainment
Entertainment is evolving. Audiences are stepping in closer and visuals are expanding into larger, increasingly ambitious spaces. VFX houses have taken note. Framestore, Cinesite and Dneg have expanded their inhouse expertise to deliver immersive experiences that blur disciplines, technologies and storytelling.
Technology has caught up with artist capability,” is how Josh Mandel, MD of DNEG IXP sums up the new wave of immersive experiences. “There is a natural belief that the same artists and technologists who work on VFX for features and high-end television can apply that capability in new and different areas. That’s been true for years but you had to work harder to do it. The reality is that with the power of game engines and the ability to use AI to bring ideas to life, technology has finally caught up with human aspiration.”
Analyst Bain & Company says we’ve entered the Immersive Era. Some estimates have the size of the global immersive entertainment market reaching USD426.77 billion by 2030, up from USD61 billion in 2020. Other predictions are even higher for a market that spans virtual, physical and mixed realities, location-based entertainment, outdoor brand activations, theme park rides, museums, galleries, stadia and hotel resorts.
“Consumers are much more sophisticated in their expectations of high quality visuals,” says Andy McNamara, head of CG, Cinesite. “Audiences have grown up with video games and linear media is evolving as the convergence between different industries occur.”
Technology has advanced too, he says, citing more efficient projection systems, higher fidelity displays and virtual production. “The cost of using this tech has also gone down. It means that things you couldn’t do five years ago are possible now.”
For over a century media entertainment has been characterised as two-dimensional, audio visual and passive – albeit often emotionally powerful – and generally presented within rectangular displays. Future engagement with content is increasingly 3D, interactive, multi-sensory and free of the conventional frame whether viewed within VR goggles or mixed with the physical environment.
“Film and television will continue but the market is being driven by a recognition that there are new ways to connect with an audience in positive emotional ways whether on-stage, in-game, at a theme park, as part of a location-based experience, or through headsets,” says Mandel.
The Festival de Cannes’ inaugural Immersive competition this year featured location-based VR and MR, projection mapping and holographic works to “showcase the cutting edge of this new era in storytelling.”
WE NEEDED TO DIVERSIFY OUR TALENT AND OUR PIPELINE. WHEN THE STRIKES HAPPENED AND WORK SLOWED DOWN THE NEED BECAME MORE URGENT.
The Sphere which launched in Las Vegas a year ago is the high water mark. It’s a music venue and a cinema but visitors pay to go there to experience the building itself. Not only does it boast one of the largest indoor and outdoor (spherical) screens in the world, it features haptics that can produce scent or wind or move the seats to enhance audio-visual impact. An entirely new camera and postproduction workflow has been designed just to create experiences for what the Sphere producers claim is a new entertainment medium.
“You become part of the show before you sit down,” says Matt Morgan, business development manager at technology vendor Ross Video. “AI triggers can change the outdoor signage and lighting as you walk through a resort. No longer do we just passively take information in. We are part of the experience.”
Location based experiences and theme parks are one end of the spectrum but brand activations are equally targeted by Cinesite and Dneg. “Disney and Universal are doubling down on the idea that physical space is important,” says Mandel. “Brands will catch up when the scale of these experiences are able to be brought down into more discrete zones like retail footprints. An ever-fragmenting media landscape makes it harder than ever for brands to reach their audiences in meaningful ways.”
VFX facility involvement in these sectors is not new. Glassworks set up a Special Projects division in Barcelona as far back as 2011, taking on projects that fall outside traditional postproduction and digital services. “Projection mapping, interactivity, holograms and stereography are words that we use on a daily basis,” says current division head Xavi Tribo
But with Hollywood studio projects cut back and long term prospects uncertain, attention has to turn to other areas of revenue. The VFX business is volatile and its future under threat in an age of AI.
“When I joined Cinesite in 2021 VFX was a boom industry but I knew we needed to diversify our talent and our pipeline,” says Joce Capper, Cinesite London’s GM. “When the strikes happened and work slowed down the need became more urgent. We used the downtime to ask what can help the company move forward with projects that didn’t involve Hollywood.”
Cinesite Immersive has partnered with London art exhibition Frameless, in which the VFX shop has used its expertise to animate, scale and project masterpieces from Rembrandt and Monet onto a giant canvas.
Frameless CEO Richard Relton said the process “was about exploring how we can harness the film experience of Cinesite’s team to enhance our overall storytelling capabilities and … invest in the emotional connection our visitors can have with the work.”
The skillsets and pipelines are similar to producing VFX for movies but there are differences. “With VFX you have longer lead times than you have with immersive projects,” says McNamara. “Teams have had to adapt their perception of how we do this kind of work. You’ve got to be more agile and you have to add additional creatives into the mix. Not everything is as prescriptive as VFX and that allows our team to explore different techniques and ideas.”
Framestore’s immersive division has worked with the Science Museum to place visitors at the heart of an interactive science fiction story. Cinesite’s work includes a 20-minute theatrical stunt show at Universal Studios called The Bourne Stuntacular which took place live in front of a 130 feet long LED screen. For Ocean of Light – Dolphins VR Dneg converted footage originally designed for theatre projection for playback in a Meta Quest headset.
Capper adds, “We’re looking at how we get more out of our resources and talent. Immersive requires a different level of client care. It’s different client base from traditional studios.”
One area that seems primed for take off are virtual concerts pioneered by Abba Voyage. “You can see in music live events from Glastonbury to Tailor Swift’s Eras Tour that the desire among fans to have shared experiences is more profound than ever,” says Mandel. “Virtual concerts are a bit of Wild West right now. Voyage is an incredible experience for fans of that band, other estates are asking how a similar experience could work for them, but it may not work for every artist. All the questions are new. Can there be interaction with an audience? How much should the ‘avatars’ dance as opposed to stand and sing? How much is photoreal versus something more animation driven?”
AI can be used to help generate voices even of artists that have passed away. “Certainly, the gap between what we can imagine and what we can actually show people is getting smaller and smaller as the technology accelerates.”
McNamara says, “We’ve yet to scrape the surface on interactive narratives and how we create nonlinear pathways. A lot of what we’re doing now will look quite crude when we look back in twenty years’ time.”
The latest updated AFCI report provides best practice advice to governments, public agencies and private companies to come together and understand the value that the screen industry delivers economically, strategically and culturally
In a move to broaden industry membership, the Association of Film Commissioners International (AFCI) opened its annual conference, AFCI Week, to all screen sector professionals for the first time.
The Association has a strategic plan to grow its base through tiers for studio executives, producers, vendors, and other industry professionals. Previously only AFCI members could attend the four-day event.
The conference held in LA in August featured a keynote address by Motion Picture Association chairman and CEO Charles Rivkin and an inaugural Film Industry Challenge workshop in which global film commissioners and industry pros discussed disruption scenarios such as AI, location usage, workforce development, and communitygovernment collaboration.
AFCI Week 2024 speakers included executives from Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery, Sony Pictures Television, Amazon, Blumhouse, Paramount Studios, Fox and Lionsgate Studios.
“Our new, more inclusive approach to AFCI Week presents a unique opportunity for film commissioners and industry decision-makers to collaborate,” said AFCI executive director Jaclyn Philpott. “We are stronger together, and in this era of significant change within the industry, we have a chance to innovate by harnessing the collective diversity of our global network.”
The main event for AFCI this year was publication of an up-to-date playbook for maximising share of the global screen sector intended for governments, film commissions and industry partners. Since first release in 2019 a lot of water has gone under the bridge, notably Covid-19 and widespread recession. The new study updates what global policy and strategy for Best Practice in the Screen Sector Development should look like.
“Our new report is a vital resource for film commissioners, policymakers and industry partners and will serve as a tool for new AFCI members in emerging markets where production policies and resources are still being formed,” said Philpott.
MAKING SURE THAT UPLIFT DELIVERS WHAT IT'S MEANT TO IS ONE STANDARD BUT AS IMPORTANT IS THAT APPLICATIONS AND RESPONSE TIMES ARE RAPID.
The key findings were outlined by Leon Forde, MD of Olsberg SPI, the screen consultancy which authored the report.
“There are clear economic headwinds hitting our sector, some production cost inflation and macroeconomic challenges hitting production but what's also clear is that growth is still out there,” he said.
Spend on global streaming is anticipated to increase by 44% between 2023 and 2028 according to Ampere Analysis but content investment in North America and Western Europe is forecast to stall. Most growth will come from regions like Sub-Saharan Africa, Central and South America, Central and Eastern Europe.
The study identifies seven areas of best practice: incentives, workforce, physical infrastructure, film friendliness, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), sustainability and partner engagement.
“A healthy screen production sector is an ecosystem in which all these pieces work together and how policy makers consider these different areas in driving their sector,” he said.
Production incentives are one of the most popular policy tools used by governments to invest and drive screen production activity. At present, there are more than 116 active production incentives on offer at a national or provincial state level. A recent study by the European Audiovisual Observatory found that production incentives accounted for 21% of European film financing in 2021.
Flexible incentive models are on the rise. These offer additional value for producers which hit certain strategic marks, if they shoot outside of an established hub, for example.
Making sure that uplift delivers what it's meant to is one standard but as important is that applications and response times are rapid.
“If there are limited funds, make sure producers understand how they can fit within a system to access them,” Forde advised policy makers.
The marketed rate of an incentive isn't what producers actually receive. It gets depleted by certain caps or disqualifications on eligibility. “So being clear with producers how much is actually going to be netted out to them by the incentive is important.”
Workforce capacity is critical everywhere. AFCI reinforce the idea that workforce strategy needs to be “very aligned with industry need.”
“Look at where the gaps are in the industry and tie a strategy in to deliver on that,” Forde said.
Baked into this should be a DEI policy. “DEI should never be an afterthought. It should always be at the centre of any and every development strategy.
“The key thing is not to focus on new entrants but be aware of bringing in skills and expertise from adjacent industries into production, that can really short-circuit some of that development time for new entrants.”
Data is critical to informing good policy making here. “Workforce strategy absolutely has to be informed by data and that's a big challenge for the global screen sector because national statistics don't enable us to look with great clarity at where crew gaps exist.”
Some communities will be outside of established networks in the film production business but policy in this area is about “authentic representation on screen and off and engagement with community.”
What the consultant means by ‘film friendliness’ is how a particular market makes life easy for the production and enables it to deliver benefits to the local economy “without friction.”
“It's about building consensus between film commissions, governments and other agencies and helping your partners understand why dealing with a permit request or dealing with a request for a location quickly is a way of building economic spend and strategic value.”
“We see film friendly networks and commissions drawing together different stakeholders so they’re on the same page when it comes to servicing and also areas like immigration, customs, tax, the importation of equipment.”
It's a hallmark of any healthy sector that governments, public agencies and private companies come together and understand the value it offers. The screen industry – “an extremely valuable sector” –must continually demonstrate what it delivers across a range of metrics economic, strategic, cultural.
Getting to that place of “cohesiveness” requires constant engagement and strong and robust evidence. “Make sure that stakeholders understand the value of this activity and understand the value of them supporting the activity,” Forde underlined.
With such a fast-moving industry in the context of a rapidly changing geopolitical landscape the engagement “has to be redone and redone and redone to demonstrate the benefits of working together.”
Forde claimed the screen sector as one of the most innovative in the world – but that it needs to shout about it.
“It's important to show the economic case but it's also important to show the way that money moves through economies and also on a cultural level the impact that filmmakers and productions make on how countries and regions feel about themselves. Cinema is about how societies engage with the world and how they project themselves with the world. Governments need to understand this.”
Truth is Power
In an increasingly polarised and heavily propagandised world, projects that shine a light on systems of oppression and exclusion has never been more important. makers spotlights the perseverance of investigative filmmakers intent on bringing social issue documentaries to the fore.
Agood documentary not only gives an audience what they expect, but also makes them curious about things that they don’t know about. Arguably an impact doc tackling complex social dilemmas has to work harder to do this, by translating curiosity into action.
“Impact docs are in danger,” warned Oscar winning filmmaker Roger Ross Williams at Sheffield Doc Fest. “Funding has dried up. Buyers are now looking for celebrity and true-crime and not social issue documentaries. It's a struggle.”
He said that added the “racial reckoning” following George Floyd’s murder in 2020, which bubbled commissions in “Black and race relations content”, was now over.
“Buyers aren’t interested in social activist documentaries like that anymore. The moment is up.”
Those that cut through are the product of filmmakers with a passion for storytelling, a journalistic approach to investigation and with the support of those like Williams in a position of power.
AT A TIME WHEN DOG-WHISTLE POLITICS AIM TO SEPARATE US, FILMMAKERS CAN USE THEIR DISTINCT PERSPECTIVES TO CHART A COURSE TOWARD COMMUNITY AND HEALING.
“In a time when dog-whistle politics aim to separate us and erect social walls between us, filmmakers can use their distinct perspectives to chart a course toward community and healing,” Williams said.
He set up production company One Story Up to “nurture young and upcoming filmmakers from diverse backgrounds” and champion other activist work that takes the point of view of the “outsiders and underdogs”.
These are projects that don’t fall within the obvious categories of true crime, celebrity bios, and music docs. “We're telling the stories that mainstream media are refusing to tell because they're just not sexy or interesting enough,” Toni Kamau, producer, The Battle for Laikipia said at the event. “It underscores the need for the filmmaker to have a very personal connection to tell stories about social injustice.”
Williams’ own work included Emmy winning Life, Animated and Emmy nominated Traveling While Black and Apple TV+ series The Super Models. “As a child I was severely dyslexic,” he says, “so I learned to memorise everything visually. I was incredibly observant because of that, which helped when I became a journalist. Truth is power and once it’s out there, you can’t hide from it.”
For director Brett Story social activism docs are political cinema. “It’s asking you to think about the world we live in, why it takes the form it does and how it might be transformed,” she said.
“I believe that cinema works differently from a newspaper article, a book or a pamphlet. The magic of being invited into a space is like having something enter your body. It’s an emotional experience and a thinking experience, sometimes in complicated relationship to each other. I want a film to work on us outside of the space of just the information that we're receiving.”
Her film, Union, documented the first successful unionisation drive at an Amazon warehouse in New York. Up against a corporate superpower and with legal protections at a drastic low for workers, the odds are stacked against the founders of the fledgling union who remain unswayed in their beliefs in collective action.
Co-director Stephen Maing pointedly noted similarities in the media industry. He cited “corporate consolidations within the distribution landscape” as “narrowing opportunities for bold, independent new work.”
While Amazon Prime was never going to board, other streamers seemed reluctant despite Union winning a Special Jury Award for Art of Change at Sundance. So, producers Level Ground Production self-distributed the film in cinemas this autumn.
In The Battle for Laikipia directors
Daphne Matziaraki and Peter Murimi observe an escalating conflict between Indigenous settlers and British-Kenyan ranchers clashing over land which looks like “The Lion King version of untamed paradise” according to Kamau. Matziaraki, who is white, had observed the tensions during time lived there. She was able to get the film off the ground with a Pulitzer Center grant before Ross Williams, who exec produced, put her in touch with Kamau and Kenyan director Murimi.
“I LEARNED TO MEMORISE EVERYTHING VISUALLY. I WAS INCREDIBLY OBSERVANT BECAUSE OF THAT, WHICH HELPED WHEN I BECAME A JOURNALIST. TRUTH IS POWER AND ONCE IT’S OUT THERE, YOU CAN’T HIDE FROM IT.”
I WANT A FILM TO WORK ON US OUTSIDE OF THE SPACE OF JUST THE INFORMATION THAT WE'RE RECEIVING.
What began as a short film idea turned into a seven-year-long project and more than 300 hours of footage. “We are asking big questions about who gets to decide which resources they use and how we share our landscape especially when climate change is putting pressure on resources,” explains Kamau. “The editing process took more than two years because these decisions were very hard to make. We tried to make a film that was nuanced and we didn't want to make a film that would spoon-feed audiences. What kind of world do we want to live in?”
Canadian Emily Kassie made her first documentary aged 14, following gay students facing discrimination in religious high schools. “It was the first injustice that I witnessed up close,” she said. Since then, she’s traversed the world making short docs and telling visual stories about people caught in unjust systems and geopolitical conflicts. Her latest feature Sugarcane is in collaboration with fellow journalist Julian Brave NoiseCat and won them Sundance Documentary Directing Award.
“It's about the horrors my own country had perpetrated against its first [indigenous] peoples. When the news broke in 2021 that there was potential unmarked grades on the grounds of one of my former kindergarten schools I felt a pull. I'm someone who acts on intuition and although we didn’t know what they would find, I knew we had to be there to tell the story.”
At the heart of their film, acquired by National Geographic, is this question of action. How do you act when faced with violence from the past? What does accountability look like?
A portrait of residents in a small southern US town facing the contentious legacy of the world's largest Confederate monument, which looms over their home, is the subject of Stone Mountain, also exec’d by Williams.
The town is 95 per cent black and for most of the year the landscape there is “picnics and walking trials” but for a few weeks it transforms into “a Confederate theme park and magnet for extremists,” says director Daniel Newell Kaufman.
“Once I had this image in my head I couldn’t shake it,” he said. “To me it summed up the surrealism of America and the dissonance between the stories told about our history and the reality.”
Kaufman, who is white from New York, spent three years filming in the town as delicately as possible talking with all sides.
“I wanted to paint a vivid three dimensional portrait of the place,” he says. “I felt conflicted because I was an outsider. I wanted to make sure if I did go tell a story I did it with respect and by listening. So I reached out to local people and those involved in activism who wanted the monument either removed or changed. They urged me to make the film. That sense of responsibility became the real compass for me.”
“WHEN THE NEWS BROKE IN 2021 THAT THERE WAS POTENTIAL UNMARKED GRADES ON THE GROUNDS OF ONE OF MY FORMER KINDERGARTEN SCHOOLS I FELT A PULL.”
Although some of these titles have been picked up by major streamers, Williams argued that streamers “need to be educated to realise there is an audience for these films and that people are craving them.”
He added, “I am someone who shouldn’t have succeeded, who shouldn’t have made it in the world. For me, every documentary I make is personal. It’s my own personal struggle.”
Marvel and Netflix are among many heavy hitters heading to Malaysia for the quality locations, studios, 35% incentive and expanding crew base.
Malaysia’s striking Merdeka 118 skyscraper (the second largest in the world) is hogging the Hollywood limelight. Most recently it was scaled by Florence Pugh’s character Yelena Belova for Marvel’s upcoming movie Thunderbolts, which caused quite a stir locally.
Almost as much as when daredevil Russian couple Angela Nikolau and Ivan Beerkus illegally scaled the building for Netflix’ documentary Skywalkers: A Love Story, directed by Jeff Zimbalist and Maria Mukhonia. The couple’s ‘anxiety inducing’ climb was filmed in guerilla style and gained a huge following on social media.
“It took seven years of production, over 300 hours of archival cinema vérité footage, so many unexpected twists and turns, and a shocking climax that I still can’t believe,” Zimbalist said after the premiere at Sundance Film Festival.
