BOYANA Film has the potential to become a large-scale film production centre, according to Ealing Stuios, one of the candidates for the privatisation of Boyana.
Ealing made the statement at a news conference in Sofia on December 3.
Anthony Way, Daniel Dark and Jeremy Pelzer, British producers involved in some of the most successful projects by Ealing in recent years, visited the studio in the suburbs of Sofia and said they strongly believe in its future. The three have actively participated in the production of movies like Star Wars and Harry Potter, as well as James Bond films.
The three experts, who have projects worth more than 20 billion euro on their career lists, had a meeting with students at the National Academy of Film and Theatre Art in Sofia and agreed on the substantial potential of the new film makers that Bulgaria is developing.
Boyana Film has excellent facilities and infrastructure, a good base, which can be further developed, Dark said. He and Way highly appreciated the quality of commercial videos they had seen in the studios. The videos were produced by entirely Bulgarian teams. "It is obvious that some highly qualified specialists are working here," Way said.
Sean Hinton, managing director of Ealing Studios, unveiled their plans to renew and expand the facilities at Boyana if they win the privatisation tender. According to Hinton, there are two ways of increasing the level of film production in Bulgaria: one is to attract international productions to be shot here, and the other is to develop the local film industry. "You have to do both, not one or another, to be successful," he said and added that this is Ealing's intention.
Apart from facility renewal and expansion, and increasing the level of production, Ealing has plans for two more initiatives linked with Boyana Film's future. The Media City initiative will build a community of businesses that support the main line of business - film production - at Boyana. Ealing has already done this at its studios in London by creating the physical environment for the purpose.
Boyana can become the hub for film productions and the accompanying businesses, related to serving the teams working in Boyana, educating and training the staff and others. In this line is also another initiative - Training and Development.
Ealing's 100 years of experience, the fact that it undertook the London studios four years ago in exactly the same condition as Boyana and turned them into a profitable enterprise, will guarantee the post-privatisation success, Hinton said. He also pledged the expertise of Ealing, which has worked with all major Hollywood studios and independent producers, and Ealing's commitment to the development of Boyana.
"We are here for the long term, as long as we do not expect the process of developing Boyana, its film production, to be short," Hinton said.
The development strategy of Boyana Film will be crucial for the company's privatisation, Privatisation Agency (PA) executive director Atanas Bangachev told reporters on December 1.
The state is selling 446 426 shares, representing 95 per cent of the capital of Boyana Film EAD, Sofia, in a competitive bidding procedure.
The closing date for submitting the conclusive bids is March 4, but the deadline may be extended, Bangachev said.
He said that the strategy would have to be complete and cover a five-year period. The PA will require various types of security for its implementation.
It is of crucial importance to receive guarantees that Boyana Film will be developed as a film studio, because the 30-hectare plot of the company undoubtedly costs more than the studio itself, PA deputy executive director Stanislav Ananiev said.
The state will keep a single share in the company whose voting power will be exercised by the Minister of Culture. Some general meeting resolutions, such as the disposition of the company's land, will require the unanimous approval of all shareholders, including the state.
All four PA-certified candidates submitted tentative bids by the November 15 deadline: Ealing Studios, Nu Image Bulgaria, Dragon International Studios Bulgaria Limited, and Bavaria Film.
Ealing made the statement at a news conference in Sofia on December 3.
Anthony Way, Daniel Dark and Jeremy Pelzer, British producers involved in some of the most successful projects by Ealing in recent years, visited the studio in the suburbs of Sofia and said they strongly believe in its future. The three have actively participated in the production of movies like Star Wars and Harry Potter, as well as James Bond films.
The three experts, who have projects worth more than 20 billion euro on their career lists, had a meeting with students at the National Academy of Film and Theatre Art in Sofia and agreed on the substantial potential of the new film makers that Bulgaria is developing.
Boyana Film has excellent facilities and infrastructure, a good base, which can be further developed, Dark said. He and Way highly appreciated the quality of commercial videos they had seen in the studios. The videos were produced by entirely Bulgarian teams. "It is obvious that some highly qualified specialists are working here," Way said.
Sean Hinton, managing director of Ealing Studios, unveiled their plans to renew and expand the facilities at Boyana if they win the privatisation tender. According to Hinton, there are two ways of increasing the level of film production in Bulgaria: one is to attract international productions to be shot here, and the other is to develop the local film industry. "You have to do both, not one or another, to be successful," he said and added that this is Ealing's intention.
Apart from facility renewal and expansion, and increasing the level of production, Ealing has plans for two more initiatives linked with Boyana Film's future. The Media City initiative will build a community of businesses that support the main line of business - film production - at Boyana. Ealing has already done this at its studios in London by creating the physical environment for the purpose.
Boyana can become the hub for film productions and the accompanying businesses, related to serving the teams working in Boyana, educating and training the staff and others. In this line is also another initiative - Training and Development.
Ealing's 100 years of experience, the fact that it undertook the London studios four years ago in exactly the same condition as Boyana and turned them into a profitable enterprise, will guarantee the post-privatisation success, Hinton said. He also pledged the expertise of Ealing, which has worked with all major Hollywood studios and independent producers, and Ealing's commitment to the development of Boyana.
"We are here for the long term, as long as we do not expect the process of developing Boyana, its film production, to be short," Hinton said.
The development strategy of Boyana Film will be crucial for the company's privatisation, Privatisation Agency (PA) executive director Atanas Bangachev told reporters on December 1.
The state is selling 446 426 shares, representing 95 per cent of the capital of Boyana Film EAD, Sofia, in a competitive bidding procedure.
The closing date for submitting the conclusive bids is March 4, but the deadline may be extended, Bangachev said.
He said that the strategy would have to be complete and cover a five-year period. The PA will require various types of security for its implementation.
It is of crucial importance to receive guarantees that Boyana Film will be developed as a film studio, because the 30-hectare plot of the company undoubtedly costs more than the studio itself, PA deputy executive director Stanislav Ananiev said.
The state will keep a single share in the company whose voting power will be exercised by the Minister of Culture. Some general meeting resolutions, such as the disposition of the company's land, will require the unanimous approval of all shareholders, including the state.
All four PA-certified candidates submitted tentative bids by the November 15 deadline: Ealing Studios, Nu Image Bulgaria, Dragon International Studios Bulgaria Limited, and Bavaria Film.
