In the post-covid ad industry – with shrunken budgets and competition as fierce as ever – success in service production in Eastern Europe takes more than competitive prices. Companies are pushed to be more creative, to offer more to their clients and to be quicker than ever.
With these challenges in mind, Film Fixers Balkans entered the commercial production market about a year and a half ago, offering unique ways around them.
Originally specialising in TV production in more than 15 countries across the Balkans and Eastern Europe, the company already had strong ties to the industries in most of those countries, which translated naturally into commercial production.
With one of the biggest location databases in the region, access to hundreds of professionals and an extremely flexible business model, FFB offer services for commercials and music videos – especially for projects with tight budgets. They have already solved such issues for companies from the UK, the US, Germany, South Korea, the Netherlands, Poland and more.
LBB talked with Yavor Gadzhev, line producer and bidding producer at FFB.
What’s unique about Film Fixers Balkans?
Definitely the huge area we cover – we work in every country from Hungary to Turkey – and our problem-solving skills, which we acquired through years of work in TV.
Why did you decide to offer services for commercials and music videos?
To be fair, we’ve always offered these services, but they weren’t always our priority. Now that’s changed – mainly because the advertising industry is more creative and very dynamic, and we love a challenge at FFB! Our team is young and ambitious and very excited about what can be expressed in a 15 or 30-second spot if you’re creative.
What are some of your favourite projects?
We did a very ambitious spot for Gamrfirst, servicing Papaya Films, which ranks among my favourites. We worked with Lonan Garcia, a very talented and demanding director, and we had to keep up with his imagination! The end result is spectacular – absolutely worth the long hours for every department. I love a challenge and get excited when we have to be creative to get around issues.
Another favourite is beabadoobee – ‘Take a Bite’, a music video we did with Park Pictures. Everything clicked from the moment we first got in touch with producer Rowan Mackintosh King, and it was smooth sailing from there.
And lastly a magnificent video for Blanco, one of the biggest Italian pop stars right now – ‘Bruciasse Il Cielo’, servicing Illmatic Film Group. We had a very limited budget and turned it into one of the music videos of the year.
Where do you do most of your work?
It is spread between a few countries – namely Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Croatia and lately Albania.
What are the strongest points of these countries?
I’ll be brief. Bulgaria is very suitable for studio builds and art-department-heavy jobs; Romania and Serbia likewise, with minor differences; Slovenia is the absolute leader for nature locations – mountains, lakes, mountain roads and architecture; Croatia is hands down the best place to film by the sea, on coastal roads and in old towns. But what few production companies know is that you can find all these qualities in all of these countries – you don’t have to stick to the “stereotypical” strengths.
What are your team’s strongest sides?
Flexibility, attention to the client, budget management, problem solving and thinking outside the box. We are far from stuck in our ways and always open to making new things happen, trying seemingly impossible things and solving issues creatively.
What are your goals for the coming year?
In the next 18 months we want to make FFB a well-known name in the industry and a leader in production services – known both in Europe and across the Atlantic. Next year we are expanding with visits to North America and building relationships with US clients.
This article was first published on LBB Online on 7 October 2024. Learn more about our work across 19 countries at filmfixersbalkans.com.