“WE HAD A BIG CREW, UP TO 500 PEOPLE, INCLUDING MANY LOCALS IN THE PRODUCTION, PROPS AND DRESSES DEPARTMENTS WHO DID A GREAT JOB MAKING THE SETS LOOK LIKE MALAYSIA
IN THE 30S AND 40S.”
It’s not the only Malaysian tower to draw attention either. The former Menara HSBC South Tower in Lebuh Ampang (currently up for sale) also features in Thunderbolts. While the Petronas Towers have regularly appeared in films and television series, including Entrapment, The Amazing Race 3 and 24
Productions don’t just come for the towers though. There’s a huge variety of other locations too, including surrounding islands, such as Penang with its British Colonial architecture and traditional
LOCATION HIGHLIGHT
Langkawi archipelago
One of Malaysia's most stunning filming locations is Langkawi, an archipelago of 99 islands in the Andaman Sea resplendent with pristine beaches, lush jungles, and clear waters.
The islands’ dramatic landscapes have featured in several international movies, including Anna and the King which showcased limestone cliffs, dense rainforests, and historical landmarks like the Langkawi Sky Bridge.
One of the locale’s most famous beaches, Pantai Cenang, is an ideal spot for capturing sunsets and tropical scenes, while the Kilim Karst Geoforest Park provides exotic mangrove forests and towering limestone formations that add visual grandeur to film sets.
Langkawi’s relatively undeveloped and untouched natural environment makes it a versatile location for a variety of genres, from historical dramas to adventure films.
markets and temples or the idyllic white, sandy beaches of the Perhentian islands, which formed a backdrop for the BBC’s adaptation of Lord of the Flies
Malaysia can easily double for other tropical locations like Thailand, the Philippines and Indonesia with its beautiful beaches and forests, especially on the east coast.
SOMETHING ELSE
Iskandar Puteri
Formerly known as Nusajaya, Iskandar Puteri is a fascinating new smart city and the administrative capital of the state of Johor. The aim of the city is to create a sustainable urban environment, integrating green infrastructure and innovation-driven industries. It’s a key component of Malaysia’s vision to decentralise development from Kuala Lumpur, reducing congestion and fostering economic growth in the southern region.
The city’s progress includes the establishment of smart transportation systems, energy-efficient buildings, and digital infrastructure to attract tech companies and startups. Key sectors such as biotechnology, education and healthcare are being developed in the city, making it a hub for innovation and talent.
The city is also home to Medini Iskandar, an integrated urban development, and EduCity, a multi-campus education hub. These developments have made the city a rising destination for international investors, students, and businesses, positioning it as a leading example of sustainable urbanisation in Southeast Asia.
Many projects also choose to shoot at the Iskandar Malaysia Studios – the largest in South East Asia –on the southern tip of Malaysia’s peninsula, offering three water tanks, five sound stages, two HDequipped television studios and an expansive backlot, all on 80 acres of land in Johor Bahru, just an hour’s drive from Singapore.
“On our six acre backlot, we have completed phase one and phase two of construction, which includes British Colonial settings, Chinese clan buildings, a dockyard, a ship and a hospital,” says Rashid Karim, CEO at Iskandar Malaysia Studios.
“We will be starting phase three at the end of this year (2024) to build things like the interior of a police station, court houses, airplane cockpits and many more settings.”
Pui Yin Chan, director, production and distribution, at Chinese company GHY, was certainly impressed. “Iskandar is high-standard. For our television series Little Nyonya, we did almost half of the shoot at the studio where we built huge colonial Asian sets, including a live street.
“We had a big crew, up to 500 people, including many locals in the production, props and dresses departments who did a great job making the sets look like Malaysia in the 30s and 40s, sourcing raw materials and goods, and helping find exterior locations across Malaysia.”
Malaysia’s various locations have also recently attracted a fair share of reality series, including Million Dollar Island and Tempting Fortune, both of which filmed in the Langkawi archipelago, made up of 99 islands off the north west coast (see Location Highlight).
Netflix show The Mole also headed to Malaysia for season two, filming at a variety of locations, including Forest City, a USD100 billion ghost town that was once planned as a mega complex with apartments, a water park and hotels. They also shot at Tioman island, Sentul depot, Gua Kandu, a famous cave network in the Kinta Valley in Gopeng, Clan Jetty with wooden villages, and the popular
MALAYSIA CAN EASILY DOUBLE FOR OTHER TROPICAL LOCATIONS LIKE THAILAND, THE PHILIPPINES AND INDONESIA WITH ITS BEAUTIFUL BEACHES AND FORESTS, ESPECIALLY ON THE EAST COAST.
Petronas Towers. The series was supported by experienced local crews and the National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (FINAS), the governing body for film production in Malaysia.
These projects have also been drawn in by the Film in Malaysia Incentive (FIMI) worth up to 35% for international productions, which is distributed by the Film in Malaysia Office (FIMO), a division of FINAS. An impressive 28 international projects were approved for the incentive last year.
“Malaysia's multicultural society provides unique cultural and aesthetic elements, enriching the storytelling experience,” enthuses Norashikin Ahmand Nor, chief assistant director of FIMO. “Malaysia provides a conducive environment for international filmmakers with its combination of financial incentives, diverse locations, and skilled workforce, while ongoing initiatives are set to further enhance the local screen sector.”
British artist Brendan Dawes uses a generative processes involving data, machine learning and algorithms, to create interactive installations, electronic objects, online experiences, data visualisations, motion graphics and imagery for screen and print.
His works titled Cinema Redux create a visual fingerprint of a single movie composed of dozens of frames and part of the MoMA permanent collection. Films including Kill Bill and Metropolis have been subjects.
With director Gary Hustwit, Dawes has launched Anamorph, a software and film company exploring ways to bring generative technology into the process of making and experiencing movies. Their first project is Eno, a documentary about the musician and visual artist based on archive film and new interviews which uses the anamorph algorithm to auto-generate different versions at each screening. The algorithm is called Brain One (an anagram of Brian Eno).
MAKERS MAG
When did your fascination with computers begin?
BRENDAN DAWES
From the moment I plugged in my Sinclair ZX81 in the early 80s I was enthralled by the fact that I could type words into it and make it do something. That was very powerful. I never studied computer science but code just made sense to me.
What I really loved is that by changing just one element you completely change the artwork. You can make infinite variations. It is reactive in real time. It's not fixed. The possibilities are endless. I don't think there's anything more contemporary than digital art. It is the art of now.
Can a computer create art?
We live in a digital lifestyle. Everything we do is digital. So why shouldn't art be derived from that that process as well? Who said humans are the best at creating art? If we take that as given we’re limiting our imagination. For example, in Eno scenes are sometimes cut together in ways we never would have thought of and somehow it works. We had great editors on this film but they would never have done it perhaps because we have all these biases of how things are supposed to work in a narrative.
What role will humans have in creating with AI?
AI is a tool that can help us think differently. Personally, I'm not interested in trying to create work that looks like something that has gone before. I don't care about AI generated photorealism. If I want that, I can look out the window. I don't need to recreate the world.
To me, it’s far more interesting to make the familiar feel strange. Some core filmmaking skills might become simplified by using prompts to generate outcomes but a human would still be making judgment about whether it works. The idea of taste and the idea of curation are going to become really important. Humans are going to do that.
MACHINE LEARNING DATA
ALGORITHMS
Could Anamorph be used for dramatic storytelling?
We’ve definitely thought about it. Christopher Nolan’s films play with the idea of timeline. Take Memento, which is told backwards. Perhaps if he had [Anamorph] then Memento would be different, every time it was screened. But no-one has done [what we’ve done with Eno] from a fiction point of view. We've had discussions with big film studios and big name directors as well as documentary makers to imagine doing things in a different way. An advertising company was also interested in making thousands of versions of a spot of a normal commercial.
Will Eno be streamed online?
We're talking with various platforms, Netflix included. We could certainly just do a director's cut but that would kill our creative ambition for the film. Our dream is that when you stream it, it generates a unique version. The technology at the moment [for streaming infinite variations] doesn't really exist. We're trying to find the perfect solution.
Is there a ghost in the machine?
Machines cannot replicate consciousness. There is no genome of consciousness. It’s a total mystery. We don't know how it works. And because we don't know how it works, we can't feed that into a computer to make it
understand. So I hold on to that. I hope that human consciousness remains something that can't be figured out.
Why are screenings of Eno presented with hardware that looks like a DJ’s mixing deck?
We realised that we wanted something a bit more theatrical on stage rather than just a laptop. We approached Swedish consumer electronics designers Teenage Engineering to make a physical version of Brain One. At screenings now people want to take pictures of it. It’s almost like it has groupies. They’re just fascinated by the physical presence of this software.
How does your music background influence your art?
I did a sound engineering course in Manchester at the start of the whole rave scene, which got me into sampling and mixing vinyl records. I wasn't a musician but I could programme, sequence and scratch. Like Marcel Duchamp’s Readymades you’re combining things in different ways. What I'm doing now is basically the same –using data but reforming it to create something new.
Get Real: the Future of Storytelling
Have you ever dreamed of having a real conversation with a character in a video game? Not just one gated within a dialogue tree of pre-determined answers, but an actual conversation, conducted through spontaneous action and reaction? AI agents are set to transform gaming enabling audiences to step beyond the script and explore uncharted experiences.
In the novella The Lifecycle of Software Objects, by Ted Chiang, AIs are developed to be digital companions, part robot, part pet, and part toddler. These ‘digients’ exist in the metaverse and evolve by learning through interactions with other digients and with the humans that control, own or oversee them.
We could be at the beginnings of such a scenario as AI grips the gaming world. Non-role playing characters (NPCs) or animated companions to game players are being infused with AI to interact in a far more lifelike manner. In doing so, gamers could soon participate in the creation of the story in a way that’s not been possible before.
“Today, even in the most immersive roleplaying games, players are left feeling that something is missing,” says Kylan Gibbs, CEO and cofounder of Inworld, an NPC AI tools developer backed by LG, Samsung and Microsoft. “The core mechanics of games can’t currently replicate dynamic or social forms of interaction with characters or environments.”
Rather than being nudged from one scripted interaction to another, AI offers the potential for real-time responsiveness, Gibbs says, “where every action has immediate and lasting consequences unique to the distinct choices each player makes.”
ACCELERATED DEVELOPMENT
Over the past decade, games have undergone a radical transformation. Where once they were simple packaged entertainment they are now online services that more closely resemble the social networks and scale of consumer tech companies. Fortnite, League of Legends, and Minecraft are communities that retain loyal, long-term users and generate billions of dollars in annual revenue.
“Gaming is a tech industry that sees itself as Hollywood when it’s actually Silicon Valley,” says Julian Togelius, a computer science professor at NYU.
Video games developers are pioneering mechanisms for user engagement, retention, and monetisation, such as microtransactions. Investors like a16z believe games infrastructure and technologies will be key building blocks of the metaverse, an opportunity that dwarfs the current USD300 billion game industry itself.
16z has a USD1.2 billion fund dedicated to gaming startups and reports that 99% of game studios are either already using or plan to use AI to automate and accelerate development processes.
This includes back-end applications to test for bugs before launch and using image generators like Midjourney to animate scenes.
A Digital Human created by Nvidia.
UNTIL NOW, IT WAS CHALLENGING TO PRE-SCRIPT MEANINGFUL AND UNIQUE CONSEQUENCES FOR EVERY VARIATION OF PLAYER BEHAVIOURS.
“You can use AI to generate game content like levels, sky boxes (backgrounds), textures and characters. Basically, everything that goes into a game could eventually in principle be generated,” says Togelius.
“One of the really big use cases for AI/ML that basically every game developer uses – but people don't talk about much – is to analyse game play. It can predict which players are going to pay money, which players are going to finish the game, which players are going to harass someone.”
The boss of games publisher Electronic Arts, Andrew Wilson, said he believed that more than half of its development processes will be positively impacted by generative AI.
Wilson said that using AI would help the company build products “on a global basis, at a faster rate.” He also claimed that AI would “augment, enhance, extend, and expand the nature of what interactive entertainment can be in much the way YouTube did for traditional film and television.”
The beginnings of that transformation can be found in the use of Generative-AI to create characters that don’t rely on pre-programmed scripts. Instead, they seem to converse with a player on-the-fly in increasingly realistic ways.
Gamers want this too. Inworld’s surveys found that 69% of gamers wanted games with AI companions and 81% would be willing to pay more for a game with AI-powered NPCs.
CHARACTERS, NOT PROGRAMMES
In game development to date every line of dialogue is scripted and inserted by the game engine at the appropriate time. The largest studios employ hundreds of people who work on this. Rockstar Games’s western themed adventure Red Dead Redemption 2, for example, contains 500,000 lines of dialogue voiced by around 700 actors.
Gen-AI can radically transform the economics and the scale of this aspect of production. Meanwhile the underlying large language model (LLM) can be set to perpetually learn from game play interactions such that a line of dialogue may never be repeated twice.
“Until now, it was challenging to pre-script meaningful and unique consequences for every variation of player behaviours,” says Gibbs. “AI overcome this, allowing the world and characters to come alive – and inviting the audience to be co-creators of the story.”
Inworld has launched Character Engine which creates NPCs capable of responding to a player by mimicking human communication including non-verbal cues and autonomous decision-making. The tool is designed to be plugged into games then customised and animated in engines like Unreal.
A demo using it, co-developed by chip maker Nvidia, tasked the player to assume the role of a private eye and converse with AI characters to learn crucial information.
“This level of AI-driven interactivity and player agency opens up new possibilities for emergent gameplay,” claimed Nvidia. “Players must adapt their strategies in real-time to navigate the intricacies of the game world.”
Games publisher Ubisoft also partnered with Inworld and Nvidia to demonstrate ‘Neo NPCs’ “capable of speaking directly to players. The character’s responses generate realistic facial animation in real time.
“FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE, I CAN HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH A CHARACTER I’VE CREATED. I’VE DREAMED OF THAT SINCE I WAS A KID.”
Ubisoft is keen to stress that the personalities of its NPCs aren’t created by a machine, but by a writer, who shapes their character, backstory, and conversation style, and then continues to tweak once the LLM starts improvising dialogue.
“It’s very different,” says Ubisoft Narrative Director Virginie Mosser. “For the first time in my life, I can have a conversation with a character I’ve created. I’ve dreamed of that since I was a kid.”
Also on the project is Data Scientist Mélanie Lopez Malet, who teaches the model to behave like Mosser’s original creation through guardrail systems, player input analysis, 3D environment and textual instructions. Malet, who used to teach high school literature and remains inspired by good storytelling, has been equally as driven as Mosser to create NPCs that react like real characters created by humans.
Togelius played Neo NPCs and says, “It's the first time I’ve interacted with an LLM-based NPC that was actually good. It wasn't ready for release, but it was good and it will go places.”
He says worries about AI replacing the job of programmers are misplaced. “You have to create this whole character which must answer in character to anything said to them. Gen-AI actually means more work for designers and writers than ever.”
A Nvidia AI game created with the Unreal Engine.
Ubisoft’s Neo NPC.
AI COMPANIONS THAT PLAYERS CAN INTERACT WITH ACROSS VARIOUS DIGITAL PLATFORMS BLURS THE LINES BETWEEN INGAME AND REALWORLD RELATIONSHIPS.
Inworld is far from the only developer in this space. Boston-based startup Bitpart AI and California’s Character.AI are developing ‘superintelligent’ personal avatars. Replica Studios are working on Smart NPCs which will eventually be indistinguishable from human players.
Togelius says he wants to make computer games “adapt” to their players by finding out what players want and then creating new challenges or rules in-game that suit the players.
“I also want to make opponents and collaborators in games more intelligent and believable, research that has applications far outside of computer games,” he says.
The emergence of AI-powered characters is set to transform stories from scripted narratives to worlds that the audience can co-create in video games and other interactive experiences. “The impact of that transformation will be seen across a number of industries including entertainment, advertising, publishing, and gaming,” says Gibbs.
He added, to MIT Tech Review, “When you think about movies or television or books, characters are really what drive our ability to empathise with the world,” and that to date these characters are ‘dead’ in the sense that you can’t play with them.
“The fact that games - arguably the most advanced version of storytelling - lack these live charactersfelt to us like a pretty major issue.”
All of this is headed towards virtual worlds which are generative, able to adapt dynamically and change the gameplay in realtime. Togelius says its technically possible to build NPCs that could travel between virtual worlds in the metaverse.
In Chiang’s novella, the author imagines that his digients are given physical ‘robot’ bodies to interact with humans in the real world. The digients AI can be imported from online in real life and back again. If that calls to mind Westworld or The Matrix there are those already thinking along these lines.
For example, if the LLMs on which the AI characters are based retains ‘memories’ of each interaction then could they continue to evolve even if a human is not playing the game? In Chiang’s prescient work this is indeed the case.
Ubisoft’s AI development even refers to the idea of soul “as the guiding light for everything they touch and for guarding against bias and stereotypes within character design and behaviour. “We created a physically attractive female character,” explains Malet, “and its answers veered towards flirtatious and seductive, so we had to reprogram it.”
As AI characters become more sophisticated, they can exhibit complex, relatable behaviours that foster deeper emotional connections with players. These characters can evolve and most crucially learn, based on interactions, creating a sense of companionship that extends beyond gameplay.
UGC GAMING
Whilst both AI and User Generate Content (UGC) have existed in the most popular games individually for years, it’s the combination of these two areas that is poised to revolutionise storytelling in games, according to Yassine Tahi at Kinetix.
“UGC gives players unprecedented control over their narratives, with no prior technical know-how needed, users face no obstacles to create their own dynamic story elements that adapt to their choices and actions on a hyper personalised level,” he says.
Kinetix enables players to record video of themselves on their phones and uses AI to generate custom 3D animations (“emotes”) that represent them in a virtual world. South Korean publisher Krafton is the first to have integrated the tech into its metaverse called Overdare
“The next step of UGC in gaming involves creating AI-driven environments and narratives that adapt to player interactions in real-time,” he says. “We also anticipate advancements in collaborative content creation, where players can co-create and share complex in-game assets effortlessly with their friends and squad.
“We believe in a world where players are viewed as co-developers, where players can AI-generate a multitude of elements including assets, levels, environments powered by Gen-AI. This will lead to richer and more diverse gaming experiences driven by social interactions and community creativity.
It may seem like a stretch today, but as the new generation of gamers become more familiar and accepting of AI than any previous generation, their creativity boundaries will be drastically bigger than anything we’re seeing in 2024.
Yassine Tahi, CEO and Co-founder at Paris-based Kinetix predicts “AI companions that players can interact with across various digital platforms, blurring the lines between in-game and real-world relationships. Not only this, but spearheading the idea of digital alter egos for those who want to feel like/try out a different person when they play, making room for individual creativity and a deeper meaning to characters and avatars.”
For Gibbs this is the realisation of the classic childhood dream of being able to play immersively with toys. “We’re in the earliest days of this new form of media. But even the first experiences give me hope that AI will unlock experiences that we have yet to imagine – bringing life to virtual worlds and the characters that inhabit them…all while offering players new ways to co-create and play.”
