FOCUS talks to Pavlina Zipkova of the Czech Film Commission

Previous attendees of FOCUS will recognise the staff of the Czech Film Commission as one of the many proud exhibitors at the event. Set to return for this year’s FOCUS event, we spoke to Pavlina Zipkova, a line producer who joined the Czech Film Commission in late 2016. To register your attendance for FOCUS 2017, click here.

Pavlina, you attended FOCUS 2016. What did you think about the event and why are you coming back this year?

It was overwhelming. I loved the ambience – the buzz of seeing people networking and doing business wherever I looked at on the show floor. For us at the Czech Film Commission it’s an important European event which doesn’t seem to have competition. Last year we made a decent amount of quality production contacts, we met producers with promising projects with potential to be shot with us. It was also great that some prolific writers came to chat about basing their next script in the Czech Republic. I should also mention the great opportunity to meet other film commissions, to observe how they present themselves, to chat with them. We learn one from another a lot, you know.

What was your cooperation with the FOCUS production team like?

FOCUS London means perfection. From prep to wrap, the organisers are with you on every step you take. Questions are answered readily and every matter solved immediately. It’s been a pleasure, honestly. Not to forget the online registration system, administration of the exhibitor profile – everything is so easy to manage.

What is the most common question you get at FOCUS from producers considering the Czech Republic as a filming destination?

How our incentive system works and what kind of locations they can find in the Czech Republic. Luckily for me, the answers are easy and upbeat since the administration process of our incentives is smooth and flexible. When it comes to locations, the Czech Republic offers 11 centuries of architecture and a broad diversity of areas, colours and looks.

Did you attend FOCUS sessions last year and if so, which ones?

I was very busy manning the stand but I did have a chance to peek at a few sessions, one of which was titled: “why do you need a location manager?”. The sessions were perfectly suited to the busy life of a producer, giving the prime information in the right amount of time. For the future, it would be great if more sessions would bring film commissions and producers/filmmakers even closer to each other, sessions which would address the work of film commissions on one side and the expectations and needs from producers and filmmakers on the other.

In a sentence, how would you describe FOCUS to a production professional who has not yet attended and why they might like to come to FOCUS 2017?

At FOCUS London you have a whole world of filming locations and production possibilities at your fingertips.

How do you like the FOCUS venue, exhibition layout and facilities?

It’s perfect – the Business Design Centre is spacey and even though the number of exhibitors was over 150 more than last year, each had a decent and comfortable space for their presentation. I also enjoyed the variety on the menu of the café!

Many thanks Pavlina. Looking forward to seeing you and the Czech Film Commission team at FOCUS 2017 – the meeting place for international production.

Mini bio about Pavlina

Pavlina joined the Czech Film Commission in the autumn of 2016. Previously a line producer, her credits include the documentary feature Who Will Write Our History, directed by Roberta Grossman and executive produced by Nancy Spielberg; the 2008 film Blessed is the Match: The Life and Death of Hannah Senesh, which was shortlisted for an Academy Award; Pamela Mason Wagner’s documentary Joan of Arc; and Eli Roth’s horror film Hostel. Drawing on her practical experience, Pavlina can readily address any questions about filming in the Czech Republic.