Compass Rose: The Power of Hive Mind in International Production

A lot of companies in the industry like to call themselves a family, and while Compass Rose (CR) absolutely takes a familial approach to business, ‘a hive mind’ is a more accurate description of how the service production network operates. Headed up by MD and executive producer, Pavla Burgetova Callegari - together with Amy Kaemon, executive producer, North America, and James Hatcher, executive producer, UK & Europe - the concierge-like company helms the best-in-class when it comes to service production, all at no cost to production companies themselves.  

The idea behind CR is to give clients access to the best people, locations, and service across the countries where the network is present, with the ability to “tackle any script”. Currently with a presence across multiple Eastern, Central and Western European countries, Mexico, and South Africa, Pavla is incredibly considered when deciding if and where to expand to next. 

“Compass Rose was set up to group our companies while allowing them to keep their individual identities under one umbrella and brand. Some of these companies were already collaborating, some had partially shared ownership and, since the launch of Compass Rose, we have also helped set up or re-brand and re-launch some of the companies in our group. Our goal is to not ‘cannibalise’ our own network - meaning, we do not need to be too many companies to do what we do. We focus on quality rather than quantity. Whoever comes to us with a project knows that wherever they end up with us, there is a consistent signature touch to things with focus on super high quality and smart production,” says Pavla.

“We are like a family that happens to be spread out to different countries. We share, we brainstorm, we help each other and we have fun, just like families do,” add Amy and James. 

A call or an email to CR is then a way to benefit from all that the hive mind has to offer, ensuring that every query, no matter how big or small, gets the best possible response and solution. 

Smart service production solutions means focusing on quality over quantity

With inflation and prices rising globally, already-shrinking budgets have to work harder than ever before. What CR knows are the secret spots that seamlessly twin for iconic locations, with the support of highly experienced crew. Conchita Taboada, MD and executive producer of Spectrum Mexico says: “In Mexico we have very well-trained crews as we have been offering production services for many years, in addition to having very creative and talented people. Also, geographically we are situated in an area where we have proximity to many countries, for ease of travelling.” 

Philo 'Comfort Creatures' 

“Our main asset is the people. Skilled and experienced professionals, who are constantly building up on their respective expertise, that's what made Bulgaria such a sought-after and popular filming destination in the past 15 years. Of course, there's the excellent quality/cost ratio, and the great production value we can provide, which are up to 30% more cost effective than most popular filming locations in central and western EU. The popular backlots, and the great variety of locations is also something that gives us a good edge – you can have modern and period urban environments, and the whole spectrum of natural locations (mountains, rivers and lakes, golden sandy beaches etc.) all within just 3-4 hours from end to end,” says Deyan Dobrev, producer, Icon Films Sofia.

B&Q 'Flip'

In Romania, Andra Pandelescu, producer of Icon Films Romania, likewise singles out the quality of the crews, adding that there’s also “great craftsmanship in art/wardrobe, and fully integrated studios that have made Romania a great and cost-efficient destination for more than two decades, for both long and short form productions. The locations are extremely varied, Romania benefits from the seaside as well as mountains and lovely picturesque villages and little towns.”

"I think that our region offers, besides traditional historical locations and professional crew, excellent art department, SFX crews and stunt teams. In terms of price and performance, it is still very cost-effective,” adds Michal Skop, EP of Stillking Films Prague.

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Tuning in to your purpose is when social awareness and change can happen

Fulfilling client needs and going the extra mile is but one part of what CR and its ‘hive mind’ does. The other is to take a close look at industry issues in order to make an impact where they can. Sustainability and diversity has been at the heart of CR’s business operations from the start, with the CR team taking a local, focused approach to each issue, tailoring their activities in each region on an as-needed-basis. 

In South Africa, Charlie Hey, MD and executive producer of Stillking Cape Town, works with the SA Film Academy to “employ their trainees on each and every production we work on in South Africa. The SA Film Academy is an accredited non-profit organisation offering coordinated skills and entrepreneurial development. They are a vital bridge between education and employment, training interns and exposing them to real work environments.”