An Overdare Emote Creation.
A Nvidia AI game created with the Unreal Engine.
Fulwell 73 have been involved in some of the world's most talked about television shows of recent years. The Kardashians, Friends Reunion, The Late Late Show with James Corden and Gavin & Stacey which is about to debut its Christmas special.
At its simplest, the Sunderland-inspired production company is a tale of four friends made good. There was never a master plan except as a vehicle to tell stories and this remarkable transatlantic success has been two decades in the making.
“By trade we’re documentary makers and we were lucky to start out around the time when decent camcorders and editing software became more accessible,” says Gabe Turner, Emmy winning and Bafta nominated Producer/Director.
Gabe was in his final year at University, brother Ben was working as an editor at an ad agency. Their cousin Leo Pearlman was running a small business and their friend Ben Winston was a runner.
Inspired by Stacy Peralta’s 2001 skateboarding doc Dogtown and Z-Boys they decided to make their own film. “Dogtown was a film about the things they were really passionate about. That was the light bulb for us,” says Ben Turner.
Since the brothers had an “insane passion for football” they set about filming a group of freestyle footballers on a mission to meet their idol Diego Maradona.
PROFILE Fulwell 73
“I had a burning belief that we could do it,” Gabe recalls. “We just felt like this was a story that had to be told and we could tell it. Now it feels weird that we had the confidence to do that but at the time we were absolutely headstrong.”
In The Hands of The Gods (2007) led to The Class of ’92 about Alex Ferguson’s great Manchester United team and inadvertently kickstarted the wave of behind-the-scenes sports docs.
“When we first pitched Class ‘92, people questioned whether it would work when everyone knows what happened. Now sports doc series are all over the place. We're by no means solely responsible but we've been lucky to be part of this movement where, what was quite a niche doc format, has come into the mainstream and functioned as entertainment on the major platforms.”
Gabe explains, “We've done entertainment and we do live but we're always trying to tell a story. Lion King is to all intents and purposes a multi-cam entertainment show but its heart is a reunion of the original cast and we’re using archive to tell that. Carpool Karaoke is not a documentary in the traditional sense, but it's James interviewing someone and getting a story out of that person, such as the one with Paul McCartney where we returned with him to Liverpool. Documentary fundamentals are seeped into every areas.”
“How does the Gaza doc fit next to The Lion King?” adds Ben. “There’s something about the authenticity of the human experience and universality of the story that makes them both accessible and relatable.”
Pearlman is the business chief with ambitions. In 2019 the company took over London facility
Creativity Media to expand inhouse postproduction capacity. Fulwell is behind a 20-stage studio complex in the North East backed by G BP120 million of government funds due to open in 2028. Since producing 1000+ episodes of The Late Late Show Fulwell has run an LA office.
“We could have spent a career going into every club in the Premier League or Europe and following them in the same way,” Ben says. “There's a temptation in business to repeat a successful formula but the thing that keeps us excited and fresh is to find different ways of telling new stories.”
On the face of it there isn’t anything obvious that links Carpool Karaoke, which they co-produced for fifth Fulwell 73 partner James Corden (a long term friend of Winston’s) to a documentary about the October 7 attack on Israel (We Will Dance Again produced by Fulwell factual label Bitachon 365)to the Disney+ concert film The Lion King At The Hollywood Bowl
It is now using that scale to its advantage. Gabe explains, “We recently completed a 8-part show on the NBA playoffs for ESPN (pictured above) which needed incredibly quick turnaround. We didn't know very much about basketball to start with so worked with an American team of storytellers to translate that for us and then we brought the footage over here where our brilliant edit teams really take ownership of the story. It’s a hybrid model that tries to the layer in the best of both worlds.
“When we started out making docs it was just us. Now on shows like this there’s an army of people and so we've really tried hard to keep everybody fresh so you don't ever bang your head against the brick wall.”
Fulwell 73 has made its own share including three series of Sunderland ‘Til I Die for Netflix about their beloved home team (though they’re not filming the current season) and I Am Bolt (2016) about 100m record holder Usain Bolt.
Having long been a favourite for the commercial sector, Portugal’s new 30% cash refund will help draw more major productions to its shores.
Portugal is no stranger to major international productions, having hosted hundreds over the years from On Her Majesty’s Secret Service via The Russia House to The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard. But they are expecting an even greater influx since the introduction of a 30% cash refund incentive in April 2024 (which can rise to 35% for projects that promote the country’s heritage and sustainability).
This works as an incentive of 30% on the first EUR2 million of qualifying local expenditure and will support productions that carry out at least EUR2.5m of eligible expenses in Portugal.
“PROJECTS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE CASH REBATE AND SHOOT LOCALLY INCLUDE NETFLIX’S DAMSEL AND HBO’S HOUSE OF THE DRAGON, WHICH FILMED IN THE HISTORIC CITIES OF MONSANTO AND ALCÁCER DO SAL.”
It is designed to complement the existing cash rebate of 25% - 35%, although the two cannot be combined.
“The cash rebate will be for small and medium-sized productions and the cash refund for productions with higher budgets,” advises Ana Marques, executive director of the Portugal Film Commission.
Projects to take advantage of the cash rebate and shoot locally include Netflix’s Damsel and HBO’s House of the Dragon, which filmed in the historic cities of Monsanto and Alcácer do Sal.
Plus, Shadow and Bone season 2 and Netflix’s Heart of Stone, starring Gal Gadot and Jamie Dornan, both of which shot extensively in Lisbon using hundreds of local crew.
“Heart of Stone was a huge job, one of the first Hollywood sized movies, which we did successfully under budget,” says Margarida Adónis, executive producer and MD at production service company Ready to Shoot. “That was proof that Portugal is up to the level required by the US studios.”
Projects are not just shooting in Lisbon either, although that’s where most of the crew are based. There are plenty of other options, including Porto, with its distinct architecture and helpful city council support and the biodiverse Azores archipelago. In the Algarve, locally based Spy Manor Productions has formed a strategic collaboration with Production Algarve and UK-based MovieBox Group, to help attract international productions through local funding and new studio space. Spy Manor is currently working on a high-tech crime drama series called Cold Mind, starring Niamh McCormack (The Witcher)
Many of Portugal’s locations can double for a range of countries and producers say securing permission to shoot is straightforward and fees are low compared to other European countries.
Ways of Seeing
Artist Cyprien Gaillard at work.
Artist Cyprien Gaillard embraced daunting technology usually reserved for multi-million dollar Hollywood movies to produce an experiential art project that re-introduces audiences to seeing video in stereo 3D and ultra high frame rates.
Berlin based French artist Cyprien Gaillard practices across media, including photo, film, and sculpture. His 2015 short film Nightlife was a meditation on cities shot in stereo 3D. Neither conventional narrative nor documentary it was described as an “impossibly lush tribute to high-definition colour, slow-motion capture and three-dimensional projection.”
His second 3D film Retinal Rivalry examines German architecture and is the first artwork to be shot and presented in stereo at 4K resolution and at 120 frames per second. Conventional movies are still shot and played back at 24fps as they have been since film reels were synchronised with soundtracks a century ago.
Filmmakers including Peter Jackson, James Cameron and Ang Lee have made movies in 3D with higher frame rates (HFR) believing that the ultra-sharp detail and parallax view is far closer to how we experience with our eyes.
Gaillard was unaware of the potential of HFR until he met with cinematographer / stereographer Demetri Portelli and technical supervisor Ben Gervais.
The pair had helped Martin Scorsese shoot his first digital film, Hugo (2010) in stereo 3D and then worked with Lee on Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk, (2016) and Gemini Man (2019) both shot and projected in stereo 120fps.
Yet stereo photography has been around since the invention of photography. Portelli recalls viewing stereographs of the American Civil War taken in the 1860s “feeling the hills and tents and forests and men lying dead in the battlefield all captured in the moment with stereo photography.”
Later stereo images of Hitler at the 1936 Berlin Olympics “was a sudden verification that he was indeed there walking around in flesh and blood,” he says. “Stereo is arresting, truthful and often shockingly real. I expect this is why NASA want stereo camera to document Mars and space exploration, for a true sense of scale, shape, texture and realism.”
Add HFR and the stereo information feels even more tangible. Gaillard’s response on first witnessing images in 120/4K/3D was, according to Portelli: “This is pure vision.”
STEREO IMAGING IS A BIG PART OF THE FUTURE OF IMAGE PRESENTATION. WORKING WITH THE BEST AVAILABLE TECHNOLOGIES WILL MAKE THE EXPERIENCE OF ALL IMMERSIVE PHOTOGRAPHIC WORKS UNFORGETTABLE.
Audience reaction to seeing drama at high frame rates has not been favourable. Critics complained that screenings of The Hobbit at 48fps looked like soap opera. The extra frames of Billy Lynn’s 120fps delivered a hyper-reality and depth of field that some people loved and others loathed. Yet due to the limited availability of projection equipment only a few cinemas worldwide were only ever able to every play the film in 120/4K/3D using dual projectors the way that Lee wished.
“Presenting his film in the correct viewing environment has been the challenge for Ang Lee,” says Portelli. “With this art film, we can control presentation albeit on a smaller scale. It’s an exclusive project designed to travel the world one gallery at a time. The brightness of the dual laser Christie projection is vital for experiencing the beauty of the 3D in the gallery setting.”
The 30-minute film was shot in ten cities throughout Germany including of Nurenberg’s red-light district looming behind medieval castle walls and a Nazi era building which is now a Burger King (but retains a visible imprint of the eagle and swastika above a door).
In Bastei, an iconic rock formation made famous by Romantic painter Caspar David Friedrich, the mountain forest setting was shot for a pastoral view of depth and beauty.
The film opens with a shot of clear glass bottles in a Berlin trash container. “Cyprien wanted you to feel gigantism in stereo, and it is here, looking into a trash bin, that I feel the space became larger than life.”
Shots filmed from inside the head of the Mother of Bavaria Statue overlooking Oktoberfest celebrations in Munich “feel like you are in the belly of a whale,” Portelli says.
Conversely, they shot a thumb size Japanese carving, using diopters to project the small object full screen. “Stereo can exaggerate, it has always been a powerful amplifier, either miniaturising or enlarging the subject matter.”
Retinal Rivalry was recorded with a pair of ARRI Alexa 35 cameras using a 3D rig from Munichbased Stereotec. “We often used a 16mm wide lens to be very close and intimate with the content,” Portelli reports. “There is a strong use of negative space (3D) in every shot of bronze statues. Sometimes they were literally touching the matt box.”
Gaillard also challenged convention by shooting hand-held (using RED Komodo cameras), something previously feared by 3D filmmakers for making the experience unwatchable. “Retinal
Rivalry employs camera shake, violent camera wall contact, and hand-held moments,” Portelli says. “The high frame rate offers a more visceral experience of vibration.”
“3D movies at 24fps or even 48fps still suffer judder and strobe that make some people uncomfortable and this limits the speed of camera movement and some edits. With 120fps however your eyes comfortably ‘lock in’ to content moving around the screen. It is the higher temporal resolution that gives the most pleasing physiological experience.”
According to Gervais, “a 120/4K/3D projection has 40 times more visual data than your average 2D movie so the film offers a big visual bump to the brain.”
“120fps sees everything, there is nowhere to hide,” Portelli adds. “It’s the ideal format for VR headsets as the extra detail would prevent viewers becoming nauseous with the camera movement.”
“CYPRIEN’S INTENTION IS FOR THE IMAGES TO BE EVALUATED AT FACE VALUE. HE HAS EMBRACED SCULPTURAL FORM.”
Visitors to the art gallery are not informed the film uses HFR or that it is the only 120/4K/3D film playing anywhere on the planet. “They may notice the two projectors, but Cyprien’s intention is for the images to be evaluated at face value,” says Portelli. “He has embraced sculptural form.”
An art gallery might be the perfect place to observe such volumetric moving images. A documentary might be the genre most suited to such a hyper-real aesthetic.
“To quote Marshal McLuhan, ‘the medium is the message’,” he says. “Stereo imaging is a big part of the future of image presentation. Working with the best available technologies will make the experience of all immersive photographic works unforgettable. Retinal Rivalry is a bold demonstration of these beliefs.
“We saw Ang Lee struggle a lot against the out-dated exhibition system, and so few people have ever actually seen dual laser 120/4K/3D. So many cheap 'soap-opera effect’ comments have come from 48fps and 60fps sub-par projections, sadly. But here we are orchestrating a premium viewing experience in multiple galleries. We hope the industry takes notice.”
Retinal Rivalry premiered at The Beyeler Foundation in Basel, Switzerland. It then opened at the Officine Grandi Riparazioni, Torino, on an 11metre screen.
The stereo ARRI ALEXA 35s cameras with operator Brett Manyluk and key grip James Healey.
Working with bronze statues in Germany.
Making of Gladiator II
IN A WORLD OF GREEN SCREEN AND AI
THIS MIGHT BE THE LAST GREAT BUILD IN MOVIES
Production designer Arthur Max described Ridley Scott’s Roman epic sequel as “Gladiator on steroids.”
In Malta, they assembled the arena, the palace and whole blocks of ancient Rome in an area roughly 8km long. Aerial drones took a topographical survey of the site, from which a three-dimensional map was created and populated with miniature buildings. Once the layout was complete, the architectural drawings were finalised.
To film the Colosseum the production returned to Fort Ricasoli in Malta, the 17th-century building that had served as the site of the Colosseum set in the original. 60% of the structure was built to enable Scott to stage ambitious action sequences. The set was built to a height of 46 ft, which was doubled digitally in post.
The set for Macrinus’ luxurious home alone covered almost 11,000 sq ft, with an atrium open to the sky, a courtyard, pool and enormous staircase. It contained over 1,000 pieces of hand-painted faux
marble. Morocco, where the film’s opening sequence was filmed, stood in for the North African province of Numidia.
The production was able to repurpose a set at Atlas Studios, southeast of Marrakesh, originally created as Jerusalem in Scott’s 2005 film Kingdom of Heaven. “That set was so well constructed that it survived for nearly 20 years,” says Max. “It’s been seen in a number of films since then. We gave it a facelift with new architecture and a huge extension. It was like visiting an old friend.”
Resetting the diversity, equity and inclusion agenda
THE ROLE OF THE DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION EXECUTIVE IN THE MEDIA AND ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY HAS OFTEN BEEN A VULNERABLE ONE.
WHILE PROGRESS IS BEING MADE FOR GREATER DIVERSITY BEHIND AND IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA, ARE THE PRODUCTION COMPANIES AND STREAMERS AS COMMITTED TO THE CAUSE?
MAKERS SPEAKS WITH LEADERS IN THE DEI FIELD TO DISCUSS THIS AND THE ROAD AHEAD FOR THEIR SUCCESSORS.
JeanellEnglish, former executive VP of impact and inclusion at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, a position newly created in July 2022, said at the time: “I’ve never had more job offers in my life.” But just one year later she had left the role, amid a notable dwindle in demand and retreat from the industry on the diversity agenda.
“There were people in positions of power who feared change, feared losing relevance, feared losing money… and feared being cancelled,” English said in a column she wrote for the LA Times recounting her experience at the Academy. “It prevented artists, executives, advocates and allies from being able to sincerely listen to understand without becoming defensive. And it provoked resistance to collaboration and creative thinking, a stance that slowed or halted shifts not only at the Academy, but across the entire industry.”
Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) has been a powerful and ongoing conversation in the creative industry for years. Following the 2020 murder of George Floyd during a pandemic period of isolation and reflection, many major studios, networks and music companies stepped up to show their solidarity by pledging millions of dollars to support social justice programmes, sharing social media statements, and creating executive positions for the push of diversity from within the corporate structure.
“There was an urgency that came over people, and often when people are doing urgent things, they don't also know that they need to be doing long term things, so they don't deeply understand the problem,” comments Verna Myers, diversity consultant and former vice president of inclusion strategy at Netflix. “They thought that it was correctable with a statement, an event , a policy or with dollars. So in their hurry they reached out to everyone. And it was important for them to listen. But DEI work is a discipline. It is based on frameworks, studies and understanding about human behaviour, organisational behaviour, leadership, and draws from psychology, sociology and leadership. It’s also strategic.”
But in 2023, English and Myers, along with Warner Bros. Discovery’s Karen Horne and Disney’s Latondra Newton would either depart from their roles or be laid off, leaving onlookers perplexed at the shift in the US, while in the UK Joanna Abeyie became the third creative diversity executive to leave the BBC in two years.
Whilst the departures of Myers and Amazon MGM Studio’s global head of DEI Latasha Gillespie came with swift replacements, screen industry diversity and inclusion has shown a “troubling pattern that suggests diversity, equity and inclusion is no longer a priority at the highest levels of the film industry, where decisions are made and institutional change happens,” said Californian state senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas during a press conference on 13 July held by lawmakers with the California Legislative Black Caucus.
As the entertainment industry continues its efforts towards promoting a more representative industry, with Amazon initiating a quota of 50% of above the line roles held by women and 50% from underrepresented racial or ethnic groups, the role of the DEI executive has become more prominent, yet also fraught with challenges and complexities. In the screen sector, where representation both on and off-screen shapes societal narratives and perceptions, DEI leaders and the companies they work for face intense scrutiny, expected to evoke changes quicky, potentially leading to burnout.
“A TROUBLING PATTERN THAT SUGGESTS DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION IS NO LONGER A PRIORITY AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF THE FILM INDUSTRY.”
“It's not always straightforward. It has unpredictable impacts on the industry,” says Myers. “Change has to actually be the type of change that will make it more possible for more people to be successful, because ultimately the whole organisation is successful when the underrepresented groups, the folks who have not actually enjoyed inclusion and equity start to have a positive experience. That's going to raise the experiences of all within that organisation because people are paying attention and being intentional.”
Their responsibilities range from reshaping hiring practices and fostering inclusive workplaces to ensuring that on-screen portrayals reflect the diversity of global audiences. However, the perception of their role, its effectiveness, and the obstacles they encounter reflect broader cultural tensions within the industry and beyond.
THE VARIETY OF WAYS IN WHICH THESE ROLES ARE STRUCTURED AND HOW THEY INTERACT AMONGST THE ECOSYSTEM OF THEIR COMPANIES SHOULD BE GIVEN GREATER SIGNIFICANCE.
“I sat in the crossfire between the communities I was advocating for and those I was calling on to champion change. On both sides, there was fear,” English adds.
“Roles can be less valued when you can't really see the value,” says professor Angela Chan, head of inclusive futures for the new Co Star National Lab at Story Futures.
During her time on the BBC’s production training programme, Chan, a mixed ethnicity BritishChinese woman, says she faced some prejudice, including being asked: “Are you sure you’re not supposed to be on the ethnicity scheme?”.
Fueled by that experience and drawn to practical roles, Chan embarked on jobs such as head of creative diversity and special projects for Channel 4 and leading BBC television’s diversity activity off and on screen. But she says she is still approached on places liked LinkedIn as if she is in HR, believing there to be an outward misconception and lack of clarity on DEI roles.
