Film Commissions are the first port of call for producers when it comes to filming. This system was founded in Atlanta, Georgia/USA in the late 1940s to establish contacts to mediate between production teams and people from all the facilities and authorities important to filming – such as historic buildings, public administration, hotels, restaurants, etc. The system spread rapidly throughout the USA and later also included the promotion of the respective locations at trade fairs all over the world.
Since July 2019, Kathrin Winter is now supporting the team of the Film Commission Bayern. She previously worked for DOK.fest Munich and at an agency responsible for the marketing of the Munich Creative Business Week. Kathrin Winter is now responsible for the Filmkulisse Bayern initiative and for marketing and communication at the Film Commission Bayern. With Head of Film Commission Bayern Anja Metzger and Project Manager Lars Nitschke, responsible for Production Support and Production Coordination, the Film Commission Bayern now consists of three competent contacts.
Bavaria’s Digital Minister and FFF Supervisory Board Chairman Judith Gerlach: "Filming is not only culturally but also economically important. Bavaria is a strong film location, which we continue to develop in a future-oriented manner in all fields of activity. In addition to film funding, film shooting support is another pillar for strengthening the location. Bavaria offers great locations, which are often used by film teams from Germany and abroad. The Film Commission offers an all-round service for productions in Bavaria. In order to become even more effective in this field, we have strengthened the Film Commission’s staff."
FFF Managing Director Dorothee Erpenstein: "With its reliability, professionalism and immense network, the Film Commission Bayern is one of the most important contacts for enquiries from all over the world. The Film Commission supports not only film shoots, but also deals with topics such as green shooting, fair production and the lack of skilled workers. The number of enquiries shows that we cover a very important field of activity here."
The Film Commission Bayern was and is still a pillar of internationalization. From the very beginning, it was the first point of contact for production teams from all over the world. With the launch of FFF Bayern’s International Co-Productions funding program, the Film Commission was responsible for supporting such projects as Big Game, Snowden, Euphoria and The Happy Prince. Last year it supported the films Guns Akimbo with Daniel Radcliffe and Resistance with Jesse Eisenberg, both of which are currently in post-production.
At the same time, the Film Commission Bayern is responsible for and advises locations throughout Bavaria. With workshops and further training measures for all regions, the Film Commission is helping to open up the whole of Bavaria to filming. To this end, it has built up an enormous network in which tourism professionals, restaurant owners and contacts in the local authorities work together to make filming possible and easier. Upon their initiative, the state capital of Munich set up a film service office in the district administration department. Other locations in Bavaria followed suit and established their own contacts for the film industry.
The cooperation with the Bavaria-wide network has resulted in the Filmkulisse Bayern initiative, in which Bayern Tourismus Marketing GmbH cooperates with the Film Commission Bayern under the patronage of Veronica Ferres. But the Film Commission Bayern also has an advisory role in the film industry: for a year now, it has been organizing further training measures on the subjects of green shooting and fair production and is the point of contact regarding the subject of skilled labor shortages.
The Film Commission Bayern is also a member of the German Film Commissions Network, the European Film Commissions Network (EUFCN) and the Association of Film Commissioners International (afci). Thus far, the Film Commission has promoted Bavaria as a film location in the USA, Korea, Hong Kong, Mexico, Argentina and Great Britain. Next up are marketing and promotional activities for the location in London and Los Angeles.