Genesis 'Where Are You Going' 

“Sustainability is something that's picking up speed in Bulgaria, and we're very conscientious in that regard,” adds Deyan. “We are a member of Green The Bid and AdGreen, which has brought us an even better understanding of how good green practices can be best implemented in all our production stages and processes. Sharing knowledge, experience and ideas with our fellows in the group is also definitely super useful, not only in the practical aspects of our day-to-day work tasks and challenges, but also in regard to collaboration in achieving a fair gender, racial and ethnic diversity in our productions.”

According to Ivana Antic, EP of Tuna+Icon Serbia: “That is probably one of the biggest advantages of being a part of the community like this one. Compass Rose really strives to be on the forefront of all these discussion, allowing us access to the latest developments, needs and trends. Every country represented has its unique political and social context as well as infrastructure to implement sustainability practices, so exchanging experiences and sharing ideas proves to be most valuable. Information or a positive impact of certain practices get sent across quickly, basically throughout ongoing productions.”

Gorillaz 'Cracker Island' 

In Mexico, Conchita’s team is likewise feeling CR’s influence. “Being part of Compass Rose has helped us to participate in various global initiatives that help us create conscience and help solving some world problems, like with the Ukraine war situation, and we are also joining various green initiatives together. As per D&I we are currently joining The Boston group which specialises in film industry work, offering us training, guidance and supervision in all these matters,” says Conchita. 

The hive mind is more than opening doors to new possibilities

The real testament Compass Rose does for its network comes from the companies’ MDs themselves. It’s clear that CR  truly cares about the people, the work, and the world in which it’s all done. For Charlie in South Africa, CR’s ability to market the network globally was invaluable during the period of travel restrictions. 

“Compass Rose is an exceptional and innovative marketing tool. Because CR has a presence in NY, LA and London, there is less of a need for me to travel to those cities to market myself which has been even more useful during the last few years, when travel has been restricted and will continue to be of great benefit as we try to reduce our carbon footprint by flying less often to market ourselves directly. Compass Rose understands our budget form, how we bid and have a wealth of knowledge about the territories they represent so when our clients need quick advice, budget amendments or explanations, having Compass Rose on various time zones means clients can reach out to them instead of waiting many hours to get these answers from the production companies themselves,” he says. 

Ford Ranger 'Night Swimming'

“Being part of such an ambitious and creative team has been fun and challenging, giving us the opportunity to be part of some very exciting and original projects. This way we are constantly engaged and up to speed on the latest campaigns, top-notch Productions while getting the chance to work closely with some of the most well known and visionary Directors and Creative Teams,” adds Andra. 

Jernej Krivic, EP from Entity Films, Slovenia says: “I found that being a part of a group has a lot of benefits for all. Particularly useful is the pool of knowledge and contacts one gains. If I have a problem finding a particular expert locally I can ask the group and immediately have a bunch of potential contacts at hand. The pool of potential clients is also bigger, and it's easier to reach them through CR with the contacts CR has in our business community.”

“Besides being part of a such a great group of people it really is a pool of experience and a hub that is invaluable in our ever changing production landscape. Cross referencing with other producers and having informed discussions over the past couple of years enabled us to improve our practices, have a deeper understanding of production needs of clients and adapt to new challenges,” adds Ivana.

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As Deyan concludes: “Compass Rose also makes it possible for their members to pass on job pitches among themselves, within the network if the service company that receives the initial pitch feels they're not the best fit for that job, but a sister company might be – which in general is a very valuable symbiosis.”

Socially conscious, uncompromising on craft, and putting its people first is the unique business model behind Compass Rose’s network. The most remarkable thing about their approach? It all happens quietly and smoothly behind the scenes, leaving clients with nothing but incredible service and the resulting, impressive work.

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