Often seen as “hidden work,” according to Chan, DEI roles are company specific, leaving room for flexibility and adaptability, but also disregard for the long-term internal impact. The variety in ways in which these roles are structured and how they interact amongst the ecosystem of their companies should be given greater significance.
Working in these roles draws not only on the business, but also the human consideration, a complex balance between responsibility and emotional health. Many DEI leaders bring with them lived experiences of discrimination or bias, giving them unique insight into the challenges faced by marginalised communities, but also creating an overwhelming sense of pressure.
“One of the traits you need is a passion for fairness, not necessarily a passion for one particular characteristic, but a deep love of natural justice,” says Chan. “You need some corporate skills. You need to understand how organisations work and know when to step into that and when to step out of that, always using your own judgement.”
This personal understanding helps these leaders empathise with those they work with, fuelling their passion for fostering inclusion. During her five years at Netflix, Myers played an integral role as the first head of inclusion, building awareness throughout the company and launching the first inclusion report for the company in 2021. Now as a consultant, her work continues with more widespread reach, steering companies towards a more representative environment for all employees.
“These roles really benefit when there are people who've got deep experience of production and you understand the challenges that producers face in actually doing what's asked of the broadcasters,” Chan says.
“Entertainment, in particular media, are areas where there's been extensive exclusion for long periods of time,” says Myers. “But if you want to future proof your business, if you want to be financially prosperous, you need to figure out how to not only understand other people different from yourself, but you need to figure out how to respect and reflect them in your product. And so this work is definitely about recognising that when you care for humans that you work with, that's going to help your consumer base, that's going to help the people who invest in you, and that's going to create an innovative and exciting product.”
These experts in the field insist personal stories strengthen DEI leaders’ abilities to connect with diverse teams, their leadership styles often rooted in authenticity, using their experiences of how challenges have shaped their careers, to make their roles critical to the integrity of the business. DEI leaders in the screen industry play an essential role in driving transformative change, both within the corporate structure, as well as trickling down influence to storytelling that reflects the full spectrum of human experiences.
“ONE OF THE TRAITS YOU NEED IS A PASSION FOR FAIRNESS, NOT NECESSARILY A PASSION FOR ONE PARTICULAR CHARACTERISTIC, BUT A DEEP LOVE OF NATURAL JUSTICE.”
Through their advocacy for inclusivity in hiring, casting, and content creation, they are challenging long-standing inequalities and promoting greater representation on and off screen. Their efforts contribute to a more equitable and authentic portrayal of diverse communities, which not only benefits the industry but also enriches audiences worldwide. As the demand for inclusive content grows, DEI leaders are crucial in shaping a film and television landscape that is both diverse and impactful.
The hope is that more media and production companies see and understand this and appreciate the value of DEI leaders to their business and future.
SLOVENIA.
Filming in Slovenia presents a unique opportunity to shoot at diverse locations like picturesque mountain peaks, seashores, vineyards, and old towns with a Viennese or Venetian atmosphere –everything within an easy two-hour drive.
Slovenia also offers a cash rebate of up to 25 % for film and TV production.
SLOVENIA far from slovenly
Great locations, a 25% incentive and a growing crew base are putting Slovenia firmly on the filming map.
Slovenia is positioning itself as one of the best alternative filming spots in Europe thanks to an enticing 25% tax credit, experienced crew and diverse landscapes – from alpine peaks and city streets to beautiful beaches and castles.
Two stand-out projects to recently shoot in the Central European country and take advantage of these are season three of The Witcher and action thriller The Union, starring Mark Wahlberg and Halle Berry, both from Netflix.
“FROM A PREPRODUCTION
PERIOD ONWARDS, IT WAS PARAMOUNT FOR US TO WORK CLOSELY WITH LOCAL AUTHORITIES, RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES TO AVOID BIG
The Witcher filmed at a variety of locations across the country, including the striking, medieval Predjama Castle, Postojna Cave, Kranjska Gora, surrounded by mountains and lakes, and St. Jerome’s Church on the Nanos Plateau.
squares required careful planning,” says Ira Cecic, a producer and production supervisor at Pakt Media, which provided support for the project.
“The narrow lanes and pedestrian areas inaccessible for large vehicles and equipment, forced us to use more flexible setups to move around and we utilised infrastructure in the nearby towns. From a preproduction period onwards, it was paramount for us to work closely with local authorities, residents and businesses to avoid big disruption during the actual shoot, especially since Piran is a busy tourist destination. In the end, our collaborative efforts paid off and Piran was a great shooting location.”
The Union was the largest foreign film project undertaken in the country, allocating GBP8.4 million (EUR10 million) to its Slovenian segments, and used more than 300 local crew members.
DISRUPTION DURING THE ACTUAL
While the key location for 2024 movie The Union was the Adriatic coastal town of Piran, known for its Venetian architecture, cobblestone streets and sea views. These proved to be the perfect backdrop, although the logistics for shooting the action shots through the town’s narrow streets was not straightforward.
SHOOT.”
“Maybe one of the biggest challenges was managing the size of the filming crew in Piran, a small and compact town. The beautiful historic streets and
“The fact that the producers of such a large-scale film project decided to film in our country is a confirmation that Slovenia has excellent filming locations, experienced film workers and all the required infrastructure to service even the largest film productions in the world,” insists Natasa Bucar, director of the Slovenian Film Centre, which administers the tax scheme and is working hard to attract more international productions to the country.
WHILE IMMERSIVE BROADCASTING MAY BE IN ITS INFANCY, BY THE NEXT DECADE THE EXPERIENCE OF WATCHING LIVE FOOTBALL WILL ADVANCE IN INNOVATIONS SUCH AS EXTENDED REALITY (XR) AND HAPTIC TECH AS FANS BENEFIT FROM ROLL-OUT OF 6G, ENVISIONS VALÉRIE ALLIÉ OF INTERDIGITAL.
The next generation of telecoms infrastructure has the potential to profoundly transform how fans engage with topflight sporting events like EPL, Six Nations Championship, The Ashes and Wimbledon. It may even usher in a new era of immersive content that elevates the live match excitement of audiences to a different level.
Current 5G technology promised to deliver peak data rates as high as 20 Gbps, latencies as low as one millisecond, and the capability to support one million devices per sqkm – providing the central performance and scale necessary for XR applications. But as XR experiences becoming increasingly advanced, the connectivity demands to support its use cases are becoming ever more stringent.
The perception of XR as simply a novelty in entrainment still endures, perhaps given that the quality of experience (QoE) has not yet reached a sufficient standard to persuade audiences to embrace it for general viewing. This represents a problem when it comes to encouraging take-up for a ten month long competition like the EPL.
High reliability and low latency are foundational to delivering a solid QoE for XR. The content requires footage to be ‘stitched’ together in real-time to provide a seamless user experience without lag or interruption. Unfortunately, current cellular technology is not sufficient to manage the high data rates essential for sustaining this level of experience.
GOING THE DISTANCE WITH 6G
Conversely, 6G is being designed with these specific requirements in mind. It will introduce further latency and speed advancements to overcome data rate concerns, simultaneously supporting cloud and edge computing enhancements to allow computation to be offloaded when needed.
The big 6G migration, due to occur from 2030 onwards according to mobile industry standards body ETSI, will also support enhanced sensory capabilities. Such innovations will result in more complex analytical insights and distributed control over a broader array of connected devices.
In the context of XR, this means more accurately rendered immersive worlds that better traverse physical and virtual realms. Streamlined co-dependencies between chipsets, applications, networks, and platforms will translate to more efficiently created virtual worlds, while support for haptic feedback tech will elevate user immersion levels to new heights.
AR AND VR: CLOSER TO THE ACTION?
Looking ahead, how might immersive technologies enable fans to experience the drama of a match remotely, or enhance their in-stadium experience through interactive features?
It’s possible to imagine VR headsets giving fans the perception that they are actually in the stadium, no
matter where they are in the world. Apple, with the VisionPro, and Meta, maker of the Quest headset, are among the companies shaping this future, providing fans with extraordinary access and profound immersion.
Meanwhile, AR enhances the real-world experience by overlaying digital information onto the physical world. During a live game, AR can deliver stats, player information, and immersive replays that help spectators connect with what’s playing out on the pitch at a deeper level. Real-time personalised content can be delivered through mobile applications.
6G: A REVOLUTION IN SPORT
The integration of innovative technologies like VR/AR and haptic tech has the potential to transform the way football is consumed and enjoyed around the world. To ensure this happens, XR developers should make QoE a priority. As long as immersive experiences are seamlessly integrated and offer a deeper layer of engagement with sports, the desire for XR experiences can achieve critical mass, and in turn, become a viable alternative to prosaic TV broadcasts and online streaming options. The advent of 6G will accelerate significant XR advancements. Now is the time for the EPL to think creatively about how to offer immersivity to its growing, global fan base.
Valérie Allié is a Senior Director leading InterDigital’s Video Solutions Research Group, which supports the deployment of 2D and immersive video codecs.
Made in (South) Korea
From KPop to Kbeauty to Squid Game, South Korean culture and entertainment has taken the world by storm. But will it last?
Korea is now Asia’s fourth largest economy, with exports of cultural content alone, from recipe videos to television series, topping USD12.4 billion.
Social media has undoubtedly been a driving force behind this growth of Korean culture, particularly among the younger generation. A good example is Alissa Nguyen, Cassie Yeung and Logan promoting popular recipes of kimchi (the fermented cabbage dish – a staple of South Korean cuisine) on TikTok which have garnered millions of views worldwide.
“I would say it's great marketing and a general interest in all things Korea that has made the local industry explode into general consciousness,” says Jayine Chung, director, CEO and founder of Maru Productions. It’s a fixer and production service company known for Sky TV’s Rob & Romesh vs South Korea. “Travelling is so much easier now and South Korea is more accessible to people than it was 20 to 30 years ago.”
STREAMER SUCCESS
South Korean content is among Netflix’s most successful genre of shows. The stand-out being 2020 hit Squid Game, which gained 142 million viewers in its first four weeks of release. Other successful K-dramas have followed.
Earlier this year, the Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos visited Seoul to discuss further investment plans following their pledge in March 2023 to spend USD2.5 billion over four years on the country’s local content.
They’re not alone either. Disney is investing in Korean language dramas, such as the award-winning series Moving and new drama Crash. Apple TV+ have joined the party too, with shows like Pachinko and Dr Brain. The BBC commissioned coming of age dramedy Gangnam Project and reality show Made in Korea: The K-Pop Experience.
“The attention on Korea has been increasing over the years, and it's not just entertainment or local politics but the whole K-culture including travel and food,” says Chung. “Everyone's interested in what's happening in Korea, what Koreans are eating, and
where people are travelling to here. As a result, there have been different types of productions interested in shooting in the country, which in turn has pushed Korea to produce more content and evolve.
“Even without it, I think Korea would have continued to change and improve itself, just because it's such a competitive and fertile ground for local and international content.”
THE KCELEBRITY FACTOR
The country’s celebrity boom has been a huge factor in exporting K-culture abroad. In the K-Pop world, girl groups and boy band members with the greatest fan followings and admiration worldwide are given the status ‘idol’.
I FEEL LIKE WE’VE REACHED THE PEAK… BUT THEN AGAIN, I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER MAJOR COMPETITION AGAINST SOUTH KOREAN CONTENT AND CULTURAL EXPORT.
Local shows exploring Korean culture like Crash Landing on You, Goblin, and Descendants of the Sun have done what previous similar shows have failed to do, and that’s have success beyond country borders. Crash Landing on You and 2018’s historical drama Mr Sunshine also transcended simple entertainment, highlighting the local social conditions and significant cultural issues. The former explores the relationship between a South Korean heiress and a North Korean military officer, and the latter followed Korea’s fight for independence from Japanese colonial rule.
The social satire Parasite won the 2019 Best Picture Oscar. Director Bong Joon-ho’s next film, a sci-fi black comedy Mickey 17 for Warner Bros. starring Robert Pattinson is due for release next year.
Backing from the streamers certainly helps. “We've done Critics’ Choice award-winning Apple TV+ series Pachinko for season one and two, Netflix rom-com XO, Kitty seasons one and two, and also Amazon Studios’ Butterfly, which we just finished shooting for its season one release next year,” says Seon Kwon Hwang, head of production at Seoul’s Nine Tailed Fox. “American studios are increasingly comfortable with investing in productions here. We’ve proven that Korean talent and stories can work for the international audience, but we have also catered for Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron and Black Panther [both of which shot on location in South Korea].”
Earlier this year, Los Angeles boasted its biggest KCON festival to date, with about 6 million fans attending from more than 170 countries, and more tuning into the livestream over the three day event.
KCON, the world’s largest festival dedicated to Korean pop culture, is organised by South Korean entertainment conglomerate CJ ENM. This year it boasted a star-studded line up, including actress Park Min-Young and K-Pop stars NCT 127 and ENHYPHEN.
“One of the simple reasons why people come to Korea to shoot is the celebrity,” says Kimi Kim, managing director and founder of production company The Headliners.
“AMERICAN STUDIOS ARE INCREASINGLY COMFORTABLE WITH INVESTING IN PRODUCTIONS HERE. WE’VE PROVEN THAT KOREAN TALENT AND STORIES CAN WORK FOR THE INTERNATIONAL AUDIENCE.”
Pop stars, celebs and other figure heads of South Korean culture (including Tottenham Hotspur footballer Son Heung-min and international DJ Peggy Gou) are a main attraction for international content creators wanting to work with them as brand ambassadors for their projects (television series, commercials etc) because of their local and worldwide appeal.
K-Pop stars dominate the Asian and increasingly western entertainment industry. Manufactured groups such as Black Pink and BTS, products of rigorous talent training programmes, are taking home global accolades at the MTV Video Music Awards and American Music Awards, tapping into western music markets and consumer taste.
KOREAN CONTENT CREATORS HAVE SATURATED SOCIAL FEEDS, PRODUCED VAST AMOUNTS OF STREAMING PROJECTS, AND COLLABORATED WITH ARTISTS WORLDWIDE.
Despite breaking up in 2022, BTS still reigns the Billboard charts, having landed 36 number one hits on the World Digital Song Sales chart since their debut in 2013. Girl group Blackpink are following close behind.
For these bands, their stardom goes beyond the music. Each member of BTS has over 34 million Instagram followers. With their influence on South Korean Tourism (the Hyundai Research Institute reporting 796,000 people visiting in 2020 to see the band), and the diverse and expansive reach of their ARMY (Adorable Representative M.C. for Youth) fanbase, their celebrity power carries economic and entertainment industry impact.
This influence is continuing with the next generation searching for stardom on shows like Netflix’s Pop Star: Academy, a new docuseries following twenty aspiring pop stars who underwent a K-pop training program leading to the creation of HYBE x Geffen's first global girl group, KATSEYE.
HERE TO STAY?
But can this last? In 2012, PSY became the first artist to reach one billion views on YouTube with Gangnam Style, setting off the Korean Wave, or Hallyu as it’s known. Four years later, BTS would reignite the K-Pop craze with their first K-Con LA performance thrusting them onto the global stage. When the world was locked down during the pandemic it opened new doors for South Korean film and television as never seen before.
Korean content creators have saturated social feeds, produced vast amounts of streaming projects, and collaborated with artists worldwide. But such success in a relatively short space of time has many wondering if the wave can last.
To address this, Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism launched the Hallyu department in 2020. It aims to diversify Hallyu content, foster other industries through this content, and create a sustainable environment for its growth.
“I would say that trends are always changing, and right now it’s Korean dramas, stories and culture dominating,” says Hwang. “After five years, that hype could die down. But the Korean industry is stable, especially content wise. With international stories being filmed here – even our cities are doubling for New York – we have proven our ability to be adaptable.”
“I FEEL LIKE AT THE MOMENT WE’VE REACHED THE PEAK AND I DON'T KNOW HOW ELSE IT'S GOING TO GO BEYOND THIS.”
Last year alone, K-Pop raked in a significant USD900 million in revenue, fueled by a strong Gen-Z fan base, the quick overturn of new groups, and streaming content that goes behind the scenes of the genre. And with the K-beauty market estimated to be worth USD18.32 billion by 2030, according to Straits Research, consumers of the country specific exports are able to immerse themselves without stepping foot on a plane.
“I feel like at the moment we’ve reached the peak and I don't know how else it's going to go beyond this,” says Chung. “But then again, I don't see any other big major contenders against South Korean content and cultural export. This high might run for a few more years.”
Made in Korea: The K-Pop Experience @ BBC/Moon & Back/Ray Burmiston.
Transmedia comes of age with creatives leading the way
and
which recently produced
French video games
Ubisoft has
film
television arm
its first adult animation series, Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix, based on Ubisoft IP.
GAMING IP IS CLAIMED AS THE NEW GOLD DUST FOR HOLLYWOOD BUT TRANSLATING A SUCCESSFUL STORY WORLD OR CHARACTER BEYOND THEIR ORIGINAL MEDIUM IS TOUGH TO PULL OFF. WE LOOK AT STRATEGIES FOR CREATING A FLEXIBLE IP ECOSYSTEM THAT THRIVES ACROSS DIFFERENT MEDIA PLATFORMS, ENSURING A SMOOTH TRANSITION FOR CHARACTERS, STORIES AND WORLDS WHILE MAXIMISING THEIR POTENTIAL.
Porting ideas across platforms is not new. In the 2000’s the buzz word was ‘transmedia’, stories that audiences would notionally follow from one medium to the next outdoors and on screen. Then came multiplatform which tended to mean reformating for different release windows. Only with the glue of high-speed internet are creatives able to realise stories that transcend the boundaries of any one medium.
“Today transmedia means projects designed from the ground up to be told across multiple platforms whether that’s games, television, comic books or other media,” says Randeep Katari who runs Collision Awards and moderated a conference on the topic at Annecy Festival. “What’s more, adapting IP is being driven by the creative.”
“Three years ago I’d only think in a binary sense about whether a project was for film or television or a game,” says Jonathan Saunders, creative director, at Passion Pictures’ division Passion Games. “Now I am open to see how story worlds work across all different formats.”
“Connecting different mediums is the path forward,” agrees Kane Lee, chief content officer at Emmy winning Baobab Studios which is currently adapting IP into books, films, original series and games. “We have the opportunity to create stories, characters and universes that are strong enough to transcend mediums. It’s not an option for creatives any more.”
Technological convergence such as the use of games engines to create photoreal worlds has accelerated the trend but changing consumption habits are at least as significant.
“A decade ago it was television or cinema,” says Lee. “There used to be delineation. Audiences have so much choice now and the younger generation are not choosing to be entertained in the same way as those growing up in the nineties. To get ahead of the curve we need to merge new technology with storytelling and engage with them where they are.”
Audiences for metaverse platforms like Minecraft, Fortnite and Roblox are huge. Fortnite, for example, boasts 250 million active users per month – about the same as Netflix worldwide.
“We are not competing with HBO,” says Lee. “We are competing with Fortnite.”
