Last autumn, Dramedy Productions launched a new film studio, which it built next to its original studio in Prague’s Kbely district, where it is gradually expanding its operations. The new studio is designed to meet the demands of filming TV shows and entertainment formats. Almost immediately after the studio was completed, TV Nova began filming there. We spoke with the company’s co-owner, Filip Bobiňski, about Dramedy Productions’ future plans, trends in television production, and the impact of last year’s newly adopted Act on Audiovision.
Last autumn, you announced that Dramedy Productions was completing the construction of new film studios in the Prague Kbely area, where you already own one studio. Is the new studio already approved, and have you managed to find tenants?
The studio has been approved and is ready, and the tenant for a several-year period is TV Nova. They have already filmed two entertainment projects there. The new studio has 1,250 square meters and is built to accommodate projects of this type. We have one of the highest studios in the Czech Republic, with a 15.5-meter clear height, which is especially suitable for entertainment formats. The new studio can also host live broadcasts, is soundproof, and features facilities for production, set design, costume departments, actors’ dressing rooms, and even a cafeteria, with a total area of 700 square meters.
The original studio, with an area of 920 square meters, has been renovated, and a new studio has been added. At the same time, we are now sitting in spaces where both floors can also be used for filming. How much studio space does Dramedy have available in total?
Altogether, there are three buildings, and we now use more than 3,000 square meters of usable studio space, excluding the facilities. In the building where we are currently filming the series Polabí for TV Prima, we have the potential for further expansion for series filming, and we are preparing to expand the facilities for the ‘small’ (920 sq m) studio. However, we also have another adjacent plot where we plan to build one or two more studios.
Some of the spaces are rented out, while others are used for your own needs. If we were to average it, what is the ratio of rental to your own use?
Right now, more of the spaces are rented out. The series Polabí, which is filmed in sets mainly consisting of apartments and office-type spaces, has been successfully built here in this third building, which has a lower height than a traditional studio.
You hinted at plans for further expansion. How do you calculate the capacity for demand? Will you be able to fill it?
So far, we see benefits for our projects as well as interest in renting, both from abroad and locally. Given that the spaces are in a good location in Prague, which is growing rapidly, we are confident that we will fill the capacity.
However, we also have another adjacent plot where we plan to build one or two more studios.
Filip Bobiňski
The film studios at Barrandov are considered the largest in Central Europe and the Czech Republic. How does the comparison of your studios to the Barrandov studios turn out?
At Barrandov, there are more studios with a large clear height, and they can be connected to create even larger spaces. Our new studio is possibly half a meter higher, but it doesn’t really matter. We are not trying to compete with Barrandov on large Hollywood projects, where, for example, two studios are combined into one giant studio. We focus on TV series, miniseries, and television entertainment segments or on Czech and European film projects. And we offer space close to the city center, in a developing and pleasant surrounding area with services and infrastructure, not an industrial park.
Have you become one of the largest providers of studios for television drama and entertainment production thanks to your recent investments?
Probably yes, and our studios and facilities certainly surpass the situation where creators rent just an empty hall somewhere. We have studios created by people who themselves make films and series here for people who want to make them with us as well. We have incorporated our long-standing filmmaking experience into the construction.
What is the total investment in the studios?
The total Investment so far, including the land, is estimated at over CZK 300 million.
When do you see the return on investment?
I won’t specify it exactly, but it is planned within the horizon of a healthy return on a real estate project.
Currently, you are working on the series Polabí, which is being created for TV Prima. It is being filmed right here in the studios where we are located. Do you have anything else in the works?
We have several formats in development, but they are probably not yet at a stage where we can discuss them in detail. Among other things, we are also preparing a large international co-production project, the financing of which is already structured according to the possibilities of the new audiovisual law. This means it draws funds from the Creative Europe programmes, is supported by our own investment, is open to minority investment from a local TV broadcaster, and also includes an investment from the audiovisual fund. About half of the financing also comes from foreign co-producers. The story is set in Czechoslovakia in the 1940s, touches on post-war Austria and Italy, and also moves to Spain. We haven’t yet approached broadcasters as co-producers; we are currently focusing mainly on international financing, but it’s a project that could be of interest to, for example, Česká televize (Czech Television). Within the Audiovisual Producers’ Association (APA), we have worked to ensure that more larger and international projects could be created thanks to the new audiovisual law.
