Chasing Spring in 24 Hours with Entity Films

Above: Senj, Croatia.

While northern Europe is keenly awaiting the arrival of spring, over in the south the air is starting to lose its chill and the previously bare landscapes are taking on shades of green against expanding daylight. 

Slovenia, and the wider Adriatic region, still tends to fly under the radar when it comes to productions though it has played host to some of the biggest TV shows in recent years - Game of Thrones, The Wheel of Time, and Citadel - alongside multiple prestige commercials. 

Thanks to its south-facing position, Slovenian spring arrives around three to four weeks earlier than elsewhere, and the same goes for the neighbouring regions which are all within a stone’s throw - Croatia, Italy, Austria. “We’re ahead of everyone else when it comes to spring,” says Jernej Krivic, MD at Entity Films, part of the Compass Rose group. “We’re south of the Alps so we get a lot of sun, and we’re by the seaside which influences the warm weather and brings moisture too.” It’s thanks to this favourable cocktail of natural elements that the greenery and flowers start to come back to life sooner than elsewhere. “It also provides variety because the landscape will be lush with trees, grass, and flowers while there’s still snow in the mountains,” he adds. 

For such a bijou country, Slovenia offers a wealth of contrasting landscapes. There are the aforementioned towering Alps, the aquamarine coastline, the sprawling Pannonian Plain, and Škocjan Caves - one of the largest underground canyons in the world. And the urban spaces provide a mix of Renaissance-style and modern architecture too. The daylight hours will likewise appeal to productions, with Slovenia currently offering around 12. 

Above: snow-capped mountains in Slovenia with spring awakening the greenery beneath.

From a practical standpoint, Jernej highlights the experience of the local crews and the availability of rentals. “Basically, everything is achievable here. Plus the prices are still competitive.”

Above: blooming spring scenes in Croatia.

Spring in 24 hours

Slovenia is also perfectly positioned next to other desirable locations which Entity Films services: Croatia and Italy. Just how close are they? To demonstrate this - and to capture spring in full swing in each - Entity Films sent a location scout on a mission to visit three in just 24 hours. Since Croatia became a full member of the EU and the Schengen area at the beginning of 2023, all of the countries in the region are essentially border free with no limitations for work and travel, which the scout’s travel itinerary worked to prove. 

Above: drone footage of Senj, Croatia.

Above: coastal Croatia.

Not only did the scout return with magnificent examples of spring from Slovenia, Croatia, and Italy, he also demonstrated the versatility of working in the region. The journey started in the northern Alpine region of Slovenia, going to the city in Ljubljana, before continuing to the north-eastern Italian city of Trieste. The final stop was Croatia’s coast of Dalmatia which Jernej says “has a different look to the northern part of the country.”

Above: the Volkswagen spot for the Macher 7 model was filmed across all four locations.

Though Jernej has never undertaken the 24-hour trip himself, he did work on the Volkswagen commercial for the Macher 7 model that took place across four of the regions serviced by Entity Films, with a crew of 100 people. Being able to work with the same crew across all regions is a huge advantage for filmmakers where continuity is of utmost importance and timing (not to mention, budgets) are always tight. “It’s a lot easier to work with the same people across all locations, having briefed them once. The same goes for equipment too since our rentals service all the regions. It’s a real benefit that we can offer to productions,” he says. “Productions can concentrate their time in front of the camera, not spend it travelling.”

Above: sun-bathed Trieste, Italy.

Above: contemporary Ljubljana.

Across the four regions, finding any location - almost - is possible; mediaeval cities, unspoiled nature, contemporary high-rises, mountains, Mediterranean villages, and picturesque coastlines. In spring, the locations take on a magical quality transformed by varied shades of green, a rainbow of blooms, and illuminated by the Adriatic sunshine amid temperatures that sit firmly in the high teens. The time to see and capture the best of spring in the Adriatic is now, weeks before spring arrived anywhere else.

Above: 'Fly Human Fly', Hoka - shot in Croatia's Istria and Zadar regions.

Above: drone footage of Prizna, Croatia.

Compass Rose’s group of service production companies consists of Stillking Films Prague and Cape Town, Icon Romania, Bulgaria and Serbia, Entity Films Slovenia and Croatia, Spectrum Mexico and 24/7 Spain, Portugal and Chile.