Jan. 9, 2024

Surge in Hungary’s Filming Potential

The Central European country looks to solidify their position in the film industry, with a large-scale studio expansion. Located in Fót, Hungary’s iconic NFI Studios are now increasing in size, as they aim to meet the rising demand from international film and TV producers to shoot in their country. By: Dylan Low

Supported by the National Film Institute (NFI), the studio’s capacity will increase up to 12,670 square metres, to be used by both global and local productions, in turn producing hundreds of new jobs. The development will also encompass four new 2,500sqm soundstages being built, which enlarges total studio capacity to 12,670 square meters, as the studios can be utilised in pairs of 4,945sqm soundstages. These will be divided by a movable high soundproofed wall, spanning up to 15 metres.

Head of NFI Studios Department Ildikó Kovács claimed, “The expansion is allowing NFI Studios to attract and host large-scale productions while still providing world-class facilities for high-end TV and film projects.

“The new sound stages are designed to be flexible enough to accommodate a variety of productions and are in proximity to the backlot sets and support facilities such as on-site set construction services, SFX, and transportation.”

The NFI Studios is established on a 23-hectare plot in Fót on the suburbs of the Hungarian capital, which is conveniently a 30-minute drive from Liszt Ferenc Airport and a 15-minute-long distance from the city centre.

It has provided many offerings, such as the background for all types of locations ranging from medieval European towns to the US Wild West, 19th-century city centres and the American outskirts. The facility is highly valued, consisting of a large collection of sets and props, consisting of 100,000 items of wardrobe and accessories from most historical times. The NFI armoury particularly owns a variety of weapons used in the Middle Ages to the 1960s, alongside one of the biggest inventories of First World War and Second World War machine guns and revolvers in central Europe.

They also have acquired weapons specifically for productions worldwide, licensing international firearms and overseeing equipment exports and imports.

NFI Studios also owns the biggest outdoor water tank in Central Europe, measuring 47m x 39m with a depth of 2m, inclusive of an inner tank 20m x 15m with a depth of 5.5m. It was explicitly created for large-scale, deeper sets, which can be seen in movies namely Warner Bros’ Blade Runner 2049 and Paramount’s Terminator: Dark Fate and TV series like See-Saw Films’ The North Water.

Over the last year, Canada’s Serendipity Point Films, founded by filmmaker Robert Lantos, has been filming the 10-part medieval series Rise Of The Raven at the NFI studios.

“I have been an eyewitness to the massive expansion, development and modernisation of the studio,” commended Lantos about the Hungary-based studios. “I hope to have the opportunity to work here yet again.”

With a 30% tax rebate, varied landscapes and competent crew, Hungary has cemented itself as one of Europe’s major production hubs, second only to the UK for the volume of international production it appeals towards.

“That’s why the studio development is important and that’s why continually investing in new digital post-production technologies is also vital,” clarified Csaba Káel, film commissioner and chairman of NFI.    

This Fót production hub expansion makes for Hungary’s most prominent state-funded film studio development project today.  “We firmly believe the Hungarian film industry will only be able to keep its competitiveness in the international industry if we focus continuously on development,” mentioned Káel.

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