The 1990s was the last analogue decade before the network effects of internet and social media driven influence. Now new intersections between once separate areas of media and entertainment can become pop culture overnight.
“You can combine anime with Billie Eilish in the metaverse, or Jay-Z in a video game,” suggests Lee.
“Strange connections start happening. There are so many ways to mix and match audience styles and tastes to create something new.”
A plus side of creating for digital interactive platforms is that developers can quickly learn what audiences like or dislike.
“There’s a treasure trove of data on platforms like Minecraft and Roblox where you can trial concepts and get to know communities,” Lee says.
“You may find that your preconceived idea of the audience for your IP is not YA male but skewing female.”
The ‘Eureka’ moment for Saunders was in 2021 when Netflix launched games on smart phones. “When one of the world’s largest consumer platforms for film and television opened up to interactive narratives I began to see so much potential in how characters and stories – even from older movies in its archive – could branch out into new areas.”
“WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE STORIES, CHARACTERS AND UNIVERSES THAT ARE STRONG ENOUGH TO TRANSCEND MEDIUMS. IT’S NOT AN OPTION FOR CREATIVES ANY MORE.”
Netflix produced a spin-off reality show to keep viewers engaged with the Squid Game IP before season two dropped later this year, two years after it became a global smash. It is felt that greater interactivity could create further stickiness.
The latest generation of VR headsets like the Apple Vision Pro offer further opportunities for engaging audiences with IP. “Are we creating something directed like a film or does it have agency like a game?” he quizzes.
Passion Games also houses an animation division which has produced Lego City Adventures for Nickelodeon, Netflix anthology series Love, Death & Robots and cartoon shorts for Marvel. It now works with major game studios to design the look of the game itself.
“Even when decisions are taken about sculpting the characters we are in the room digging into the backstory,” says Lucie Friar who heads Passion Games. “Right from those initial brush strokes of development we are thinking about all the ways the character can engage with audiences in different forms of storytelling.”
French video games developer Ubisoft has a film and television arm which recently produced its first adult animation series, Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix, based on Ubisoft IP.
Having previously turned children’s book The Day I Became a Bird into a animated short film, Passion Pictures is now creating a video game from the same IP.
Directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker and Passion co-founder Andrew Ruhemann, The Day I Became a Bird (pictured below) is based on Ingrid Chabbert and Raúl Guridi’s book of the same name. In the game adaptation, made with Scotland’s Hyper Luminal Games, players will follow a similar narrative aimed at creating a “cozy gaming experience.”
“At Passion, both our Games and Original IP teams have grown over the last five years with increasing crossover,” said Lucie Friar. “It has been a natural progression to take our knowledge of both and create this game with Hyper Luminal Games. This is a milestone moment for us as a team and a company to finally see one of our original films evolve into an immersive interactive experience.”
“Our mandate is to create impactful stories and characters and to break down silos to make video game IP or characters even more mainstream,” explains producer and director of development Hugo Revon. “You have to put a lot of care and thought into rejuvenating an IP. For me, adaptation has to start with a cool idea, a cool visual treatment and something out-of-the-box. If you focus only on the commercial side then it won’t be sustainable.”
Captain Laserhawk was animated by Parisian studio Bobbypills and launched on Netflix. In addition to Blood Dragon, the series features characters and elements from several Ubisoft properties, such as Assassin's Creed, Rayman and Rainbow Six.
“Captain Laserhawk is a new way to tell stories in animation with familiar characters from disparate video game story worlds,” he says. “The virtuous circle of it all is that Ubisoft could in the long run reinject those characters back into our own video games.”
However, he says gaming studios and book publishers are concerned that film and television producers will mess with their IP.
“They are worried that they don’t understand the legacy or the process of making the original,” says Revon.
where you can take a well-known character, retain what is essential about them, and give it life in another context.”
Illustrator and storyboard artist Tom van der Linden says Amazon Prime Video’s Fallout is a template for how to successfully adapt games to screen because the television show’s producers understood its essence or qualia.
In van der Linden’s view this can’t be achieved by superficially bolting elements of a game into a television or film format.
Among other things the producers took the games’ open ended player-centric perspective and spread it out over multiple characters.
“The show could easily have been just a lacklustre tourist guide through Fallout iconography,” he says. “Instead, the multitude of different scenarios, dialogue and character moments each relate to some aspect of what it is like actually playing the game. In doing so, it is able to capture the qualia of the game.”
Barbie was in the doldrums less than 10 years ago with parents questioning whether the doll was the right model for their daughters. The brand was reinvigorated with the 2023 global smash hit the final piece in a masterplan.
IF IT SPEAKS TO YOU PERSONALLY IT ALLOWS YOU THE FREEDOM TO SEE WHY THIS SHOULD MOVE ACROSS FORMATS AND MOTIVATES YOU TO PUSH THE BOUNDARIES OF THE FORMAT THE STORY IS CURRENTLY CONTAINED IN.
Friar emphasises the importance of trust in order to be “bold and meaningful” with someone else’s IP. “Building trust is a massive thing. You are taking a baby created over many years by hundreds of people and pushing people outside their comfort zone to do something different.”
Saunders’ advice is to think of the ‘why’ before you initiate any project. “What’s the theme and the purpose? Most importantly, what does it mean to you personally?
“If it speaks to you personally it allows you the freedom to see why this should move across formats and motivates you to push the boundaries of the format the story is currently contained in.”
He adds, “If I have a really collaborative client who understands their property in and out and allows us to challenge them with our reactions to it, then that for me as a filmmaker is a great place to begin.”
But this is not always the case. An IP based on a singular voice can be less malleable. Saunders says, “If it feels that the story came from a particular person’s point of view the risk is that all iterations will feel like a repeat of that because you’re trying to shape that one voice. For example, if humour can only be told in a specific way then it stops you from being able to put yourself into it.”
The trick is to find and develop the broader themes and ideas. “Game creators would say the first thing you have to respect is the character,” says Saunders. “They are the heart and soul and you mess with that at your peril.”
“In other words, if we are messing with the character we are going to stay as true to its essence as possible,” adds Friar. “It’s about finding that wriggle room
“The only way to make a brand grow is take big swings,” says Lee. “It’s not worth it otherwise –unless you are just in the business of brand service. Greta Gerwig took a big swing and to its credit Mattel got on board.”
The filmmakers behind Sonic the Hedgehog only succeeded in alienating large sections of the fanbase when trailers showed the blue critter looking uncannily humanoid.
The pushback was so big that Paramount, not wanting to risk a massive flop, pulled the movie from its original November 2019 slot to allow VFX teams to rework the central character.
To Saunders the recognisable elements of an IP are just superficial. “A classic example is Lego, one of the most iconic pieces of IP around. The filmmakers behind The Lego Movie looked beyond the surface for something deeper. They developed the idea of play through teamwork. As long as you honour whatever the core of the IP is you can explore a lot.”
Having talent from different disciplines in the same development room is an advantage. Lee, for example, has a traditional film and television background and now works with creatives from gaming.
“We don’t speak the same language,” he says, “but we have a shorthand. When we are both excited and see ways things that can interact with each other we know we’re on the right track.”
“My dream is for real interactive storytelling to merge film and gaming,” he adds. “That is the golden opportunity.”
interview with
Peter Luisi
Earlier this year Swiss filmmaker Peter Luisi released the first feature-length film made with a script generated by AI. The Last Screenwriter was produced by Luisi’s indie Spotlight and distributed free without profit online along with all documentation around the film’s creation.
Luisi is a three time Oscar nominated filmmaker including for co-writing Switzerland’s 2007 entry Vitus and is director, writer or producer on eight features including Bon Schuur Ticino (2023).
The Last Screenwriter is an experimental project which centres on a celebrated screenwriter who realises that AI not only matches his skills, but surpasses him. Luisi shot the 76-minute feature with a cast of professional actors, a DP and editor. It was due to premiere at London’s Prince Charles Cinema in July but was pulled following a social media backlash.
MAKERS MAG
Why did you want to make this film?
PETER LUISI
My goal was to show what is possible with AI and to contribute to the industry discussion about the potential impact of the technology on filmmaking. It's really asking ‘Is this what we
want?’ ‘Do we want AI to tell us stories?’ ‘What does this mean for creative people?’ That's something I found really interesting as a filmmaker, as an artist, and why I chose to do this project.
Did the reaction surprise you?
I was surprised at the severity of the accusations. In retrospective I should have known it would happen because people don’t inform themselves. The tagline for the movie is ‘the first feature film written entirely by AI’ but if they took the time to read why and how we made it then most people would not be so upset. We were not exploitative.
I want to stress, I didn’t do this movie because I can’t write. I also could have used the money to make another film which we could have sold to Netflix. I feel like we are giving something to the filmmaking community instead of taking from it, although I realise not everyone sees it that way.
The implication is that studios don’t need writers anymore. Do you think that could happen?
That's something I am hoping to help prevent with this movie. The screenplay for this movie is good –considering that it was written by a computer. It still blows my mind. You have dialogue that makes sense and characters with proper connections. It's so
GENERATED SCRIPTS AI
SYNTHETIC FILMMAKING
difficult to write a movie, I don't know how a computer can do it. That said, ChatGPT is a very, very mediocre writer compared to humans.
For this reason perhaps more people will realise how valuable the screenwriter is and that they need to be protected or something will be lost.
Should filmmakers fear AI?
It’s not my fault that AI exists. I just think, now it's here, we have to deal with it. We have to open our eyes and face danger head-on. If producers could they would definitely get rid of screenwriters because we're an annoyance to them. We’re very expensive. They have to deal with our egos. They have to pay in advance. They want rewrites but even then maybe it’s not as good as they want. If they could ask a computer do to it they would. The danger is real.
Will synthetic filmmaking be indistinguishable from traditional craft?
It might be possible with the advance of Sora to create photorealistic longform video content. In a few years it could be possible to just sit in front of your computer and say ‘I want to watch a movie between Lord of the Rings, The Terminator and a rom-com’ and even choose Marilyn Monroe to star in it and
the computer will generate it all for you. That may even make you feel happy and entertained and satisfied in ways that a good movie can do. If so, then we're all in trouble. That would mean no need for filmmakers anymore. I don't think that's a good thing.
Are humans necessary to make art?
I would argue that art can be created by anyone and anything. It doesn't really need a human. The question is, is it of any interest to anyone? Personally, I am interested in art by fellow human beings. Only out of curiosity would I be interested in something created solely by computer. I think AI will have a place like anime or some other niche. Films made by AI will have a certain audience who want to will watch it.
Will you use AI in your future projects?
I might for some kind of background process to speed development but I doubt it very much. Unless it gets a lot better, then I might be tempted, like the character in my movie. My next project will be made in a very old-fashioned way. It will just be a normal movie.
Toei Kyoto Studios
100 YEARS OF FILMMAKING
1,000 YEARS OF CREATIVE EXCELLENCE
For filmmakers seeking a seamless blend of cinematic heritage, top-tier facilities, and awe-inspiring locations, Toei Kyoto Studios presents an unparalleled opportunity. With over a century of experience, this legendary studio stands as a cornerstone of Japanese cinema and a trusted partner for global productions.
SHARING JAPAN’S STORIES WITH THE WORLD
As Japan’s oldest continuously operating studio, Toei Kyoto Studios has been crafting cinematic magic since 1926. With over 44,000 original films and dramas to its credit, the studio is a leader in genres ranging from samurai epics and yakuza dramas to ninja adventures, horror classics, and superhero spectacles. Toei’s expertise has also contributed to the success of internationally acclaimed projects like Memoirs of a Geisha, Tora! Tora! Tora!, Sunny, and Kore-eda’s celebrated drama The Makanai. The studio also served as the launchpad for iconic stars like Hiroyuki Sanada and Sonny Chiba, who began their illustrious careers here.
“The DNA of Toei is our collective experience,” says Studio Head Yuji Kojima. “In Japan, artisanship is deeply respected, and at Toei Kyoto Studios, we feel the same way about storytelling. Our seasoned crew members, driven by passion and precision, operate as a cohesive unit, ensuring every frame is infused with authenticity and artistry.”
PREMIER FACILITIES AND WORLD CLASS JAPANESE TALENT
Toei Kyoto Studios boasts 11 sound stages and one of Japan’s most versatile outdoor standing sets. This expansive backlot can adapt to recreate a range of settings, from ancient Kyoto streets to iconic urban environs. Toei also has locations further from the city for large-scale action sequences requiring expansive landscapes, pyrotechnics, and custom-built sets.
THE STUDIO ALSO OFFERS:
● Best-in-class art directors who specialise in recreating historical and contemporary designs.
● The country’s best stunt units skilled in traditional and modern choreography.
● Authentic costumes and props curated by Japan’s most experienced artisans.
● Post-production facilities and services ensuring that the creative process continues seamlessly from shoot to screen.
SO MANY ACTORS AND DIVISIONS ARE FULL TIME STAFF WHICH REALLY ALLOWS US FLEXIBILITY TO STAY ON SCHEDULE AND WITHIN BUDGET WITHOUT COMPROMISING QUALITY.
● Bilingual crews (from Japan and around Asia) dedicated to supporting international productions.
● Accountants and managers willing to integrate with international accounting and production software systems where possible.
Ken Takahashi, Head of Production Services says, “We have so many actors and divisions who are full time staff so it really allows us to be flexible so we can stay on schedule and within budget without compromising quality.”
ENCHANTED KYOTO: 1000 YEARS OF CREATIVITY
Established in the city of Kyoto, Toei is carrying on a legacy of storytelling that began more than 1000 years ago. The city, home to the author of the world’s first novel, The Tale of Genji, is a cultural powerhouse that gave birth to haiku, kabuki, Noh theater, matcha, Zen Buddhism, and kimonos and continues to inspire today as a base for Nintendo and a hub of technological innovations in media and visual arts.
Kyoto offers filmmakers a kaleidoscope of visual possibilities. Its timeless charm spans all four seasons, with ancient temples, avant garde modern architecture, serene Zen gardens, cobblestone alleys, majestic mountains, and serene rivers forming a dynamic backdrop for any story. Filmmakers will also enjoy the end of their long day at luxury hotels and Michelin-starred restaurants which sit alongside picturesque alleys showcasing artisanal crafts, smoky sake bars and sometimes the rare geisha.
Thanks to a close partnership with the Kyoto government, Toei can provide exclusive access to UNESCO heritage sites, iconic architecture, and other filming locations unavailable to the general public.
Kyoto is also conveniently located – just 1.5 hours by bus from Kansai International Airport (KIX) with daily flights to multiple cities around the world – and with easy connections via bullet trains (2.5 hours to Tokyo, 30 minutes to Osaka), local domestic airports, and ferries.
COMPETITIVE AND COLLABORATIVE
Toei Kyoto Studios also offers exceptional value for filmmakers with competitive pricing. The studio is a recognised partner for productions supported by Japan’s Location Subsidy (JLOX) programme and considers co-investment opportunities on a case-by-case basis.
THE TOEI KYOTO STUDIOS EXPERIENCE
A Century of Mastery
The longest-operating studio in Japan.
Size and Scale
Japan’s 2nd largest film studio, featuring the 3rd largest sound stage in the country.
11 Sound Stages
Expansive Open Set
Unrivaled Expertise in Period Films
WorldClass Talent and Resources
Nationwide Reach
Unique Access to Kyoto Locations and Culture
CoProduction and JLOX Partner
“Now, more than ever, we are committed to forging new partnerships with international filmmakers,” Mr Kojima adds. “Our experience, coupled with Kyoto’s cinematic allure, creates an environment where ambitious stories come to life.”
YOUR
NEXT FILMMAKING DESTINATION
For filmmakers ready to embrace the magic of Japan, Toei Kyoto Studios invites you to contact us to discuss your next production and discover why Toei is the home of timeless storytelling.
“I really enjoy seeing international and Japanese crews working together.” says Ken. “Everyone starts out thinking they are making one thing, but together the story can become something beyond their expectations.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT
Ken Takahashi – Head of Production Services, Toei Kyoto Studios kyotostudios@toei.co.jp
Use this link for a 3D representation of Studio 11: bit.ly/Studio11ToeiKyoto
Stunning locations, high incentives, quality crew and an expanding studio base. It’s no wonder the studios and streamers are flocking to Spain.
Aglance down the extensive list of international productions that have been filming in Spain in 2023/24 can only leave you impressed. To name but a few, there’s Sony and Marvel’s Venom: The Last Dance, Guy Ritchie’s In the Grey, Netflix’s shark drama Under Paris, Arclight Films’ Deep Water, BBC and Left Bank’s This City is Ours, Netflix series Kaos, AMC’s The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon and Alejandro Amenabar’s new film The Captive, co-produced by Mod Producciones.
This is as well as returning series like Netflix’s The Crown and Cosmopolitan Pictures/Clerkenwell Films’ The Mallorca Files
“It’s been a busy period, despite the US strikes, especially with UK projects,” confirms Mike Day, owner of Palma Pictures who have provided production support for This City is Ours, The Crown and The Mallorca Files filming across the Balearic Islands.
“ A GLANCE DOWN THE EXTENSIVE LIST OF INTERNATIONAL PRODUCTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN FILMING IN SPAIN IN 2023/24 CAN ONLY LEAVE YOU IMPRESSED.”
“The islands are very welcoming when it comes to filming,” says Ben Donald of Cosmopolitan Films, executive producer of The Mallorca Files. “We’ve had incredible access to public spaces, historic sites and villas, including the UNESCO world heritage site Serra de Tramuntana, which is great, and the Opera House. There are so many landscapes on one island, from mountains to rustic interiors and vineyards.
LOCATION HIGHLIGHT
Serra de Tramuntana
This stunning, forested mountain range on the island of Mallorca was given UNESCO World Heritage status for good reason. Boasting two large lakes – the Gorg Blau and Cuber reservoirs – soaring peaks, including Pui Major, river gorges, rural landscapes with stone terracing, centuries old olive trees and beautiful beaches set among dramatic, steep cliff faces.
Producers are taking note of the location with one of the most recent projects to film there being The Mallorca Files, which shot the vintage train that runs between Palma and the town of Soller, through the Serra de Tramuntana mountains. “And we filmed in the caves with stalagmites and stalactites and an underground lake,” says Ben Donald, the series’ executive producer.
Incredible locations that can double for other cities
Top suppliers and service companies
Hands-on assistance and institutional support
Q&A
ELISA GARCÍA GRANDE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ICEX-Invest in Spain
Q: What work do you do to attract international productions to Spain?
A: Spain is fully committed to the audiovisual industry. In 2021 the Spain, Audiovisual Hub of Europe plan was launched by the government, with more than EUR1.6 million of public investment until 2025.
As part of the plan, we have the Spain Audiovisual Bureau for companies interested in undertaking projects in the screen sector in Spain. It’s a free-of-charge service. In the case of initiatives led by foreign companies, a team of expert consultants helps companies to understand how the Spanish sector works and the advantages it offers, as well as the steps to follow to develop their screen-based project here.
Q: How important is the financial incentive in attraction productions?
