Things You Need to Know About Shooting in Warsaw

When you think of Poland a few stereotypical things probably come to mind. Vodka. Communism. Cold. What you probably don’t know is that Poland has epic beaches reaching up to 35degs + in the summer months and has some of the best production designers and film studios in Europe - as well as being an affordable place to shoot.

So why is Poland overlooked? We talk to Julia Bidakowska-Andren, executive producer at production service company Tango Production, about what Poland and in particular Warsaw has to offer.

Q> How would you sum up Warsaw in to words?

JBA> Dynamic, crazy, cool.

Q> The Polish are renowned for their elaborate set designs and production designers. What makes the Poles so damn good?

JBA> We have a rich history of film production in Poland and a great film school with long traditions making our production designers very experienced. Our construction teams are superb as well as being very affordable.

Q>You’ve recently produced a Just Eat commercial for MJZ which comprised of a six day shoot with multiple locations and set ups. Was it a bit of a beast?

JBA> That production was super challenging with so many people from all over the world involved from the production house, agency, client and us locally. Within the set department we had two production designers, three art directors and two construction teams. The script was wonderful and working with one of the best directors in and production house in the world is already a challenge itself as you really want everything to be perfect. Costumes were prepared and sourced in London, Warsaw and Prague. We worked on both digital cameras but also on 35 mm and 16 mm which I had not been used in years. I could go on talking about it for hours as I really liked the outcome of this and I loved working on this job!

Q> You’ve also just shot Taylors for Lucky Generals and Smuggler. That was also a big studio set up. Tell us about the studios in Warsaw.

JBA> As most of the studios in Warsaw are fairly new they are very modern and 'clean' as well as having great backstage facilities. We have a whole range of studios to suit different budgets and production sizes which is a real benefit.

Q> Do you think Warsaw is gaining more popularity over the likes of Kiev and Prague?

JBA> Each city is unique and offers something different so it’s hard to say if one is more popular than the other. I do feel Poland is having a resurgence at the moment and we are getting more known for our high production values and quality for less money.

Q> Do you think production companies are surprised by what Poland and Warsaw has to offer?

JBA> Yes, I think they are. I heard the other day that a London based producer had a real problem convincing both the client and agency to come here but when they finally did they were very pleased, not only by the production and the top level of the production designer, studio, 1st AD and all the other crew but also by the city itself. Great hotels, restaurants and a general good vibe!

Q> What more nuggets can we expect of Tango Production in the future?

JBA> If I can do more projects like Taylors or Just Eat, I’ll be more than happy.