We are not trying to compete with Barrandov on large Hollywood projects, where, for example, two studios are combined into one giant studio. We focus on TV series, miniseries, and television entertainment segments.
Filip Bobiňski
Have the opportunities for collaboration with foreign platforms like Netflix or Canal+ evolved?
We haven’t had negotiations with Canal+ yet, but we know they are now active in the Czech Republic. We have had preliminary discussions, but no meeting has taken place so far. As for Netflix, collaboration is possible, as far as I know, in the form of a co-production, but not as a so-called ‘originals’, where Netflix would take the entire project as its own.
Two years ago, you hinted that you would expand from series to entertainment as well. Is that working out?
Yes, we have already invested a lot in entertainment content and are financing a team that is developing an entertainment show. We have identified a promising partnership, meaning a broadcaster. Castings have already taken place, and we are working on a more definite form of the show. I hope we will be able to shoot at least a pilot episode this year. It is an international show with partial local adaptation, so a lot depends on the creative team around the project.
We have already invested a lot in entertainment content and are financing a team that is developing an entertainment show.
Filip Bobiňski
You have already mentioned the new Act on Audiovision, which was adopted last year and came into effect at the beginning of this year. As a representative of producers, are you satisfied with the version which was adopted?
I believe that the new version of the law brings the maximum achievable within the current market situation and the opinions of other stakeholders. During its creation, there were several different perspectives and interests at play. In my opinion, it can give audiovisual production new dynamism and create an opportunity for us to be competitive on the international stage and engage in more challenging projects. This can make us attractive to international platforms like Netflix and other players. The new law can also help improve the quality of projects because in the production sector, which is a commercially risky market, it sets broader and more diverse opportunities for financing and, in turn, for the development of creative know-how. This should, in the long term, create conditions for the continuity of creators who can transfer their experience to future projects. As a country, we need to do business with more added value, not just be an assembly plant, which, even in audiovisual projects – with so-called foreign service orders – generates the largest turnover.
What from the new law will most help creativity in the production business?
An important change is that the State Cinematography Fund has been transformed into the Audiovisual Fund, which will also support projects for so-called small screens, including TV or VOD projects. These don’t have to be long series; supported projects can even be smaller series. Another significant aspect is the mandatory investment from VOD platforms, requiring them to reinvest 1.5-2.5% of their turnover generated in the Czech Republic. This is a very clear form of relationship. VOD platforms decide what they will produce, but if they generate revenue here, they must produce something in the Czech Republic as well. The third important part is the adjustment to the definition of an independent producer. If the producer receives any support from the Audiovisual Fund, it is clearly stated that the money belongs to the producer, not the broadcaster. This means that the rights to the sale of the work (e.g., abroad) belong to the producers, not just the broadcasters. This motivates producers to create successful projects. Overall, the new law helps create the foundation and infrastructure for companies in this industry to operate in a more stable environment, which will lead to more ambitious and higher-quality projects, thus strengthening the overall turnover of the industry.
When do you expect the new law to have a real impact?
It could start having an impact relatively soon. The fund in its new form could begin operating in the second half of the year, and I believe that many quality production companies will have projects ready to take advantage of the funding. I’m confident that the system will get up and running fairly quickly. However, it will take a bit longer for the entire production industry to move forward. This means that companies will need to invest more in the long term and reinvest the money they receive into development. It will also take time before new talented people, who might currently view the industry as underfunded and unattractive in terms of career prospects, start entering the field. In my opinion, the new audiovisual law is pushing us forward. We owe thanks for this to Minister Martin Baxa’s team and the deputy minister, Michal Šašek. It opens the door for us to become a modern audiovisual industry of the 21st century and gives us the chance to be competitive in Europe and globally.
Will this lead to more TV stations turning to independent producers?
Specifically, in the case of Czech Television, which currently cannot invest as much in drama production but is a very important player in the market, multi-source financing can make it possible for the TV station to invest less while still being involved in the production. At the same time, the producer can secure additional funding from other sources, not only from the audiovisual fund but also from international exploitation. This applies similarly to commercial broadcasters. With a smaller investment, they can access attractive Czech content without having to bear the full cost themselves, as their business model and the size of the market they serve do not allow for such large investments.