A: Spain offers tax incentives for international shoots in the form of a tax rebate and tax credit, 30% of the first EUR1 million of expenditure in Spain and 25% after that. There are territories with a higher rebate, such as the Canary Islands (54% of the first EUR1 million, 45% after that) and other territories with tax credits, such as Navarra (35%) or the Basque Country (35% with the possibility of raising it to 60%). But there are other positive elements such as our highly qualified workforce.
Q: What further plans do you have for investing in and promoting the screen sector?
A: A new initiative is the opening of support antennas for the media sector in the economic offices of the Spanish Secretary of State for Trade in LA and Singapore. The aim is to gain a better understanding of those markets, identifying the main players in the ecosystem and their needs, so that Spain can position itself as the ideal destination to grow their media projects.
“It was just a little harder to film there for series three because we were shooting from March to July, so it was hotter, more expensive in terms of flights and accommodation, and slightly harder to stop traffic and take over buildings (the owners were hedging it off against their tourist income). But it was all still possible and the Mallorca Film Commission is very supportive in getting permits and easing relationships in delicate locations.”
It’s not just the Balearics getting all the action. Filming has been taking place all over Spain. Gangster film This City is Ours filmed on the coast of Marbella; In the Grey and Den of Thieves 2: Pantera shot in Tenerife; BBC legal/family drama series The Split was in Barcelona; Kaos was in Almeria and Jerez; and Deep Water in Gran Canaria.
The studios have also been bursting with productions. One of the most used is the re-opened Ciudad de la Luz in Alicante, offering six sound stages, which grabbed the big prize of Venom: The Last Dance earlier this year, shooting for four weeks in February after three months of prep.
The Sony Pictures blockbuster, starring Tom Hardy, which also partly filmed in the surrounding province of Alicante and used more than 500 local crew, accessed both the 30% national incentive and the Valencia region grant worth 25%.
The Captive filmed for six weeks at Ciudad de la Luz and surrounding area (including the Santa Bárbara de Alicante castle), as did Under Paris “They came here from May to June 2023 to use our water tanks (indoors and outdoors) for a shark chase sequence and scenes on the river bank,” says Marta Bellod, COO of the studios.
“You can work in the water there up to your waist and can easily change the camera, train the actors and give them breaks, as opposed to on the sea where you’re on the boats all day. It’s safer, more practical and efficient. One day in the tank would take about two days in the open sea,” says Fernando Victoria de Lecea of Meñakoz Films, the producers of Under Paris in Spain.
Another popular site is the Gran Canaria Studios spread across 6,000 sqm, offering two large sound stages, where Eleventh Hour Films’ TV series Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue was filming from April to August, and last year hosted Renny Harlin’s Deep Water, Peter Cattaneo’s The Penguin Lessons and Sony Pictures’ German production The Investigators.
JUST
TWO OR THREE YEARS AGO IT WAS NEARLY 100% LOCATION DRIVEN, BUT NOW THE STUDIOS ARE A MAJOR PART OF THE CONVERSATION. THERE’S DEFINITELY DEMAND AND SUPPLY IS INCREASING.
TAX INCENTIVES
Spain offers a 30% rebate for productions on the first EUR1 million spent in the country, and 25% for any amount above that (up to EUR10 million per production).
In the Canary Islands, the incentive is worth 54% of the first EUR1 million, 45% after that, and production companies can benefit from a 4% reduced corporate income and there’s a 0% VAT rate that applies to the delivery and import of goods and rendering of services.
In Valencia (where the Ciudad de la Luz Studios are based), there are regional incentives consisting of a direct grant equal to 25% of the local expenditure incurred during production up to a maximum of EUR1.5 million per production.
Navarre offers a 35% tax credit (with a cap of EUR5 million per project) and the Basque Country has a 35% incentive with the possibility of raising it to 60% (when investment in the region exceeds 50% of the total budget.
“We were doubling Gran Canaria for Mexico on Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue, partly shooting in the studio and on location,” says Day. “The facilities there are great and the locations worked well, the incentive was a big draw and the production team were comfortable with the level of expertise of the Spanish crew.”
There’s also Tres Cantos studios in Madrid, which Netflix is heavily utilising, as well as new studios, including Orca Studios in Gran Canaria with an LED volume stage, which opened recently, and Coruña Estudio Inmersivo in Galicia, which opens this autumn with a semi-circular 4K screen. Plus, Universal Production Services has partnered with UK outfit Stage Fifty to build the EUR120 million Murcia Film Studios, which will span 100,000 sqm.
“The requests and demand for stages has really increased in the last year or so,” adds Day. “Just two or three years ago it was nearly 100% location driven, but now the studios are a major part of the conversation. I’m occasionally asked for advice by stakeholders (infrastructure company and equity groups) in that space who are keen to invest or build. There’s definitely demand and supply is increasing.”
The production influx is expected to continue next year too. “It’s looking really bullish. We’ve got projects with Disney, Amazon and Netflix lined up for 2025 and a lot of our conversations are with the US,” concludes Day.
SOMETHING ELSE
Hot Properties
For those filmmakers who’ve enjoyed their time filming in Spain so much they’re considering buying a place they might need to think again.
House prices – both new and existing – have shot up 20% in the last five years, according to a report by BBVA research.
The Canary Islands has seen the sharpest price rise, with houses being 16.4% more expensive than a year ago. Followed by the Balearic Islands (11.9%), the Valencian Community (11.5%), the community of Madrid (11.5%), the Murcia region (8.8%) and Andalucia (8.7%).
By cities, the most significant rises were popular tourist spots Malaga, Alicante, Soria, Valencia, Santander and Madrid.
This follows protests from thousands of Spanish locals in the summer against rampant tourism and holiday lets driving up prices.
What role is the metaverse playing in reshaping television and IP? Broadcasters are using platforms like Roblox and Fortnite to introduce new generations to known franchises but a TVcentric approach won’t necessarily work in the communitydriven online world.
Using tools like Unreal, Creators are not only able to get ideas out of their head onto screen very quickly but it can be seen by millions of people across the world in ways television producers can only dream.
Filmmaker HaZ Dulull is one. Adept at navigating the challenges of developing original IP and creating and promoting science-fiction features like The Beyond and 2036 Origins Unknown, he first used Unreal Engine for previz in 2019 and quickly grasped its potential. Cofounding HaZimation with Paula Crickard around a proprietary Unreal Engine pipeline enabled the studio to move away from traditional VFX or animation workflows and be more agile in development.
“To create IP from the ground up takes time, so I looked at various projects we had in development and realised that our animated television series Moontopia complete with a teaser trailer created entirely in UE5, was perfect for a Fortnite game experience,” he explained at the Edinburgh Television Festival.
“BACK IN THE DAY KNOWLEDGE WAS KEPT CLOSE AND YOU NEEDED A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF DEVELOPMENT CASH.”
Dulull did just this to create a demo of the game in Fortnite and iterated it on-the-fly saving hundreds of thousands of pounds. It’s now played by millions on PC and all consoles including Xbox.
“Back in the day knowledge was kept close and you needed a substantial amount of development cash. You had to know someone [in order to] join a company or be a runner and work up but now content creation is community driven. Content on Minecraft or Roblox is largely user generated.”
“Download Unreal. Download Fortnite,” Dulull urges producers. “Test your ideas out for the market and get audience feedback right away. The media landscape is changing massively from a business point view, where creators can be one or two people in their rooms making stuff and they can make a living off it.”
Creator and gamer Yammy is one of those. She has grown her YouTube channel to extraordinary heights with 4 million subscribers and almost one billion views.
“I learned everything in terms of creating my own YouTube channel from YouTube,” she says. “I learned how to edit, how to do the lighting for my setup, what cameras to use. All the information is there and it's actually quite fun to learn a new skill.”
The BBC’s own research revealed that 7 to 24 year olds are dedicating increasingly less time to longform video, let alone television, on a daily basis.
Its response was to pioneer bringing BBC television content into gaming. Projects include The Traitors in Fortnite and most recently the Wonder Chase Roblox experience featuring Dr Who, EastEnders, Match of the Day and even Larry the Cat for a special General Election experience.
Fiona Campbell, the controller of youth audiences at the BBC, claimed mixing election coverage with Roblox was a world first. Some 50,000 Election desk ‘skins’ (customisable accessories for user avatars) were downloaded in 12 hours.
“It was a huge success. It became a global experience across the whole of Roblox and given that there are four million experiences on Roblox worldwide that's
WE HAD A LOT OF PROBLEMS AND SPENT A LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT HOW TO MAKE IT WORK WHEN WE REALLY WE SHOULD JUST LET IT GO AND REALISE THE GAMING WORLD IS DIFFERENT.
incredible. You want people to be attracted to your brand and if they want your skins that’s a great sign. Roblox is incredible for engaging the young audience.”
Not everything is a success though. The BBC’s first foray into Fortnite was Murder Mystery –Sacramentum Slasher an experience tied in with teen drama Wreck.
“It was done at great speed to tie into the television show going to air and we worked very closely with the writer and the producers. People were spending on average 12 minutes inside the game which is very good but made it hard for ourselves by choosing a new drama rather than an established brand.
She also admits “the technology won't quite do what a writer might want it to do. We had a lot of problems and spent a lot of time talking about how to make it work when we really we should just let it go and realise the gaming world is different. Sometimes we worry too much about being polished and having everything perfect, when there's a beauty in making something that's natural and fun.”
Something similar was also activated by the production team at the All England Tennis Club to engage younger fans in Wimbledon. The tennis championship is one of the ‘crown jewel sports events still ringfenced under Ofcom for free to air broadcast but the television audience tends to skew older.
“We know that that family picture looks different now with a lot of young people on their own devices who aren't engaging with the same content as their parents,” says Chris Clements, digital Project Lead. “For us, it’s extremely important that we're entering into those spaces where they're spending their time, to make sure we're building awareness of Wimbledon as a brand.”
In the on Roblox players can play tennis, mow the lawns, even meet Andy Murray. “We've had 18 million plays in that experience. So it's a really great way of being able to connect to that youth audience with a degree of depth.”
It is only one touchpoint for Wimbledon which this year released PlayStation 5 game TopSpin in which players go toe-to-toe with the biggest names in tennis on Centre Court. It also publishes content to socials and has had nine-year-old Priya Rose Brookwell interviewing players “in a cheeky style to bring out their personality.”
“Different platforms and media have different audiences,” Clements says. “Fortnite is for slightly older users, Roblox for younger users. “A lot of this
is about mapping out your overall youth audience engagement strategy.”
The BBC and Wimbledon agree they are trying to engage viewers with games in order to drive viewers back to the traditional channel but they’ve also learned the approach is short sighted.
Campbell says, “The next challenge is getting the production process right which means we need to conceive of the gaming application with digital and with television from the beginning and embedded in the commissioning budget rather than leaving it to the end which is when the time pressures is intense.”
“ THE EASY MISTAKE IS TO THINK THAT YOU JUST DO THE SAME THING IN THE SAME WAY YOU’VE ALWAYS DONE.”
Clements says, “The easy mistake is to think that you just do the same thing in the same way you’ve always done. For instance, we started out being very strict with our brand guidelines but we became more flexible when we started working with creators and when we started listening to the community.”
Community is different to audience because it implies interaction, realtime conversation and participation in the creation of content.
“They behave so differently from one another so it’s imperative for everyone involved in television to understand how those communities actually operate and how you can get your content out there,” says presenter and radio host Elz the Witch.
“The community is very honest. While it is great that broadcasters want to embrace gaming they have to do it in a way that is actually of interest to the community instead of warping it to what they think would work. That is really key.”
If television producers work with the right creator and are prepared to relax their own ideas about how a project is made then adapting IP can be fluid and profitable.
“In future, you are going to see fewer movies adaptations of games and more of IP conceived as a movie, a television show, a game from inception at the point of talking to finance,” says Dulull. “For instance, if you make a movie in Unreal you essentially have the assets for the game whether that’s in Fortnite or on a console. Producers are smart and they’re looking at how they can do market research and testing the community. It's massive.”
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE MOVES FROM BEING THE PROBLEM TO BEING THE SOLUTION
Television industry executives at broadcast media tech trade show IBC exhibited a mature response to AI.
It was hard to keep AI out of the headlines at IBC not because there was anything groundbreaking in terms of news or product but because the technology is now part and parcel of every media tech conversation.
“It's chaos in the industry right now and we need help from technology to do things differently,” said Helen Killeen, Director of Production for ITV Studios which originates shows like Love Island and Come Dine With Me. “A lot of independent producers and vendors are going out of business.”
The only way to change that dynamic, she said, was to explore how technology can help producers create more for less. In that regard, ITV is in the process of shifting its production workflows like transcoding and transcription onto the cloud. The benefits of doing so include being able to tap international editing talent and streamline the way local versions of its IP are produced.
Over 45,000 people attended the media technology trade show in Amsterdam where the fear of algorithms replacing jobs seemed to have changed toward positive adoption of AI for data mining, streamlining back-office systems and accelerating some production functions.
“AI is an example which humans can get very resistant to based on what they don’t know,” Phil Wiser, EVP and CTO at Paramount Global said in
a keynote. “A big part of our time is spent educating with programs around technology. We even sit in on productions to talk through ideas rather than try to push top down.”
Andy Hood, VP Emerging Technologies at advertising group WPP called the moment “a watershed” “because AI enables enable people at every level of our organisation do what they need to do.”
Vendors like Adobe repeated that mantra. It is using “Assistive AI” to remove the mundane repetitive tasks, “that no creative really wants to do,” explained Meagan Keane, Adobe’s Director of Product Marketing. “With text-based editing you can take a transcript that's automatically generated as you're bringing your media in and edit your first assembly. It’s as easy as cutting and pasting text. The time saved can be returned to the creatives to actually do storytelling,” she said.
The application of AI in which humans remain in the loop contrasts with the feverish scare-mongering about the impact of GenAI and fallout from the Hollywood strikes.
“AI is a buzzword but it is also a technology that can be used to create exciting new products,” said Huma Lodhi, Principal Machine Learning Engineer, Sky demonstrating an AI powered sports highlights generator that won Sky and Comcast a technical Emmy.
IT'S CHAOS IN THE INDUSTRY RIGHT NOW AND WE NEED HELP FROM TECHNOLOGY TO DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY.
There was however little mention of GenAI for automating entire crafts like scriptwriting or VFX let alone narrative video content. AI tools processed on data in the cloud is now seen as key to getting the broadcast industry back on an even financial keel.
EXPERIMENTATION TO IMPLEMENTATION
Banijay Entertainment, the French-headquartered indie powerhouse, has partnered with Adobe and AWS to index all 200,000+ hours of its content with the aim of speeding up and expanding versioning for distribution.
“After lots of experimentation, it’s clear that AI-powered workflows and logistics will generate great savings and improve our profitability,” said CMO Damien Viel. “We approach AI as if starting a new business. We remain a creative company not a tech company so we have to make sure we’re building tech that helps creatives to do their job in ways they’ve always done.”
TOWARD ME TV
AI is deemed essential to unlocking IP in content owners’ archives and in slicing and dicing content for increasingly personalised media streams.
“We are at the beginning of a content creation revolution,” said Vered Horesh, Chief of Strategic AI Partnerships at GenAI platform Bria. “We’re moving from broadcasting one idea to a model in which media is expressed in a multitude of different variations.”
Panelists agreed that consumers want more targeted individualised playlists and that broadcast is naturally evolving to a streamed Me TV.
“We’re at a new frontier for rights owners to make the most of the rich IP they have,” said Maninder Saini, Head of Growth, at Twelve Labs which has developed a deep learning model that extracts information about content and users from multiple touchpoints.
“Broadcast, sports leagues, teams and studios are sitting on IP and not sure what to do with it. Using AI-based metadata extraction they can makes sense of what they have and make more of it through targeted adverting and hyper-localised video.”
Using AI to turn a content archive from a cost centre to one of profit will only work if content owners transfer their systems to the cloud. As Lewis Smithingham, EVP of Strategic Industries at Monks pointed out, “Content owners with their archive on LTO tape are going to be challenged in monetising that asset.”
There are profit making opportunities for service providers if they can sell personalised content recommendations or promotions.
“We will soon see AI influence content,” said Richard Kerris, GM of M&E at AI chip maker Nvidia. “We’re already seeing the ability to change on-screen logos in sports distributed to different territories. A next step is that AI will hyper-localise product placement in a live broadcast down to highly specific geographic areas and specific products.”
NO STANDARD AND NO GUIDELINE
There remain concerns about the rapid pace and lack of precedent for a technology with the potency of AI but the industry seems to think it can reign in rogue AI developers.
SMPTE President Renard Jenkins spoke “soft deployments” of AI in M&E and that the standards body was working with studios, content owners and vendors on education around implementation.
“Technology is accelerating beyond our ability to keep up with it so we’re working with the community to understand what they are planning and launching. AI is a foundational change in how we design what we use and how this is integrated into our individual processes. We have to have guardrails and that’s where policies and standards becomes extremely important.”
“AI IS A BUZZWORD BUT IT IS ALSO A TECHNOLOGY THAT CAN BE USED TO CREATE EXCITING NEW PRODUCTS.”
With the EU’s AI Act now in force, a senior policy advisor for the European Broadcasting Union told IBC that work with AI developers was still ongoing – meaning that issues of protection and remuneration for content creators had not been resolved.
“We want to have a comprehensive discussion with AI providers that gives our members levers to negotiate something in return for use of their content,” Francois Lavoir said. “Our aim is to give our members control.”
A word of warning came from Juan Reyes of the Tech Align Group; “AI is in every room and every panel here at IBC but there is no standard and no guideline. Studios are concerned about losing their IP to another studio or content creator studio because their IP has not been tracked or accounted for in AI systems.
Phil Wiser discusses AI after his keynote speech.
Making Room
ARE THE UK’S FILM
FRIENDLY HOTELS THE ANSWER FOR STRUGGLING FILMMAKERS?
As the battle for filming space heats up, movie and TV projects are increasingly setting up shoots, accommodation and production bases at hotels across the UK.
We’ve been filming everywhere from small residentials in Skegness to The Stafford in London,” says location manager Robert Bentley, whose credits include Black Mirror and Resident Evil. “The key is timing and not interfering with hotel clients.”
This is particularly the case as they face competition from topline musicians, like Taylor Swift and Oasis, announcing tour dates resulting in thousands of hotel bookings.
“It’s like doing a jigsaw, slotting everyone into place at the right hotels,” says Grant MacGadie, director of sales, specialty markets at Hilton.
But production schedules can change quickly. “With a recent project we were still signing contract addendums just before filming,” says Ruth Dsouza, senior sales manager at Como Hotels and Resorts.
Some productions even choose a site at the last minute. “Surprisingly, we can often accommodate them and even charge GBP2,000 rather than
Filming at the art’otel in London’s Battersea Power Station.
MANY TOP LONDON HOTELS HAVE BEEN BURSTING WITH PRODUCTIONS. THE FOUR SEASONS AT TEN TRINITY SQUARE, FOR EXAMPLE, RECENTLY HAD SEVERAL PROJECTS SHOOTING AT THE SAME TIME.
