The Allure of Compass Rose’s Backlots

From Paris to New York to the Wild West, LBB speaks to Compass Rose’s Pavla Burgetova Callegari and James Hatcher about the group’s impressively varied backlots and why productions benefit from physical locations, even in the age of virtual production.
 
Hollywood isn’t the only place to find film backlots. Trying to land a combination of high-quality backlot sets, experienced crews, and favourable budgets seems impossible until the backlots in Compass Rose’s group are seen. From a Roman setting to the streets of Paris, a western saloon or a mediaeval castle, and the feel of London and New York can all be found among CR’s network of backlots, totalling 30 across the Czech Republic, Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, and Spain. TV hits like ‘Wednesday,’ filmed in Romania, and the second season of ‘Interview with the Vampire,’ filmed in the Czech Republic, have already made use of the backlots in these countries. Etsy and Coca Cola spots made use of the backlots in Romania and Bulgaria to stand in for France and the US, respectively.
 
 

Parisian Street in the Czech Republic

New York and/or London set in Bulgaria

Venice in Serbia

Western style set in Romania

Fort Bravo-style set in Almeria, Spain

The Square Meter Dominates 2024 Awards Season

Created by agency HeimattTBWA, production company TPF-Tony Petersen Film GmbH and Revolver Films, in collaboration with our team Icon Films Romania, ‘The Square Meter’ campaign for German DIY retailer Hornbach scooped up The Grand Prix award in Film Craft at Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.

Alongside this the project also won two Gold Lions for Achievement in Production and Direction and a Silver Lion in Cinematography.

The award win follows a successful award season for the project, directed by the incredibly talented Steve Rogers, having already swept up a number of accolades at Ciclope, The British Arrows, The One Show and Shots to name a few.

THE SELECTED 2024 AWARDS INCLUDE –

The British Arrows
*Gold: Cinematography

Clio Awards
*Gold: Production Design
*Bronze: Partnerships/Co-Creation
*Bronze: Art Direction
*Bronze: Cinematography
*Bronze: Direction
*Bronze: Music – Original

ADC Annual Awards
*Best of Motion: Film Craft
️*Gold: Craft in Motion / Film / Direction
️*Gold: Craft in Motion / Film / Cinematography
*Silver: Craft in Motion / Film / Use of Music/Sound

D&AD Awards
*Yellow Pencil: Production Design / Short Form / 2024
*Wood Pencil: Film / Cinema Commercials 31 – 120 Seconds
*Wood Pencil: Art Direction / Film
️*Wood Pencil: Spatial Design / Installations

One Show Awards
*Gold: Production Design
️ *Silver: Moving Image / Single
️ *Bronze: Craft / Art Direction


ADC Germany

*Grand Prix: Film & Ton
*Gold: Brand Building / Brand *Communication / Integrated
️*Gold: Brand Building / Brand *Communication / Film / TV & *Cinema
*Gold: Film / Live Action Film / Film For TV & Cinema
*Gold: Film / Live Action Film / Film Craft / Direction
*Gold: Film / Live Action Film / Film Craft / Set Production Design
*Silver: Audio / Music / New Composition for Advertising
*Silver: Audio / Audio Design & Music / Overall Audio Piece
*Silver: Film / Live Action Film / Film for Mobile/Online Media
*Silver: Film / Live Action Film / Film Craft / Camera
*Silver: Film / Live Action Film / Film Craft / Editing
*Silver: Film / Live Action Film / Film Craft / Casting
️*Bronze: Brand Building / Brand Communication / Film / Online Film
*Bronze: Activation / Advertising / Film / Online Film
*Bronze: Activation / Promotion / B2C Action
*Bronze: Copy / Storytelling / Film Script
*Bronze: Audio / Audio Craft / Audio Engineering
*Bronze: Film / Live Action Film / Film for Publishing

 

Cannes Lions
*Grand Prix: Film Craft / Production Design / Art Direction
*Gold: Film Craft / Direction
*Gold: Film Craft / Achievement in Production
*Silver: Film Craft / Cinematography

Press: Chasing Spring in 24 Hours with Entity Films

LBB speaks to Jernej Krivic, MD at Entity Films, about how a location scout captured the spring season in Slovenia and its neighbours – Croatia and Italy – in just 24 hours.
 
 
While northern Europe is keenly awaiting the arrival of spring, over in the south the air is starting to lose its chill and the previously bare landscapes are taking on shades of green against expanding daylight. 
 
Slovenia, and the wider Adriatic region, still tends to fly under the radar when it comes to productions though it has played host to some of the biggest TV shows in recent years – Game of Thrones, The Wheel of Time, and Citadel – alongside multiple prestige commercials. 
 
 
 
 
 

Press: Charlie Hey’s Love Letter to South Africa

Stillking Cape Town executive producer and managing director, Charlie Hey, chats to LBB’s Tará McKerr about life in South Africa and how the country’s cultural vibrancy has shaped his relationship with the production industry.

Charlie Hey has been swooning over the film industry for 25 years now. He started off in Cape Town, beginning as a production runner and then coordinator, followed by five years spent freelancing in London. Upon returning to Cape Town, he scaled the production ranks to where he is today, heading Stillking Cape Town office, part of the Compass Rose group. Charlie doesn’t describe himself as creative, but he absolutely is. His innovative approach to problem solving is one of the reasons he’s an industry veteran.

Charlie has shot all over South Africa. From barren desert and sand dunes to tropical jungle and pretty much everything in between – there are few people better suited to tell us what the country has to offer for producers. Whilst you might visit for the plummeting waterfalls with over 3,000ft drops, or escarpments wonderful enough to leave you stunned, Charlie reckons you might stay for something much closer to the ground. For him, it’s the people that make the place what it is.

