Eastern bloc party: Territories open in the hunt for cheaper studio space

"Let's go East!" has long been the battle cry of producers looking to lower below-the-line costs. Shooting anywhere in the former Soviet Union, except the Baltics, is a logistical nightmare. In Lithuania, the new owners of the formerly state-owned studio LKS have been upgrading the facilities. According to German line producer Stephan Barth of Kampa Films, who's been shooting at LKS extensively, the site offers a "risk-free work environment and everybody speaks English. You have to bring your own cameras, but everything else is of Western standard and prices are up to 40% lower than in Prague." The Baltics are great for period drama, offering historical locations and an entire 1920s replica village at the Cinevilla. Studio in Latvia. But, the film industry is in its infancy, and can only host two to three film productions at a time... "We're 20% cheaper than the Czech Republic, but 10% more expensive than Romania," admits Hungarian line producer Erika Tarr at Hunnia Film, who estimates that Hungary has about four to five A-list crews.... "Shooting anywhere in the former Soviet Union, except the Baltics, is a logistical nightmare." http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117920897.html?categoryid=1727&cs=1
2007-07-06 17:26:52