Press: 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
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.
Read the full interview: https://www.lbbonline.com/news/chasing-spring-in-24-hours-with-entity-films
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
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.
