Audiovisual Productions
Download the guide on Audiovisual Productions / Incentives – licensing – Competent Authorities for Incentives, Reception & FacilitationInvesting in the Greek Audiovisual Productions
Offering one of the oldest cinematic traditions in the world, Greece is for several reasons a film friendly destination. Since the beginning of the 20th century, the country has attracted landmark international film productions to its unique locations.
Greece is now investing in its audiovisual production industry, producing new talents, making its presence felt at the international festivals, setting trends, and interacting with the international film scene.
Investments in audiovisual productions have a significant positive impact to the Greek economy, since they contribute to GDP growth, employment and tax revenues. Moreover, attracting foreign audiovisual productions has an important contribution to tourism development of the country.
Why Greece
Greece is for more than one reasons an ideal destination for an audiovisual production project:
- Generous investment incentives: for film facilities, studio infrastructure and AV production via Greece’s investment law, competitive cash rebate, tax relief scheme, the forthcoming European Structural Funds & the Greek Development Bank
- Streamlined licensing procedure: 15 Film Offices located in 13 Greek Regions designed with the expertise of the National Centre of Audiovisual Media and Communication (EKOME)
- Experienced professional, industry experts and state of the art facilities: Highly qualified film professionals and industry experts (HFC, EKOME)have the expertise and provide guidance and continuous support
- Production value at a competitive cost: Excellent crews, top quality equipment, rental services, laboratories, competitive wages.
- Incomparable natural and architectural set: Unique locations and natural light all year long
- Safe and hospitable environment for international production: Greece is one of Europe’s safest destinations for tourism, work and audiovisual productions
Main investment opportunities
- Feature films
- TV series
- Documentaries
- Animation
- Cultural and educational video-gaming
- Web products
- Software prototyping for computer games
- Computer applications and programs, game machines and mobile phones
- Film tourism development
Incentive schemes for production of audiovisual works in Greece
Investment incentive – Law 4487/2017 (Cash Rebate)
Law 4487/2017 establishes the investment incentives framework for the production of audiovisual works in Greece, by providing a State grant (cash rebate) for an amount of up to 40%. The incentive regards the reimbursement of a monetary amount covering eligible expenses incurred in Greece, for the purposes of production of audiovisual works in Greece, e.g. feature films, tv series, documentaries, animation as well as digital games.
Moreover, the Greek cash rebate can serve as a collateral for producers to obtain funds through the Greek banking system. Financing of the rebate is guaranteed through the Greek Public Investment Programme and amounts to €75 million available for the years 2018 to 2022.
Incentive rates:
- The sum of the incentive amounts to 40% of the total eligible expenses of the production.
- The incentive may be combined with other public incentives, subject to the condition that the total sum of the public incentives granted may not exceed 50% of the total cost of the audiovisual work.
- This rate is increased to 60% of the total cost of the audiovisual production in case of cross border productions and to 80% of the total cost of the audiovisual production in case of a “difficult” audiovisual work.
Tax incentive for production of audiovisual works
Type of aid: The investment plans that qualify for the law are supported with a tax relief scheme. More specifically, 30% of eligible expenses incurred in Greece for each audiovisual work is deducted from the taxable income of a legal entity or natural person that is subject to taxation in Greece and invests in audiovisual works.
Indicative Productions filmed in Greece
- International Classics: THE BIG BLUE, ZORBA THE GREEK, THE GUNS OF NAVARONE, BOY ON A DOLPHIN
- Hollywood Productions: THE TWO FACES OF JANUARY, BEFORE MIDNIGHT, MAMMA MIA, LARA CROFT TOMB RAIDER, CAPTAIN CORELLI’S MANDOLIN
- High-end TV series: THE LITTLE DRUMMER GIRLS, THE DURRELLS
- Recent Success Stories: LOVING VINCENT (Oscars 2018, Nominee for Best Animated Feature Film), IN THE FADE (Golden Globe 2018 for Best Motion Picture – Foreign Language)
External Links
Testimonials
THE DURRELLS, the highly popular ITV and PBS mini TV series, written by BAFTA award nominee Simon Nye, was completed in 2018 after filming its 4th season in Corfu island, Greece. All the episodes were filmed in Corfu and specifically in the old town, one of the eighteen (18) UNESCO designated World Heritage Site of Greece. Corfu was crowned Best European Film Location of 2018 by EUFCN and Cineuropa (among 12 European locations) in recognition of its contribution to the TV series “THE DURELLS”.
Producer Christopher Hall, stated to the Hellenic Film Commission:
“Shooting The Durrells in Corfu has been a total joy from start to finish. We have all fallen in love with the island; it’s stunning landscapes, the beauty of the architecture the friendliness of its people. More than that the experience of a mixed crew of British, Athenian and Corfiot film technicians working together has made for a very harmonious, dare I say it, European shooting experience. As a Producer I can’t wait to film once again in Greece and I am sure that the new tax incentives will make this far more likely”.
While Sally Woodward Gentle, Executive Producer, stated to the Hellenic Film Commission:
“We have been delighted to have had such a strong and productive relationship both with Corfu and with crew from Greece as a whole. To be able to film in the location so loved by Gerald Durrell and his millions of fans made a huge difference to the success of the show. We have been hugely impressed by the willingness, hard work and skill of the Greek crew and have made a lot of friends for life. The locations are beautiful and if not easy to service then every effort is made to help facilitate filming in a sensitive and thoughtful manner. We adore filming in Corfu and Greece”.
The renowned director David Cronenberg’s last film “Crimes Of The Future» was filmed in Athens, during the summer of 2021, and was supported by the Minority Program of the Greek Film Centre and the Location Scouting Support Program of the Hellenic Film Commission. At the beginning, Cronenberg was considering filming in his hometown, Toronto.
However, as David Cronenberg stated to the Hellenic Film Commission:
“When I first wrote the screenplay for Crimes of The Future two decades ago, its location was ambiguous. But as the film came to fruition, we began exploring the opportunity to shoot in Greece. Looking at the unique buildings and exteriors in and around Athens, the incredible textures of an ancient city, the hypnotic presence of an ancient sea, my vision for the film suddenly coalesced. I fully embraced the gifts that Athens was presenting to me, and now it seems the film could not have come together anywhere else. And among those Athenian gifts were the passionate and diligent Greek cast and crew, who were a pleasure to work with. They went over and above to make us feel welcomed, and their hard work contributed to every frame of the final picture.
Of course, as it turns out, Greek technicians and crew are of very high standard. We had a wonderful mix of Canadians and Greeks in the team! It was a great experience for all of our crew and I believe the Greek crew enjoyed the experience as well!”
Τhe “Crimes Of The Future» is a sci-fi thriller written and directed by David Cronenberg and co-produced by Serendipity Point Films and the Greek Production Company Argonauts SA. Τhe Film will premier In Competition in the 75th Cannes Film Festival (2022).
