From April 6-8, the Association of Film Commissioners International (AFCI) is hosting the 32nd edition of the world’s largest film location marketplace, this time associated with a conference. The event is called the AFCI Locations, Global Production & Finance Show 2017 and the Czech Film Commission will be one of the over 80 exhibitors from more than 20 countries to present production locations, film infrastructure and funding resources.
The show will be held for the second time in a row at the Marriott Burbank. There, at booth number 613, visitors will have a chance to meet Pavlína Žipková, who will for the first time represent the Czech Film Commission at the AFCI Locations Show.
“I’ve been working for the Film Commission for six month now, after nearly 20 years working in production. I enjoy the work very much; it’s an interesting change and a different perspective and insight into the film industry. I’m quite proud that I can present this country abroad, which has such a long tradition of filmmaking, great production facilities and offers for each film or television project an absolutely amazing range of diverse locations – both in terms of architecture and natural scenery”, Žipková says.
The AFCI marketplace under one roof offers filmmakers an overview of filming conditions worldwide. About three thousand industry professionals from the United States and abroad attend the event every year to explore the possibilities of shooting and support in individual countries.
“Apart from the marketplace, where we will have a stand, the AFCI Locations Show has an accompanying program for professionals, the Global Production & Finance Conference, which aims to attract more producers and others who need information on filming in various countries of the world”, Žipková explains.
The conference presents to producers and other participants current topics related to the audiovisual industry through a variety of seminars, presentations and panel discussions. Topics include, for example, how audiovisual production impacts on the environment, the globalization of film and television production due to digitization, and media collaboration and co-production with China.
“Among the announced speakers conference whom I would not miss are Greg Spence, the ‘Game of Thrones’ producer; Mitch Bell, head of production at Marvel Studios; Elona Tsou, who heads physical production of Walt Disney Studios; and Mary Ann Marino, who leads film production at Amazon Studios”, says Žipková of the Czech Film Commission.
“The trend by online giants such as Amazon doing inhouse production of series and films can be interesting also for the Czech Republic. Last year already Amazon filmed here when producing the ‘Patriot’ series. Although it was only for a few weeks, they highly praised the crew and choice of locations, and we trust they will return to Prague soon”, Žipková adds.
The Czech Film Commission will be presenting not only a variety of locations but also the country’s revised film incentives scheme, which following a legal amendment, is both more flexible and more efficient, in comparison with previous years.
“Unlike in the past, when in January only one call was issued for the whole year, now producers may apply for the rebate of 20% at any time during the year. So, the pressure is gone to file applications at the start of the year, a deadline which essentially blocked the available funds for the entire year,” Žipková says.
“Thanks to film incentives, foreign filmmakers spent more than 4 billion crowns (158 million dollars) in the Czech Republic last year. Foreign investment into projects produced in our country continues to grow. Now the film incentives system is far friendlier for filmmakers. It can no longer happen that funds are exhausted by projects that subsequently are not in fact implemented”, says Helena Bezděk Fraňková, the head of the Czech Film Fund.