Filming in Portugal. See the big picture

In this special episode of Filming in Portugal: See the Big Picture, we welcome Latvian filmmaker Matīss Kaža, producer and co-writer of Flow, the feature film that won this year’s Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. The director, producer and screenwriter spoke with Martin Dale about the creative process behind this co-production between Latvia, France and Belgium, as well as his career path...

In the final episode of the second season, Martin Dale talks to Alexandra Ramires and Laura Gonçalves, directors and co-founders of BAP — Animation Studio. Both trained in Fine Arts, they share a career that bridges animation and documentary, with award-winning films in Portugal and beyond, such as Drop by Drop and their latest work, Percebes. In this conversation, they reflect on creative collabo...

In this episode of Filming in Portugal: See the Big Picture, journalist Martin Dale sits down with two leading names in international casting: Patrícia Vasconcelos, casting director and founder of the Passaporte programme, and Julie Schubert, New York-based casting director known for productions like House of Cards and The Devil Wears Prada. A conversation about the challenges and evolution of the...

In the latest episode of Filming in Portugal: See the Big Picture, we reflect on the impact of technology and artificial intelligence on the future of the audiovisual industry, with Joana Vicente, producer, cofounder of Open City Films and former CEO of the Sundance Institute. In conversation with Martin Dale, Joana discusses the potential of new digital tools to enhance creativity, optimize resou...

In this episode of “Filming in Portugal: See the Big Picture”, we turn our attention to contemporary Portuguese cinema, its challenges, and the new generation of filmmakers and audiences shaping its future. Film journalist and critic Rui Tendinha and Teresa Vieira, film critic, cultural journalist and Artistic Director of BEAST International Film Festival, join Martin Dale for an open conversation...

In this episode of Filming in Portugal: See the Big Picture, we take a closer look at the Creative Europe MEDIA programme with Susana Costa Pereira, Executive Coordinator of Creative Europe Desk Portugal and head of the MEDIA strand since 2019.In conversation with journalist Martin Dale, Susana explains how the Creative Europe Desks support professionals and organisations in the audiovisual sector...

In this episode of Filming in Portugal: See the Big Picture, we explore the essential role of locations in filmmaking with Lori Balton, veteran Hollywood location scout, and Eduardo Rodrigalvarez, head of locations at Palma Pictures. A conversation with Martin Dale that delves into the importance of settings in shaping a narrative and the impact of new technologies on location scouting. Lori and E...

In the new episode of “Filming in Portugal: See the Big Picture”, we dive into the gaming industry and explore its connections with cinema and the audiovisual sector. Martin Dale speaks with Jeferson Valadares, President of the Portuguese Video Game Producers Association, and Francisco Moreira, Head of the Gaming Hub at Unicorn Factory Lisboa, about the sector’s growth in Portugal, national talent...

With a three-decade career in the media industry, Tony Gonçalves has held key roles at companies such as AT&T and WarnerMedia, where he served as Chief Revenue Officer and spearheaded the launch of HBO Max. Now, as the founder of The Evrose Group, his focus is on strengthening Portugal’s impact in the global market. In this episode, Tony Gonçalves talks to Martin Dale about his connection to Portu...

The rapid growth of the audiovisual sector has significantly boosted the potential of screen tourism, making it an increasingly valuable segment of the tourism industry. In Spain alone, screen tourism influences 4 in 10 travelers. This perspective is shared by Ana Alonso, a consultant specializing in screen tourism and founder of The Travelling Set, a project dedicated to collaborating with destin...

While it may be impossible for a production to be 100% green, sustainability concerns should be addressed from the moment a project is written. As “Filming in Portugal: See the Big Picture” begins its second season, the podcast brings together two green consultants for an episode on sustainability in film and audiovisual productions. In this season opener, journalist Martin Dale speaks with Dörte...

Rita Ataíde Novais, development producer at BBC Studios Productions, joins this episode of “Filming in Portugal. See the big picture” and explains the process of developing a project “from the seed stage, when it is just an idea”.Keeping in mind that is the human relationship that inspires the production of animated concepts for kids, Rita believes this content may also appeal to families. There w...

Despite the challenges of a changing world, independent TV producers are thriving. Susana Gato, executive president of the Portuguese Association of Independent Television Producers (APIT), presents herself as an enthusiast, while pointing out some of the biggest issues faced by the sector: geo-blocking, intellectual property, and artificial intelligence. In terms of the role of women in the indus...

The Sound of Music and Turn of the Tide might be 58 years apart. But one thing they have in common is the power to bring tourists to Salzburg (Austria) and Rabo de Peixe (in the Azores, Portugal), aiming to visit places they see on screen. Conducting a PhD research in sustainable screen tourism destination development, Sara Trigo looks on how film tourism has become a popular trend in recent years...

The path made by the animation industry over the last years is made of a high-speeddevelopment, namely due to a technical evolution that is boosting production in emergingcountries. Marcel Jean, artistic director of the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, goes throughthe changes on the formats, the diversity of the audiences, and how animation students arebringing new themes into the spo...

It may act like an invisible character, but as George Lucas once said, sound is 50% of the movie-going experience. That is exactly what Nuno Fonseca, CEO at Sound Particles, recalls in this episode of “Filming in Portugal: See the big picture”.A conversation that goes around the use of virtual particles in sound design, and how some of the most prominent Hollywood studios are using a software deve...

For the last years, much has been said about the impact of film and TV series’ production on local communities. But is it possible to measure this impact? Can it be fruitful for both parties? Filipa Maria Cardoso is the director for communications and digital marketing at Turismo de Portugal, the public entity responsible for managing the Tourism, Cinema and Audiovisual Support Fund together with...

The competition in the film industry is also made up of who attracts the most promising productions. Different countries offer different incentives, while sharing the same target: to captivate international productions. But at the end of the day, Carlota Guerrero and Adrian Mitchell, Co-Presidents of the European Film Commissions Network (EUFCN), believe that cooperation is the key. In this episod...

Among all the challenges faced by the film and audiovisual sector, a new quest came up over the last years: the urge to make greener productions. Maryllis Gonzalez, line producer based between the UK and Spain, talks about her experience putting sustainability measures in place for the film crew. While Maryllis claims that “my consumer is my crew”, she also shares some of the key issues of the nea...

What’s the place of independent filmmaking in a world where streaming platforms keep strengthening their position? In the second episode of “Filming in Portugal: See the big picture”, Markus Duffner, head of Locarno Pro, reflects on the opportunities and challenges faced by independent cinema today. The role of film festivals around the world, the blend of auteur and genre films, and the presence...

Although Portugal is on the far edge of Europe, the country has opened doors to film and audiovisual productions from all over the world. Luís Chaby Vaz, film commissioner and president of the Portuguese Institute of Cinema and Audiovisual (ICA), is the first guest of the podcast “Filming in Portugal. See the big picture”.A conversation about incentives, co-production agreements, and the strategy...