Slovenia is a small European country located near the center of the old continent. Despite its small size, the country is a haven for filmmakers, offering unique landmarks, incredibly rich culture and traditions, and great people. Here’s what you need to know about doing documentary production in Slovenia.
Documentary production in Slovenia, how to do it right
Documentary production in Slovenia abides by the general European laws of movie-making. You generally don’t need a permit to film anywhere in public places, if you don’t violate the right to privacy and freedom of the rest of the people. It is a great idea to ask the local authorities though, before filming, if you need any documents for it. Private places will most likely charge you a fee for pointing your cameras towards their buildings, palaces, and whatnot. Even some very touristy public places, like some castles and natural parks, will charge you a permit-type fee for video production.
Another thing to keep in mind about documentary production in Slovenia is accessibility. Being a small, developing country in the middle of Europe, Slovenia is way cheaper than Germany, Belgium, or the UK in terms of living and surely, video production. You can drastically cut your expenses into nearly half what you’d pay for similar production in Germany if you were to do it in Slovenia. And because it’s smaller as a country, getting around in Slovenia is also cheaper, as well as hotels and other logistical expenses. Get your cameras ready because, in Slovenia, there aren’t many specialty gear shops. You’re more likely to find repair shops but in terms of the latest equipment, the best solution is to bring it from overseas with you.
Finally, filming in Slovenia is a pleasant experience almost all around the year. With great temperatures in the spring, summer, and autumn, and manageable in the winter, you can literally film at any time and anywhere.
What to film while in Slovenia
Right, now that you’re more informed on how documentary production in Slovenia goes about, let’s look at some of the interesting facts and places of this place. What’s it there to be turned into a video story about Slovenia that the world has never heard about before? If you’re into architecture that’s one of a kind, travel to the Solkan Bridge for it is the longest stone bridge dedicated to trains on planet Earth!
If you’re looking to film a story on wildlife and preservation, find out that Slovenia is one of the most populous countries on earth when it comes to bears. More than 500 brown bears live freely in the forests of this country. And if you’re into that, you might also be interested to know that Slovenia is a huge world distributor of honey. It has over 100.000 beekeepers, with honey production sights literally everywhere around the country. Now that’s a sweet story to be covered, literally!