The First Major Production Is Under Way at Stern Studios

As we reported earlier, several smaller productions were shot at Stern Studios in the autumn before its official opening on 7 December.

The English—German production based on the life of Adolf Eichmann—the infamous SS Commander executed in 1962 , who was the mastermind behind the so-called Final Solution, the plan for the extermination of Jews—arrived in Hungary in November, with Stern Studios the venue for studio shooting. The 1500 sq metre studio hosts the set of Eichmann's Israeli prison cell and the film's wedding scene, whilst in the larger, 2200 sq metre studio are the sets of the SS officer's Buenos Aires flat and the offices of his Israeli interrogators. Studio director Péter Hídvégi reported that due to the Eichmann production the studio is booked up until the end of the year.

From textile factory to film studios

A five-day gap between the official opening and the first press visit was necessary, as there was no production for curious journalists to disturb on the day of opening—Robert Young's Eichmann film moved to the Auschwitz set at Mafilm's Fót compound for two days.

So bringing Eichmann to Hungary has already given work to two Hungarian studios. Róbert Szabados says that the Hungarian film studios—Stern, Sándor Korda Studios still under construction in Etyek, and Mafilm—are not competing with each other. The Hungarian film industry is competing mostly with the other Central European countries. Szabados, who studied  filming potential in the region before founding his own studio, added that Hungary's closest competitors are Prague and Bucharest.

Róbert and Amy Szabados in the restaurant at Stern Studios

Szabados believes that Hungarian film studios have a common goal: that foreign productions coming to Hungary should receive all round service and leave satisfied. ”So the already existing personal communication between studio bosses is essential.” It is likely that a foreign production's needs will only be met by several studios teaming up.

When asked about providing services to bigger productions and his plans for the complex, Mr Szabados told us that Stern would like to erect a 1200 sq metre  and 1600 sq metre third and fourth studio. A longer term project is the acquisition of a 'backlot', which would enable outdoor sets and shooting.

This phase of investment would be profitable by hosting about fifteen major productions, the head of the studio said, but he highlighted the lack of human resources the Hungarian filming industry  is suffering from. The parallel shooting of two major productions would tie up all of Hungary's  filming professionals. And after the opening of Korda Studios in Etyek the studios hope that foreign co-productions will start flooding into the country. That is why Stern Studios are looking into training filming professionals at a later date.

To shed light on how realistic the hopes for a flood of foreign productions is, Róbert Szabados said that  while contracts have not yet been signed, they are likely to host a 60 million dollar production from January for a period of eight months.

http://www.sternfilm.com/