In this interview, we delve into Charlie’s upbringing in apartheid South Africa, his unexpected entry into the production industry, and his deep affection for the country’s landscapes, culture and food. We find out about his memorable shoots and reflections on how production has evolved over time. He’ll even let you in on where to find an untouched paradise just over an hour from Cape Town and where to slurp some beer in South Africa’s oldest pub… 


Read the full interview: https://www.lbbonline.com/news/charlie-heys-love-letter-to-south-africa

Super Bowl 2024

So proud to share our Super Bowl 2024 spots by our incredible teams Stillking Films Prague and Icon Films Romania.

GE “Beautiful Law”
Production Company: Anonymous Content 
Director: Frederic Planchon 
DOP: Khalid Mohtaseb 
Production Services: Stillking Prague 

 

Etsy “Thank You, France”
Production Company: Biscuit Filmworks
Director: Andreas Nilsson
DOP: Nicolaj Bruel
Production Services: Icon Films Romania

shots Awards EMEA 2023

Shots Awards News! Big congrats to our teams Icon Films Romania and Icon Films Sofia, our friends at TPF x Revolver, Anorak Film and Pulse Films, and everyone else involved on winning six awards in total at this year’s shots Awards EMEA 2023!

Hornbach “Square Meter”
Production Company: TPF x Revolver
Director: Steve Rogers
DOP: Daniel Landin
Service Production Company: Icon Films Romania

Gold / Production and Styling
Bronze / Concept (up to & incl. 2 minutes)
Bronze / Use of Music
Shortlist / Cinematography (up to & incl. 2 minutes)
Shortlist / Direction (up to & incl. 60 seconds)

 

Penny The Rift
Production Company: Anorak Film 
Director: Seb Edwards
DOP: Kasper Tuxen
Service Production Company: Icon Films Romani

Silver / Sound Design
Bronze / Production and Styling
Shortlist / Direction (above 3 minutes)
Shortlist / VFX

 

James Blake “Big Hammer” 
Production Company: Pulse Films 
Director: Oscar Hudson 
DOP: Ruben Woodin Dechamps
Service Production Company: Icon Films Sofia
 
Gold / Music Video of The Year
 

ADCE Awards 2023

So thrilled two of our commercials were awarded at this year’s ADCE Awards 2023! Big congratulations to Icon Films Sofia, Icon Films Romania, Pulse Films, Oscar Hudson, Anorak Film, Seb Edwards and everyone else involved. This is so well deserved!

Penny The Rift
Production Company: Anorak Film 
Director: Seb Edwards
DOP: Kasper Tuxen
Service Production Company: Icon Films Romania


Silver
/ Film & Audio Craft – direction, cinematography and editing

Silver / Film & Audio Craft – animation, VFX, CGI and 3D

B&Q “Flip” 
Production Company: Pulse Films 
Director: Oscar Hudson 
DOP: Jess Hall
Service Production Company: Icon Films Sofia
 

Silver / Film & Audio Craft – direction, cinematography and editing
Bronze / Film & Audio TV / Cinema Commercials
Shortlist / Film & Audio Craft – music and sound

Press: Compass Rose Group is Ushering in a Craft Renaissance

LBB finds out how the hand-crafted spots for B&Q, Service Now, Bud Light, and Magnum were made possible thanks to expert craftspeople and production ingenuity from Icon Films Sofia, Icon Films Romania, and Stillking Prague.
 
Read the first part of the series here to find out about the ‘craft renaissance’ in the Czech Republic.
 
 
 
 
Read the second part of the series here to find out about the ‘craft renaissance’ in Bulgaria and Romania.
 
 
 
 
 

Ciclope Festival Awards 2023

We’re proud and honoured to share that Hornbach’s “Square Meter” spot and Penny’s “The Rift” have won gold, silver & bronze awards at this year’s Ciclope Festival. Congratulations to our team Icon Films Romania and all the partners, crews & cast!

Hornbach “Square Meter”
Production Company: TPF x Revolver
Director: Steve Rogers
DOP: Daniel Landin
Service Production Company: Icon Films Romania

Gold | Production Design 
Silver | Direction (60 Seconds and under)
Silver | Ideas – Film (60 Seconds and under)
Bronze | Original Music
 

Penny “The Rift”
Production Company: Anorak Film
Director: Seb Edwards
DOP: Kasper Tuxen
Service Production Company: Icon Films Romania

Silver | Direction (over 120 sec) 
Finalist | Production design
Finalist | Sound design
Finalist | Ideas – Film (over 120 sec)
 

London International Awards 2023

Huge congratulations to our super teams Icon Films Romania and Icon Films Sofia on winning Gold, Silver & Bronze Awards at this year’s London International Awards!

 

Hornbach “Square Meter”
Production Company: TPF x Revolver
Director: Steve Rogers
DOP: Daniel Landin
Service Production Company: Icon Films Romania

GOLD – PRODUCTION & POST-PRODUCTION / PRODUCTION DESIGN
SILVER – PRODUCTION & POST-PRODUCTION / DIRECTION

 

Penny ‘The Rift’
Production Company: Anorak Film 
Director: Seb Edwards
DOP: Kasper Tuxen
Service Production Company: Icon Films Romania

BRONZE – PRODUCTION & POST-PRODUCTION / CINEMATOGRAPHY
BRONZE – PRODUCTION & POST-PRODUCTION / VISUAL EFFECTS
BRONZE – MUSIC & SOUND / SOUND DESIGN

 

 

Hoka “Murmuration”
Production Company: ProdCo
Director: Leigh Powis
DOP: Mauro Chiarello
Service Production Company: Icon Films Sofia

BRONZE – PRODUCTION & POST-PRODUCTION / VISUAL EFFECTS