Six years ago, producer Ivana Mikovic was sitting with her production designer friend when the two discussed the lack of studio space in Serbia’s growing film and television sector.
It was a year after the government had introduced its 25% – 30% cash rebate and Mikovic, a former BBC news producer, saw a gap in the market for such a studio facility.
At the time there were only a handful of stages in the surrounding Belgrade area – including PFI Studios and Take 1 – but they consistently ran at capacity. “We were joking about it at first,” says Mikovic, who runs Serbian production powerhouse Firefly Productions, the outfit behind hit Serbian series such as The Fall and Black Wedding, both of which were selected for Berlinale Series Market Selects in Berlin. “But then I went to a bank with the idea, and this dream of building Firefly Studios quickly became a reality.” In October, the long-awaited Firefly Studios opened its doors to the industry with much fanfare.
The complex, which sits in the town of Pancevo, just 11 miles east of Belgrade (and a 25-minute drive from the capital’s airport) comprises three state-of-the-art sound stages with more than a 50,000 square foot capacity, a water tank, 10 acres of backlot production offices, workshops, a restaurant and horse stables.
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