The new law helps create the foundation and infrastructure for companies in this industry to operate in a more stable environment, which will lead to more ambitious and higher-quality projects.
Filip Bobiňski
Currently, is television drama production using more exteriors or interiors? For example, the series Kukačky, which you made for Czech Television, seemed to be largely shot on location.
I’ve been asked this by several people already. Kukačky was filmed about halfway in the studios. It’s about the know-how of how to light the sets and make the scenes look realistic. I think the trend of shooting in studios is stronger today, and even Hollywood projects shoot a large part in studios. I view studio shooting as true filmmaking. To make it look like it was shot in a real environment requires skill. Setting up a camera in a real location, where everything gets blocked off for filming, well – with all due respect – anyone can do that.
Nowadays, artificial intelligence can help a lot in filming and creating locations. Is it used for these purposes?
Today, a very progressive method of filming is shooting in front of LED walls, or actors performing in front of green screens, with entire scenes later being completed with digitally created environments, such as city streets. This is certainly one path forward, but it is more suitable for large projects. It is not common for European or Czech TV series to be filmed this way. However, it is true that when filming the series Zlatá labuť, we tried to use artificially created environments, but we couldn’t implement it to the extent we wanted due to budget constraints. It is definitely a promising method that will likely be seen more often in the future.
Will AI make your job easier or harder?
We enjoy making the filming process more complicated when our budgets allow and when the story demands it. This is linked to the complexity of the stories, and I believe that the new legislation will allow us to tell stories in a more challenging and interesting way. We have had some catching up to do. Over the last fifteen years, TV series in the Czech Republic have advanced significantly and are much better. However, we need to go further. Right now, we are at the level of the best Czech shows, which are also winning awards, usually based on a basic European standard. But, of course, this won’t be enough for the viewer. They have a comparison, thanks to the huge influx of competitive offerings from abroad. And that’s a good thing. We must move forward and have the ambition to create things on a global level, both in terms of form and, most importantly, in terms of content. I see this as our real weakness.
Over the last fifteen years, TV series in the Czech Republic have advanced significantly and are much better. However, we need to go further.
Filip Bobiňski, CEO, Dramedy Productions
You mentioned the series Zlatá labuť, which was broadcast by Nova TV and was recently successfully sold to international markets, specifically the USA, Canada, and Poland. Zlatá labuť is also connected to the production of a commercial spot that you created for the Dobré víly foundation. How did this come about?
During the filming of the series Zlatá labuť, the actresses got to know the organisers of the Dobré víly foundation’s activities, and at a subsequent charity auction, they managed to raise CZK 600,000 from props used in the series. Dobré víly focuses on children in children’s homes, trying to create a missing family environment for them. The foundation’s organisers then approached us with a request to help with a campaign to support the Dobré víly brand and asked if we could help by filming an ad spot. We were happy to help and filmed the spot pro bono, free of charge. We covered the necessary costs, and a big thanks goes to director Bisi Arichtev and the whole team of our regular collaborators who worked either partially or entirely without expecting any compensation.
Was this your first ad spot?
Once, we did a classic ad spot for Nestlé. However, advertising is a different business – our primary focus is on investing in finding an idea and a story, which we then try to transform into a good script during development. After that, we have to make sure it’s well filmed, according to our vision. We look for partners and financing to make this happen, and then earn revenue from the use of that story. In advertising production, it’s purely about providing a service, fulfilling the client’s vision. But if someone approaches us, we’re happy to help with the creativity and film the spot, although we don’t actively seek advertising contracts and we don’t plan to do so.
Filip Bobiňski, CEO, Dramedy Productions
At the beginning of his career, he worked at the international film company Capitol Films in London and at EuroArts in Berlin, where he was involved in the production and financing of international film and television projects. In 2003, he initiated the creation of the film and television production company Dramedy Productions. Within Dramedy, he initiates and leads the development and overall creative shaping of projects. He is a board member of APA, a board member of CEPI, and a member of the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
Source: mediaguru.cz