GBP10,000,” says Frances Charman, national account manager intermediary and entertainment at the Marriott Hotel chain.
ACCOMMODATION VS FILMING
Many top London hotels have been bursting with productions. The Four Seasons at Ten Trinity Square, for example, recently had several projects shooting at the same time, including Invasion, Liaison and the latest Mission: Impossible. “It was like a film studio,” says location manager Christian McWilliams who worked on Invasion.
“We’ve had projects filming in our corridors, bedrooms, event spaces and ballroom. We’re a one-stop-shop. Often people come for an initial recce for one scene and then get inspired by something else,” enthuses Alyssa Belezos, director of events at Ten Trinity Square.
It’s also been busy at top Marriott hotels like St Pancras, the Sheraton Grand Park Lane, JW Marriott and County Hall, which hosted the second series of The Diplomat. “We managed to dress their function rooms for our government rooms,” says the show’s location manager EJ Richards.
Projects with smaller budgets “that just need a room to film in will shoot at our hotels just outside the city, like the Sheraton Skyline,” says Charman.
In places like Liverpool, Manchester and Glasgow, where there’s been lots of filming, productions tend to choose hotels for accommodation, although sometimes they’ll shoot scenes at the hotels too, especially ones with a distinct look.
“We had a couple of Netflix movies that loved our Dakota Edinburgh property because the black box shape and natural brick effect had a New York vibe,” says Claire Gamble, executive director of sales, entertainment, media & luxury at Dakota Hotels.
SIZE AND SCOPE
Obviously, size matters. “There’s a big difference between 20 and 200 crew,” says Charman. “The location manager will have pictures of what they’re looking for, and I’ll suggest certain hotels, but factoring in crew size and budget,” says Charman.
“If it is a big crew then you also have to consider access. Make sure there are enough service areas and large lifts to take the equipment to the rooms,” says Dsouza.
Prepping and booking enough space is key. For Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, the production team filmed a scene in a suite at the Luton Hoo hotel. “We shot there for two days, but had to book all the surrounding rooms as production offices, spaces to change the crowd, service area for the equipment etc,” says Duncan Broadfoot, supervising location manager on the film.
Timing is also important. “It’s easier booking bedrooms from 3pm to 3pm to have less impact on guests, but they normally want them from 7am to 7pm, so we have to charge for two nights,” says Charman.
Some hotels in London are also “busy during the week, but much quieter over weekends,” stresses Bentley.
“THE LOCATION MANAGER WILL HAVE PICTURES OF WHAT THEY’RE LOOKING FOR, AND I’LL SUGGEST CERTAIN HOTELS, BUT FACTORING IN CREW SIZE AND BUDGET.”
Many projects want to shoot in the foyer of a hotel, especially if it is grand looking, but this is obviously difficult.
“For Batman Begins they managed to film at our St Pancras grand staircase, but usually it would be a huge inconvenience for guests unless they film at night,” says Charman.
Sometimes, hotels have alternative entrances that can be used. “At Ten Trinity Square we have three private entrances with stunning early 1900s features,” says Belezos.
Foyers can also be recreated, “like at our Heathrow site we have a meeting space with its own desk area that can double for a reception,” says Charman.
ALTERNATIVE SPACES
Increasingly productions want to shoot in hotel bars, restaurants, pools and terraces, especially if they have views.
Filming at the art’otel in London’s Battersea Power Station.
Filming at the St Pancras Hotel.
THERE’S A LOT TO CONSIDER, WHICH IS WHY THE CONTRACTS BETWEEN THE HOTELS AND PRODUCTION COMPANIES ARE SO IMPORTANT.
“On the Netflix series Department Q they hired out the grill at our Edinburgh hotel for restaurant scenes,” says Gamble. “They had it at lunch time when it was quieter and then we took it back for dinner service.”
Howard adds: “We had MasterChef filming in half of our rooftop restaurant, Joia, so they didn’t interrupt guests and had great views of the power station chimneys, while our new Hoxton site is getting requests for filming at the art gallery and cinema.”
“We had The Union movie in The Midland Grand Dining Room, which was out of action at the time, using half for the shoot and the other half as a crew room,” says May Kitane, entertainment sales manager at the St Pancras hotel.
Bar shoots are generally straightforward. “But occasionally we’ll get productions that want to change everything, which is tricky if they’re removing furniture because we usually don’t have enough space to store it,” says Charman. “Hotels on the outskirts of London are more accommodating, as long as it’s returned to how it was before.”
Some hotels have distinct filming spots. “We have a freestanding residency like a Mayfair townhouse, so productions can show the cast walking in and out,” says Dsouza.
Dakota Eurocentral hotel has a whole floor dedicated to production. “It’s a blank canvas,” Gamble insists. “We had the BBC in there filming the series Scot Squad where they constructed a police office.”
OUTDOOR PROBLEMS
Some productions want to shoot exteriors too. “They might be going for an iconic look or just need a car park or garage to film in,” says MacGadie.
But shooting outside comes with challenges. “Some of the land will be owned by the council and if you’re shooting at our St Pancras site, part of it is owned by National Rail,” says Charman.
There’s also the issue of including branding in the shoot. Many prefer it not to feature though there are exceptions.
One of the key factors is the subject matter. “We’re getting a lot of filming requests, but we turned down one that was potentially too sexual,” says Stephen Howard, PR and marketing manager at the art’otel in Battersea Power Station, which is part of the PPHE Hotel Group.
“Violence can also be a no-no,” adds Dsouza. “One of the previous hotels where I worked turned down the live-action Tom & Jerry film because somebody thought ‘people might think we have mice’.”
There’s also catering to consider. “Some hotels will allow you to bring your own and we sign a food waiver, but others will enforce using hotel catering, or willing to have vans outside the property,” says Charman.
Security is another issue. “For our luxury sites, extra security for [A-listers] may be needed and to prevent damage from massive lighting rigs,” adds Charman.
Those rigs, like cherry pickers, can be very intrusive. “We had them on Indiana Jones lighting the interior from the exterior, which was tricky because of the guests. It’s a balancing act to achieve the brief without ruining their experiences,” says Broadfoot.
“IDEALLY YOU’D HAVE A DEDICATED PERSON ON SITE THAT KNOWS EVERYONE FROM THE MAINTENANCE MANAGER TO THE GENERAL MANAGER.”
“Also, the higher up you film, the more you have to deal with the council and adjacent properties because of the lighting,” adds Richards. “Then if you need machines, rather than lamps on stands, you’re starting to look at road closures.”
There’s also parking to consider, which is often limited. “There’s not a lot at our London sites, so usually they need a unit base nearby,” says Charman. “Although, we can corner off areas, like at St Pancras we can fit a couple of freightliner sprinters (vans) and one big truck out the back.”
Another potential problem is VIP guests. “We filmed at a hotel where they had high rollers in the casinos. If they come in, you could be turfed out or at least moved,” says Bentley.
The key with everything is planning. “Ideally you’d have a dedicated person on site that knows everyone from the maintenance manager to the general manager, and all the underground warrens and back corridors,” says Bentley.
“Then leaning on doors to see if they’ll open them,” adds Richards. Some big projects will book out the entire hotel, while other productions look for hotels being refurbished or mothballed. “That makes your life a lot easier,” insists Bentley.
There’s a lot to consider, which is why the contracts between the hotels and production companies are so important. The negotiations often take a while, but the hotels insist everything’s potentially doable.
Filming at the art’otel in London’s Battersea Power Station.
Edinburgh’s Dakota Hotel.
Making of Disclaimer
ALFONSO CUARÓN’S FIRST TV
QUESTIONS THE COURT OF PUBLIC OPINION IN SHIFTING NARRATIVE
Aate Blanchett has the glossy façade of her married relationship and city career turned inside out by Kevin Kline’s bitter spinster in AppleTV’s psychological thriller.
Director Alfonso Cuarón (pictured in the main image below on location in Italy) has said that he treated the seven episode series like a long movie, shooting it as he would any of his other films, from Children of Men to Gravity and Roma. Emmanuel Lubezki (also pictured), who
photographed those features, and Bruno Delbonnel (The Tragedy of Macbeth) split cinematography duties on Disclaimer and share a co-producer credit too. Scenes flash from a clammy London of the present day to a honey-lit Italian seaside resort decades earlier, and often in long takes which are characteristic of Cuarón-Lubezki’s work.
Location filming predominantly took place in Forte dei Marmi, northern Tuscany with exteriors in Archway and Notting Hill and extensive interiors at Enfield Studios.
It’s a Rashomon tale in which the same event is unwrapped from three different perspectives. Editor Adam Gough, ACE says, “Viewers would take a lot away from a second watch because all the detail is there. What it plays into most is the additional perspective of you, the viewer. The way the story is presented allows you to make your own choices and feelings on characters as the chapters unfold.”
Creating global: the fine line between authenticity and alienation
Chou is leading Netflix’s push to produce animated films with greater cultural diversity. Other projects include Pachamama, based on indigenous Andean history, and Mama K’s Team 4 (pictured), a series featuring Zambian superheroes.
STUDIOS ARE PRODUCING UNIVERSAL TALES WITH CULTURALLY SPECIFIC REFERENCES BUT TREAD A FINE LINE BETWEEN AUTHENTICITY AND ALIENATION. EXECUTIVES IN INTERNATIONAL ANIMATED FILM AND TELEVISION DISCUSS THE CROSS-CULTURAL CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES TO CAPTIVATE GLOBAL AUDIENCES WHILE PRESERVING THE CULTURAL SOUL OF PRODUCTIONS.
The global animation industry is worth USD400 billion and growing but when a film like China’s Ne Zha (2020) can make more at the box office than Frozen while being largely unknown in the West it’s clear there’s more money to be made in creating stories that cross national boundaries.
The key lies in keeping stories culturally specific while being universally understood. It’s a familiar formula reminiscent of Disney’s Moana and Coco
“Stay true to your culture and inject universal themes,” advises Juliette Rogasik, founder of consultancy Story Critters speaking at Annecy Festival.
Another example: Hyper-Spanish series The Heist (La Casa de Papel) beat Game of Thrones to the #1 show in the world in 2021. South Korea’s Squid Game was a massive international hit for Netflix with most viewers choosing to watch the subtitled version.
“By exhibiting themes such as resistance against authority and the complexity of human relationships they transcend localism, creating a cult show,” Rogasik says.
Among the main hurdles when it comes to cross culture storytelling is humour. Jokes can easily get lost in translation.
“The key to developing comedy for a global audience is relatability,” says Sarah Cox, chief creative director, Aardman. “Aardman study human behaviour and we reflect it.”
Quizzed as to why he thought Wallace & Gromit was so popular internationally, creator Nick Park said at Annecy, “Because there are pet lovers across the globe. Everyone can relate to the way a dog looks at you in a questioning way.”
But producers need to work hard to achieve relatability that global audiences believe in.
“Wallace & Gromit is about a middle-aged man and his dog living in a small northern UK town having adventures on a small scale,” Cox says. “If we pitched that today I doubt it would get commissioned.”
Aardman observes “human frailties and hiccups, missteps and accidents,” then “carefully replays them in an authentic way.” She says, “Even if a viewer from another part of the UK – let alone the world –doesn’t recognise specific details they do appreciate that it rings true and therefore they trust the comedy. You can relate to equivalence in your culture.”
One of the reasons Kung Fu Panda became such a successful franchise is that the character is an underdog, explains Netflix Animation producer Peilin Chou who produced the third in the series while at DreamWorks Animation. “Conceptually pandas are known for being kinda lazy animals, so a martial arts panda is inherently funny.”
Like Wallace and Gromit, Kung Fu Panda is told with physical comedy where spoken language is often not required. That said, DreamWorks’ “hyper localised” Kung Fu Panda 3 (2016) for Chinese audiences, Chou said.
“We created a whole other version of the movie specifically to make it as appealing as possible to China. We reanimated the dialogue into Mandarin including inserting 80 completely different jokes that are not in the western version. We also referenced local cultural trends in this version that were current to just a few months before the film’s release.”
When she first started producing for the animation industry, the Taiwan-born American felt there were virtually “zero Chinese or Asian stories being told on a global platform.”
“WE WILL PUSH BACK IF WE ARE TO CHANGE A ROLE TO FIT A CERTAIN CULTURE. WE EMPLOY TALENT WITH DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS SO WE DO NOT WORK IN MONOCULTURE TO HELP NAVIGATE THAT.”
Ensuring more Asian-led animated high-profile projects is “about feeling seen and seeing yourself reflected,” she says. To see an animated Asian face legitimises that “you are a person here too, of this community… you’re not alone.”
At Pearl Studio, the Shanghai-based animation division of DreamWorks, Chou was able to do something about that by working on adaptations of classic Chinese tales, The Monkey King, derived from Journey to the West, and Over the Moon, based on the Asian myth of Chang'e
WE REANIMATED THE DIALOGUE INTO MANDARIN INCLUDING INSERTING EIGHTY COMPLETELY DIFFERENT JOKES THAT ARE NOT IN THE WESTERN VERSION.
“When we take on something specific to Chinese culture we try to think what elements would give a viewer that knows nothing about it an entry point into the movie.”
She said she’d received hundreds of pitches for versions of Over The Moon but the one that spoke to her was about a modern day girl who wanted to build a rocket.
“Over The Moon did what few US produced animations about China have done which was to set the story in modern day China. It features a distinct Western storytelling style in its strong, central character in pursuit of a single goal but it also features non-traditional elements like a lot of Miyazaki-esque whimsy and also not having a traditional villain character.”
Chou is leading Netflix’ push to produce animated films with greater cultural diversity. Other projects include Pachamama, based on indigenous Andean history, and Mama K’s Team 4, a series featuring Zambian superheroes.
Professor Chris Holliday who lectures on animation at Kings College London is intrigued by the idea of “transnational cinema” and how national identities are constructed in film.
“Texts that moves across borders demonstrate tension between local and global. Those ideas might overlap in problematic or productive ways.”
Take Pixar’s The Incredibles. The superhero story is one layer of familiarity but scenes of a family are around the dining table are deeper, he says. “Because no matter where you are in the world we all have that interaction.”
He calls Aardman’s Sean The Sheep “authentically parochial” while invoking the power of universal themes.
“Every culture has their version of a farm, a farmer, the middle management layer of the dog, the naughty sheep (children) causing havoc,” Holliday says.
There are many examples of studios making adjustments to the final feature to match what is culturally acceptable. Disney swapped out different anthropomorphic animals as news anchors in Zootopia (North American and French audiences saw a snow leopard and a moose, China got a panda; in Brazil, a jaguar, Brits got a Corgi). In Inside Out, broccolis fed to a toddler are changed to bell peppers in Japan, where the peppers are considered even more gross.
Disney does the same in live action films too. Steve Rogers was seen viewing different versions of a to-do list in Captain America: Winter Soldier (2014).
DreamWorks’ ensured Abominable (2019) got the details of a modern Chinese kitchen scene right by working with Pearl Studio but it also included metal garbage bins more familiar to New York than Shanghai.
“When it previewed in China that really stood out. DreamWorks decided to incur the cost to go back and change them all for that version.”
Despite globalisation of the film industry the way we tell stories is far from homogenous. Some cultures value a perfectly crafted plot, others a different pace or respond better to an emotion behind the story.
“We are keenly aware of not stereotyping female character roles and will also push back if we are to change a role to fit a certain culture,” Cox says. “We employ talent with diverse backgrounds so we do not work in monoculture to help navigate that.”
Although Netflix Animation’s US team is half composed of Chinese-Americans, Chou says she didn’t recognise how Western her sense of storytelling was until she lived in China for two years.
“One trait in Chinese movies is you might be half way through following a character when they disappear from the story and you never see them again. It’s completely normal for those who grow up with that storytelling sensibility.”
“BY EXHIBITING THEMES SUCH AS RESISTANCE AGAINST AUTHORITY AND THE COMPLEXITY OF HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS THEY TRANSCEND LOCALISM.”
Developing Over The Moon, Chou found that Chinese audiences reacted aversely to the film’s ambiguous ending.
“Screenwriter Audrey Wells wanted to leave the ending open for the audience to make their own mind up about whether the girl goes to the moon or not. That worked just fine for the US but Chinese audiences needed to know. So we rewrote the ending for the Chinese to make it clear she got there.”
She also addressed the controversy surrounding Abominable, animated by Pearl Studio, which included a map depicting a U-shaped boundary that appeared to endorse Beijing’s claim for territory. Vietnam and Malaysia banned the film.
“We were criticised for pandering to Chinese censorship but from the very start we were only motivated by authenticity,” Chou said. “The central character lives in China and the only map she could buy was one with [that territorial marking]. Sometimes you have to make tough choices and adhere to what you believe is right.”
THE USA MAY STILL BE THE DOMINANT FORCE IN GLOBAL SCREEN BUT WITH NO UNITING FILM COMMISSION
With increased competition from abroad, the country remains disjointed in its promotional strategies. Step in Film USA who has taken on the crucial role of supporting the country’s film commissions under a collective umbrella, helping shape the future of filmmaking in the US.
Production spend outside of the US was more than USD40 billion in 2020, according to Olsberg SPI data. The global market, especially with the rise in incentives worldwide, is expanding and the US needs to acknowledge this and adapt to suit the needs of international productions.
Some of the key areas that need addressing include greater opportunities for co-productions, cultural export incentives, and workforce development initiatives. But to do this, there has been a strong call
for a national film commission, including efforts from Film USA, who have stepped into the breach to do all they can for the various film commissions and national network of industry professionals.
A CENTRAL HUB
Started by Tony Armer and Katie Pryor in 2021, Film USA is a non-profit organisation that creates common ground for the country’s network of film commissions. The pandemic posed its set of challenges for the film industry across the world, but for Film USA, the new set of adaptations offered a
Doug Liman & Matt Damon on the set of Apple TV+’s The Instigators which filmed in Boston.
WE’RE ONE OF THE LARGEST PRODUCERS IN THE WORLD BUT WE'RE ALSO ONE OF THE ONLY COUNTRIES WITHOUT A NATIONAL FILM OFFICE.
unique opportunity. From conference calls to a desire for community, the Film USA platform opened up a new form of communication for the many state-based film commissions across the US. What started as a passion project for Armer and Pryor now stands with over 75 members across 50 states.
“We are one of the biggest production heavy countries in the world but we're also one of the only ones without a federal film office,” says Pryor. “So, the first thing we did was build a community for film commissioners across the States providing a private online community for members where we share a lot of resources, band together to represent our interests in different markets like FOCUS, provide a number of other benefits, and just keep in touch.”
For filmmakers, especially those coming from international markets and working on smaller, independent productions, navigating the complexities of the American film industry can be overwhelming. The US offers a dizzying array of locations, from urban centres to awesome natural landscapes, each governed by its own regulations, incentives, and logistical challenges. Film USA simplifies this process by connecting filmmakers to the appropriate local film commissions through its network, offering streamlined access to the information and support needed for a successful production.
