PRE PRODUCTION SERVICE

Children grow up in Belgrade watching American TV programmes and films which, ( unlike in most other European countries ) are not dubbed into the local language so English is their second language . This means that meeting anyone who does not speak English even in the local grocery store is highly unusual.  Everyone involved in your film transport, accommodation and production offices are therefore all naturally English speaking. Interpreters are available for those who need translations and interpreting into  languages other than English.

After we receive the RFP (Request for proposal) our work naturally starts on advising and consulting in regard to the designated and pre-agreed all inclusive price range. We ensure that you receive local prices and not overpriced tourist rates. This happens even before producers arrive for their first visit. Before you touch down your flight tickets will have been sent to you , your visas will have been obtained , VIP transport  will be waiting for you at the airport (with an English speaking chauffeur ) and you will be taken  either to the hotel in your chosen price category within our special rates or to your fully staffed villa  which you have chosen as your preferred accommodation for your stay.

In your room (if it has not already been undertaken and sent to you previously) you will find a welcome and orientation pack with invitations to local celebrity venues to enable you to enjoy your free time and relax when not working. A 24 hour telephone service is the only minder you will need to accompany you in wonderful east Europe unless you would prefer to be escorted by a multilingual male or female assistant. Either way we appoint an executive assistant to help and guide you through all your day to day matters. We fully understand the importance of precision in planning with no surprises when your crew arrive.

We fully understand how important clear lines of communication are in regard to your requirements to stay in contact with both those in your host country and those back at your home base so in your welcome and orienteering pack you will also find a local Sim card to make local calls and an international Sim card to save on your international calls.

While you relax in your room you will benefit from our experienced back room team who will be busy anticipating, undertaking and researching all the expected requirements for your scouting and production and they will provide expert solutions and recommendations for any challenges to your expectations that they see especially in regard to those all-important tax breaks. However the team and your designated account manager will not only take your wishes into consideration but also advise and consult you on all matters and locations you may have overlooked. We like to feel that this “air bag service” ( hopefully without ever needing to be used ) accompanies you throughout your experience of working in a foreign country with us where the rules may be different.

Naturally we will gain all your required filming permits, work permits or any other necessary legal documentation you will need to start shooting on location. Nothing in East Europe happens without politics and although everyday matters operate perfectly fine our close relations with local police departments, government ministers who are film buffs, city halls, district and administrative authorities make all the difference when the extra mile is needed and a crisis is to be avoided or resolved. One phone call can save weeks of delays when you have our friends and our friends will become your friends. The team will naturally also deal with all Carnets, customs formalities and all the necessary paperwork needed for the temporary import of your equipment, props and footage as well as the customs clearance back to your homeland. Secure storage can naturally also be arranged for you for anything you may wish to leave between visits.

If you have not already chosen your principal cast before your arrival our casting department will make all the necessary arrangements for any castings you wish to have and undertake background checks to ensure that the local cast genuinely are able to deliver their promises whether it be in the form of language, moral clauses or talent according to your requirements. Extras are naturally always accessible for background and crowd scenes even at short notice.

Based upon your Location scouting requirements and your script and whether you wish to scout by road, by air or by see we and the government tourist offices will naturally stand with you to choose locations that exactly match and allow you to realise your production exactly as you had visualised it in terms of scenery, terrain, weather, year, culture and history. After establishing your exact requirements you will be collected at your hotel daily and taken to the exact locations you have designated after choosing from a selection which we have previously provided you with.  More importantly we are flexible and can accommodate last minute changes. If you see November man with Pierce Brosnan running and chasing through the streets of Moscow it is actually our Belgrade location.

Whatever your transport sourcing needs and whether you need  a car, a truck, a bus , a plane , a boat , a warship, a helicopter, an airship or any other form of tested, reliable and safe transport you will have it for as long as you like and at a price that won’t break the bank  and with the most professional , polite and experienced crew you have ever met . We will carefully select the crew to produce your project on time and on budget

At this stage it is also wise to arrange the various possibilities of transferring funds and exchanging currency for your production most profitably. Currency exchange rates can vary by as much as much as 10% and as such can play a major role in the amount of your available spend in Europe. Our banking and currency experts are naturally on hand to advise you completely free of charge in regard to all your banking or Forex needs and achieving the maximum foreign currency for the minimum dollar amount.

On Arrival for shooting

All the support and assistance available to you on your previous visit is naturally available to you still  as well as the film permits and your executive assistant to coordinate and to make sure that your every need is catered for.  So now it is down to business!

In regard to security it is highly unusual for even the most senior businessmen or ministers in Belgrade to need bodyguards and the streets are safe with extremely low levels of crime but they are naturally available if required and the safety of our guests is something we take very seriously and is paramount.  General security for your crew and crowd and entrance control for your secured film sets will always be present.

Whatever your needs to support your director’s vision our staff are on hand as if they were your line producers  to deal with all human resources , logistics, time management, allocation of the resources from pre-production to principal photography in line with the budget and in conjunction with the first assistant director and the unit production manager if required . We deliver professionals skilled through years of hands-on experience as I am sure that your due diligence in regard to the Belgrade film industry will show you. This enables us to  offer a fully integrated turnkey service for international film and television production at the most competitive rates in Central Europe (and the world) .  Services are provided by professional, multilingual staff and crew that have years of production experience on both domestic and international projects.  Camera, Sound, Lighting, Grip, Art, Set Construction, wood and metal milling, costume design, production and rental, Wardrobe and all the other Departments you are used to in Hollywood will provide full production support on the studio complex as well as on location.

Amongst others you can take advantage of having the top soundstages such as:

• Stage 1: 3276m2 (35,328sq ft) 78m (256ft) x 42m (138ft) x 17m (56ft)
• Stage 2: 1824m2(19,625sq ft) 48m (157ft) x 38m (125ft) x 16m (52ft)
• Stage 3: 1824m2(19,625sq ft) 48m (157ft) x 38m (125ft) x 16m (52ft)
• Stage 4: 1260m2 (13,524 sq ft) 42m (138ft) x 30m (98ft) x 12.5m (41ft)
• Stage 5: 1260m2 (13,524 sq ft) 42m (138ft) x 30m (98ft) x 12.5m (41ft)
• Stage 6: 1260m2 (13,524 sq ft) 42m (138ft) x 30m (98ft) x 12.5m (41ft)
• Stage 7: 600m2 (6,468 sq ft) 30m (98ft) x 20m (66ft) x 12m (39ft)
• Stage 8: 600m2 (6,468 sq ft) 30m (98ft) x 20m (66ft) x 12m (39ft)
• Stage 9: 600m2 (6,468 sq ft) 30m (98ft) x 20m (66ft) x 12m (39ft)

With new possibilities being added on a regular basis in our Belgrade location https://www.facebook.com/pfistudios?fref=ts

Whatever Set design & construction you wish for we will ensure that your stage set production and the fitting-up of all sizes  ( whether it’s on location at any place or in a studio)  will be built up and taken down in any setting according to all of your remarks and notations. We naturally guarantee a high-quality service and delivery of cameras, grip and lighting  film stock and specialized rigs as well as the best special effects specialists and equipment to work with. Do you need rain, snow, wind, boom-bangs, flashes and real blasts? They’re yours! And then there are of course those world class bond stuntmen and doubles under the guidance of our action director and stunt coordinator as well as the  Aerial photography, aerial stunts and Trailers !