November 6, 2017: Los Angeles: Today the AFM hosted:

• Production Conference, featuring the following two sessions:
  • Producing for the Pre-Sales Marketplace
  • What They Want: Inside the Major Studios  
• How to Get the Best Music for Your Project and Save Time & Money
• Distributing & Monetizing Feature Documentaries
• Romania Welcomes Hollywood
•  

ROMANIA WELCOMES HOLLYWOOD (11.30am)

Andrei Zinca

Moderator

Director/Producer; Owner, Double 4 Studios US

“Romania, it’s a country of people who love to live and enjoy life.”

Ada Solomon

Producer/Owner, Hi Film Productions Romania

“The alternatives [in Romania] are more diverse: everything is set up over there.”

“Another big advantage in terms of setting up co-productions is the creativity of the Romanians, and the openness and generosity towards the foreigners. Romanians are very open people, and they are very generous towards the one coming and discovering. This kind of human relation - which is, at the end of the day, crucial to acquiring a successful product - is a trigger for many co-operations and establishing this kind of network of possibilities.”

“In Europe, most things are set on public financing and starting on public funding – and less private investment and equity.  But now, Romania has a system that is functional. It needs improvement, but everything is possible in terms of coproduction.”

“The other very interesting thing – apart from English-speaking people on the streets of Bucharest – is the fact that we do have the possibilities and the culture and crafts of finding solutions. One of the very few good lessons from the period of Communism: we know how to sort things. We find easy-going solutions that are possible.”

[On people coming to Romania for productions] “They are coming because of this wide offer in terms of locations. They come because of the very competitive prices. They come because of the level of the professionals that is already known. And I think people come for this creative capacity, and this ability to give solutions to things that sometimes look way more complicated in other parts of the world.”

“People will come to an independent company because they have more flexibility. We find solutions, working together, but we are also free to not only use this structure and go elsewhere. It’s a matter of flexibility.”

Robert Bernacchi

Producer/VP of Production, Skydance Media US

“There’s really nothing lacking in Romania that Hungary has with the exception of tax credit. Trying to get the Romanian government to implement that.”

“The crews now are definitely on par with American standards. I have worked all around the world, and everybody likes to think that their home country is the best place to work. In today’s day and age, you don’t need to bring in that crew because they’re simply already that good.”

“If the demand is there, the resources need to be available.”

“Location, subject matter, cost, resources (human and infrastructure). Putting it in perspective to its neighbors, Romania is a much larger country than Hungary and Czech Republic – put together. Romania is also not land-locked.”

“Romania has a very competitive cost – however it still needs that tax credit to compete.”

“Romanians standout culturally and humanistic-ally. They are great linguists.”

Bogdan Moncea

Producer, Castel Film Studios Romania

“I can confidently say that our standards are at par with American standards.”

“The mix is a fortunate mix.”

Mihai Fulger

Member of the Board, Romanian National Film Centre & Director, National Film Archives

“Regarding tax incentive schemes: it is a new project drafted by CNC with essential support from major players.  The project is now on the table of the prime minister, so we hope it comes into effect very soon.”