As one European producer points out: “There are so many states with different incentives (or lack of incentives) and locations to choose from. It’s hard to know which to choose and how they compare with those in say Hungary or across Canada. Undoubtedly, Film USA is helping on that front.”
“Film USA has been an excellent resource for film commissions like ours to have an international presence, specifically in our professional experience with them,” adds Yousef Kazemi, outreach and
production manager at Oklahoma Film and Music Office. “One of the reasons we’ve been able to have a presence at international and nationally recognised film festivals and markets is because of the partnership opportunities provided by Film USA, which significantly lower the cost of event participation through their collective efforts compared to singularly hosting an exhibition or event.
“Cost is a critical consideration as a state agency, and we appreciate the value which our partnerships with Film USA have provide as well as the opportunity to connect with new, international clients regarding business development and workforce opportunities afforded by the film and television industry.”
This centralised approach not only helps filmmakers find their ideal shooting locations but also ensures that local communities benefit economically from film production. The film industry pumps billions of dollars into the US economy each year, and a significant portion of that is spent on-location – whether through hiring local crews, renting equipment, or utilising local businesses. By facilitating connections between filmmakers and local regions, Film USA plays a pivotal role in distributing these economic benefits more evenly across the country.
“CO-PRODUCTIONS
WOULD BE TACKLED BY A FEDERAL FILM OFFICE. IT'S A MUCH MORE COMPLEX ISSUE THAT NEEDS MORE TIME AND BANDWIDTH TO BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH IT.”
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION
One of Film USA’s most notable contributions to the industry is its role in promoting the country’s incredible diversity of filming locations. While Los Angeles and New York are the epicentres of American film production, there are numerous environments between the seaboards and north to south that can double for nearly any location in the world.
Whether a filmmaker is looking for sweeping desert landscapes, dense forests, snow-covered mountains, or coastal cities, Film USA’s network of film commissions provides access to the perfect locations. Additionally, by encouraging productions to film outside of traditional industry hubs, Film USA helps to spread the economic benefits of film production to smaller towns and regions that may not have previously been on the radar.
“Film USA is a great resource for film commissions –particularly those which may be operated by individual cities or regions – to partner in promoting
Anora was shot in multiple US locations including Brighton Beach, Brooklyn and Las Vegas.
FILM USA IS PROVIDING A VALUABLE VOICE FOR FILM AND TELEVISION PRODUCTION IN A GLOBALLY COMPETITIVE MARKET.
their resources and locations,” says Kazemi. “It has a pipeline of visibility through their marketing and outreach efforts – including their events, website and other electronic communications – which can help in attracting the attention of filmmakers to those associated with the organisation.”
By showcasing the country’s geographic diversity, Film USA not only helps filmmakers find the perfect setting for their stories but also reduces the need for productions to travel abroad for specific locations, keeping more film production within the country.
“Across the film commissions we’re able to offer something that other countries cannot,” says Sandy Lighterman, film commissioner for Broward County (Film Lauderdale) in Florida. “We share our ideas and resources, and sometime even initiate marketing collaborations, because what I have here in Greater Fort Lauderdale, they don't have in Montana. You could go to the mountains there and then come do your beach scenes here, taking advantage of a number of incentives.”
SUPPORTING TALENT
Film USA has a partnership with creative platform Stage 32 expanding their reach to high school and university students, and anyone looking to break into the industry. Educational ventures have been a key foundation to both Film USA, with Pryor and Armer both having teaching experience.
Another component of Film USA’s mission is its focus on workforce development. As the demand for content continues to grow – fuelled in part by the rise of streaming platforms – the need for skilled film industry professionals has never been greater.
“With the current state of the film and television industry following several years of unprecedented events, which have significantly altered the entertainment industry landscape and business models, Film USA is providing a valuable voice for film and television production in a globally competitive market, and the significance of this will only increase with more and more international territories offering film and television production incentives and benefits,” adds Kazemi.
“Education has always been a big part of it,” insists Armer, who alongside his role as co-founder of Film USA is head of physical production at Talon Entertainment Finance. “I used to teach at the university level, and with my own event in Florida, The Sunscreen Film Festival that I founded, education is a huge component. As a film commissioner, I always did educational workshops, so finding ways to grow our educational programming has been key.”
FILMMAKERS UNITY
GLOBAL CONNECTIONS
By facilitating partnerships between educational institutions, film commissions, and industry professionals, Film USA helps to create pipelines for new talent to enter the industry. This is particularly important in regions that may not have traditionally been seen as filmmaking hubs, where local talent might otherwise leave in search of opportunities in bigger cities.
BUILDING WORLDWIDE CONNECTIONS
There are other initiatives too. Pryor explains, “We're working with a group right now to try and establish a database that would track all the stage space in the U.S, which doesn't exist. As each studio tries to track that individually, it's quite messy, so we're trying to be a cohesive resource. We’re also working on partnerships with industry organisations to put on incredible panels with people who are pushing and driving for the same mission. So we’re creating the support of the ecosystem with others that have similar intentions.”
“THESE GLOBAL CONNECTIONS ARE VITAL FOR ATTRACTING FOREIGN PRODUCTIONS TO THE US AND FOR ENSURING THAT AMERICAN FILMMAKERS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COLLABORATE WITH INTERNATIONAL TALENT.”
Global connections are vital for attracting foreign productions to the US and for ensuring that local filmmakers have the opportunity to collaborate with international talent. Film USA’s efforts help to position the US as a hub for international co-productions further strengthening the country’s film industry.
“Co-productions are something that would be tackled by a federal film office,” adds Pryor. “It's a much more complex issue that needs more time and bandwidth to be able to deal with it. But there are already regional efforts across the States. For example, in Louisiana, which is a Francophone, there are groups now that are looking to set up partnerships to provide funds for French speaking countries to film here and vice versa, but these efforts are all in development stages.”
While there’s appreciation for Film USA’s work there is an acknowledgement that more needs to be done. Having a federal film office is high on the priority list. With that in place, the joined-up thinking will likely be taken to another level.
Warner Bros.' Twister shot across Oklahoma in the Summer of 2023.
PROFILE Atomized
Atomized produces broadcast documentaries, digital and social content, podcasts, streaming events and interactive media and now it’s branching into AI.
Ft the helm of the indie is Zad Rogers, the industry veteran and serial entrepreneur who helped deliver Location, Location, Location for Channel 4 in 2000 as co-founder of IWC Media.
“I come from a traditional television production background but even back when launching online motoring magazines like 4Car it felt that a way of providing specific content that the user was interested in, rather than what a producer decided was important, was a big opportunity.”
“THE INDUSTRY IS INCREASINGLY SHIFTING FROM THE ‘ALL CONTENT HAS TO REACH ALL AUDIENCES’ MODEL TO ONE THAT ASKS HOW YOU CAN MAKE YOUR CONTENT ACHIEVE THE BIGGEST IMPACT WITH THE MOST INFLUENTIAL AUDIENCE.”
Rogers sold IWC to RDF and launched RDF Digital working with brands like Renault to produce cross platform content before leaving to found Atomized in 2009.
“When you're building for convergence over time you feel like nobody's listening but then in the last couple of years there's a realisation that that convergence is actually happening,” he says.
The aim is to create a concept that works across multiple touch points and that means ensuring
that the content on Instagram is very different to that on LinkedIn, distinct to the Netflix version.
“Keep those walls separate because I don't necessarily want to be having the same experience with the same narrative all the time.”
Since 2017, Atomized has been owned (75%) by Freuds Group and earlier this year Rogers was promoted to Chief Content Officer responsible for Atomized, design agency ID and creative network Lawless Studio.
He says VR and AR is the area he is most excited by and thinks AI is going to be significant in enabling those changes to happen.
“The industry is increasingly shifting from the ‘all content has to reach all audiences’ model to one that asks how you can make your content achieve the biggest impact with the most influential audience.”
At COP28 in Dubai Rogers noted the production values of films being produced just for the few hundred of people in attendance. “If you can use content to really move, inspire and to shift opinions of some of those people it's incredibly powerful and exciting.”
The Las Vegas Sphere is another example of content + impact outside the realm of conventional broadcast. “Creating for the Sphere or for VR is currently very expensive currently but if technology
Atomized launched the sustainability initiative RE:TV, led by King Charles, which has amassed over twenty million views across platforms.
HOW CAN AI BE USED TO DELIVER A PRODUCTION THAT IS THE MOST CREATIVE, AMBITIOUS IDEA WITHIN THE CONSTRAINTS OF BUDGET AND SCHEDULE?
enables us to make that kind of immersive work, we're going to get down to a price point that will open it up to many more producers, clients and more media platforms. That's one reason why I'm so engaged in this space.”
Another reason is that the traditional commissioning model is broken. Despite winning a Bafta for 2022 BBC1 doc The Real Mo Farah, Atomized does very little linear television.
“Working with different funding models is absolutely key to this business. It's about using technology to tell stories better at a better price point. You have to create as many touch points as you possibly can to engage the audience that you want.”
Atomized works a lot with brands but has eschewed conventional branded programming. “You tend to get the worst of both worlds in that you don't really have broadcaster buy-in and the brand doesn't quite get what they want. Where we work with brands we do so in their own voice and for their own platform. That way you get a much more authentic expression of who they are.”
A partnership with the UCL computer science department began in September to explore content creation using AI.
“How can AI be used to deliver a production that is the most creative, ambitious idea within the constraints of budget and schedule? That’s essentially the producer’s job – but can AI bring those two things together?”
He relates a recent salutary experience pitching for and losing a big television ad with a PowerPoint presentation. The winning tender, they learned, had used AI to generate the ad complete with a celebrity – without actually shooting it.
“If you're a nervous client the ability to see what you're buying before you commission it is incredibly powerful. We were pitching with a feather quill by comparison.”
Nonetheless, these operational processes are less exciting to Rogers than AI potential application on screen.
“The opportunity for AI to bring the price point down and to be more creative in how you do it holds huge potential. I think AI is going to be a critical way for us to explore and break that linear narrative structure and in delivering it cost effectively.”
SPLITTING THE ATOM
Part of The Brewery Group (Freuds Communications).
Offices in London and New York.
Zad Rogers is Chief Content Officer reporting to CEO Arlo Brady.
Launched sustainability initiative RE:TV, led by King Charles which has amassed over twenty million views across platforms.
Podcast production includes Ruthie’s Table 4, Midnight, The Hot Potato podcast for Freuds’ client McCain about driving regenerative agriculture.
UCL AI content partnership led by Nick Hall.
The UCL tie-up is also a network opportunity where Atomized can learn from the University’s own initiatives around sectors like fashion. Equally important is the access the indie will get to graduates.
“We need to make sure that we're working with a new generation of creatives who all have AI tools at their fingertips and therefore know how to use it in the most seamless way,” Rogers says. “It's also essential in terms of training up producers and directors to be able to work across those multi-disciplinary opportunities because at the moment this traditional model is hyper challenging to work around.”
“WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH A NEW GENERATION OF CREATIVES WHO ALL HAVE AI TOOLS AT THEIR FINGERTIPS.”
He is acutely aware of the ethical and legal issues that AI throws up and says that in the absence of any state regulation it is up to producers to keep the fox from the hen house.
The producer has to take a firm position themselves on what they believe is the right and wrong thing to be doing. I believe regulation will catch-up but until it does, to retain authenticity in the product, producers should be thinking hard about whether they use AI and being transparent about its use on screen.”
Chief Content Officer Zad Rogers.
Olivia Coleman was one of a number of actors to star in a short film to launch King Charles III’s climate crisis YouTube Channel.
A Different Performance
makers uncovers how LA-based outfit AmazeVR is transforming the concert experience to a VR headset using their own hand-built cameras, AI, Unreal tech and some of the leading artists of today.
Could the days of being squashed, dancing alongside thousands of other fans in a packed venue arms aloft, or even staring at the artist from distance through your phone, soon be over?
The growing alternative trend is for personalised VR concert experiences where you get up close and ‘interactive’ with your favourite artists simply by putting on a headset.
Leading the way with this new technology is AmazeVR, headquartered in Los Angeles and with offices in Seoul, who have created VR performances
of leading artists, including Megan Thee Stallion and most recently K-pop band Tomorrow X Together (TXT) through live-action 3D footage, which have gone viral online.
“The live physical concerts are great. You get to see your favourite artists and hear live music, and it’s a social experience, but there’s always a physical barrier. Obviously, you can’t just jump on to the stage and get up close and personal with the artist, even with VIP passes or front row seats (which cost thousands of dollars). This is one of the strengths of
the new VR concert. There are no borders. You can go where you like with the headset on and actually interact with the musician,” enthuses Kyungkuk Kim, head of production at AmazeVR.
At the time (2021) there weren’t any high res professional level VR cameras on the market, so the AmazeVR team decided to build their own VR 180 stereo camera.
“We bought some standard industry level cameras that could capture 12K per eye, but then had to make a lens adapter and software that could read the image and convert it to the format we want,” explains Kim. “We mounted the VR lenses for the cameras and attached them side by side so we could shoot stereoscopic.”
THERE ARE SCENES IN THE VIDEO WHERE THERE’S LIQUID METAL FLOATING THAT USERS CAN POP, THEY CAN SET OFF FIREWORKS DURING THE PERFORMANCE, AND OTHER PARTS WHERE HER LYRICS ARE FLYING AND YOU CAN GRAB THEM.
The company was founded in 2015 by JB Lee, Jeremy Nam, Steve Lee and Steven Koo, who raised an initial USD25 million from seasoned investors in tech and media to ‘build the future of music’.
“We were originally making a lot of standard VR content online, documentaries, short films, even music related videos. But we wanted to take it to the next level and actually show the liveness of the artist and performance to the user with great visuals,” explains Kim. “We were looking for partners and thankfully got in touch with Megan Thee Stallion’s team before she became famous and won Grammys. Fortunately, they saw the dream of performing in VR, which could be a totally different experience for the fans.”
As a first time experiment, the team faced many new challenges, including how and where to shoot the Megan video. Eventually deciding on Thunder Studios in LA using a green screen. “Most music content is shot in practical stages or real locations, but we wanted to bring the audience into the virtual world and thought a realistic background (in which the user can see wires and multi cameras) might break the immersive and artistic quality of the concert,” explains Kim.
Shooting with a stationary VR camera at a live concert was also dismissed as you wouldn’t get the eye contact and intimacy from the artist. And AmazeVR wanted to create their own unique choreographed performances for their videos.
“When we pitched the project to Megan and her team, we had all the themes and concepts of the show planned out because we didn’t just want it to be a standard live performance, we wanted to have some narrative inside the whole experience too, which meant Megan acting for the camera,” stresses Kim. “We worked carefully on the storyboard with her and the choreography director. Megan was keen to come across as a strong woman with a ‘warrior vibe’ interacting with the camera from different angles.”
But the transition to VR cameras wasn’t easy. “They have lots of limitations compared with regular cameras in the industry,” explains Kim. “You can’t zoom, tilt or pan because people would feel motion sickness when they put on the headset. So we did some research and found there were some pre-programmed motion control crane systems we could use. But we had to get our heads around this new tech, then calibrate the camera perfectly with the crane.”
They were also keen to film in high resolution for VR because when they saw videos in low res “they were immersive, but you could see the pixels and realise immediately it’s a video,” adds Kim.
“THERE ARE NO BORDERS. YOU CAN GO WHERE YOU LIKE WITH THE HEADSET ON AND ACTUALLY INTERACT WITH THE MUSICIAN.”
Furthermore, the team wanted to use this high-res environment to make the experience interactive. “So there are scenes in the Megan video where there’s liquid metal floating that users can pop, they can set off fireworks during the performance, and other parts where her lyrics are flying and you can grab them,” says Kim.
With their latest TXT show, they’ve also experimented with interactive elements, like fans being able to grab virtual lighting sticks (the real ones are very popular in K-pop concerts) and shake them to illuminate the performance and alter the scene,” says Kim. “We also added a ‘member selection’ feature where viewers can choose which band member to go on a journey with, seeing different scenes.”
Between Megan and TXT, AmazeVR have also been creating other VR content, including a recent one for heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold, and learning and developing along the way. “We’ve sped up the production process,” explains Kim. “Megan took two days to shoot and a week of prep (developing scripts, song selections, pre-viz, audio prep etc), while postproduction took about seven
PART OF THE REASON FOR THIS SUCCESS WAS THE ADDITIONAL USE OF AI TO SPEED UP THE CAMERA CALIBRATION PROCESS AND FOR VR KEYING.
months, because we were using unreal that didn’t have good plug-ins to render out VR. And we were using 8K and stereo, which almost tripled the work amount of regular 2D content VFX work.
“But by TXT, the timeline was way shorter, down to a one day shoot and two months of post, using our own, unique VFX and unreal technology, and the visual quality is better.”
Part of the reason for this success was the additional use of AI to speed up the camera calibration process and for VR keying (used to blend virtual content with the real world). “And we’re continuing to invest in AI tech to make our shows better,” adds Kim.
BREAKING NEW GROUND
It’s been an interesting journey, not just on the creative and technical side, but also the business and legal aspects too.
“When we started Megan, this form of music experience had never been done before. Our current CEO Steve Lee and previous CEO Ernest Lee (who sadly passed away recently) worked on the legal aspects and found it hard to even come up with the terminology. While our lawyer said he had to start from ground zero with the contract forms,” says Gohree Kim, vp of marketing at AmazeVR. “It was hard to get the publishers and Megan’s label onboard because we were setting a precedent. It took over a year to agree on all the technicalities.”
Gohree says with one of the other artists they’ve worked with they even had to take headsets to the label’s legal team to show them what the concerts were because they couldn’t get their heads round it.
The business and logistical side of showcasing the videos in theatres also proved difficult. Initially, they had 80-100 headsets in each theatre for the Megan concerts, but by TXT they were providing 200.
“Getting them all synched to the theatre audio system – so the sound quality is better, the audience can hear each other screaming, and to add the member selection feature – was a huge job. Our CTO Jeremy (Nam) and the development team worked hard to make that happen in partnership with the theatre owners.
Marketing the content has also proven a challenge, working from the bottom up. “We had to figure out how do you market and price this product, and even just communicate what it is,” says Gohree Kim. “We did a survey at our recent US tour of TXT and found that we were introducing VR for the first time to 80% of fans.”
But the reaction so far has been positive.
“Our TikTok videos showing people dancing and even crying in the theatres with their headsets on went viral and have had like 180,000 organic shares. People were like what is this?,” says Gohree Kim. “Now we’re getting like 40% occupancy in the Korean theatres for the TXT concert, which is very high.”
“WE DID A SURVEY AT OUR RECENT US TOUR OF TXT AND FOUND THAT WE WERE INTRODUCING VR FOR THE FIRST TIME TO 80% OF FANS.”
The concert videos are also available online via the metaverse and Apple Vision Pro, for as little as USD12.99. But, of course, you need your own VR headsets to watch them, which currently cost thousands of dollars.
Kim is convinced this will be the music experience of the future and “we are looking to shoot at least three different artists for theatres every year,” he concludes.
