Interview with Laszlo Horvath-Varga, CEO, Korda Studio

08 May Interview with Laszlo Horvath-Varga, CEO, Korda Studio

Korda Studios has become a premier destination for major film and television productions. Could you introduce yourself and what makes Korda Studios such an attractive choice for international filmmakers?

I have been COO of Korda Studios since 2017. Originally a civil engineer, I initially handled studio operations, including maintenance, HR and budgeting. I also oversaw CapEx investments and overall managed the team. My strong connection with the previous CEO, György Rajnai, and my extensive maintenance experience with the studios led to my appointment as a CEO. Korda Studios is located 35 km from Budapest, just a 40-minute drive from downtown. Built in 2006 and opened in 2007, it’s named after Sir Alexander Korda, the famous Hungarian-born British director and producer. We are proud to be associated with the BAFTA Best Picture award, named in his honor. The studio is owned by a large property development group with an extensive portfolio across Central and Eastern Europe, including shopping malls, office towers, sports arenas, airports, wineries and more. Korda Studios offers filmmakers and production companies a sophisticated, international-standard environment with a full range of services, from location scouting to technical and post-production support. We understand filmmaking challenges and aim to streamline the process, allowing creators to focus on their craft. Our unique advantage is providing everything in one place. With 35 hectares of land, including 15 hectares for backlots and seven stages ranging from 900 to 6,000 square meters—one being the largest in the EU—we offer ample space for productions. Our studio is a little bigger than the famous 007 Stage located at Pinewood Studios. Our studios feature silent HVAC systems, central air compressors system, fire protection and qualified soundproofing. Additionally, Stage 2 and Stage 3 can be combined with a mobile wall for larger sets, and Stage 1 includes a water tank with a thick glass wall for filming without divers or special cameras. We have three backlot locations: the Medieval Village, Renaissance Town and the famous New York Street built for Hellboy 2.

I mentioned that we have a mother company with a large real property portfolio. Recently, we launched a new division called Korda Locations. We’ve curated a selection of properties from this extensive portfolio that are suitable for filming — everything from modern houses to airports, basements to office spaces. The goal is to make the location selection process easier and more efficient for productions.

At Korda Studios, we believe in the importance of quality, creativity, and flexibility With vast space available, we are open to negotiating with productions to create permanent backlots, which we can showcase to visitors. Tourism is significant in Hungary, with 18 million visitors last year, and we welcome 15-20,000 guests annually. We have a small exhibition center that we plan to renovate next year, making it more interactive and attractive for visitors. When productions build backlots, our engineers must be involved to set the conditions and ensure the backlots are suitable for visitors. Maintaining these backlots is costly, so we view it as a partnership with the production to build the backlots well. While we prefer no issues to arise, if there are problems, we address them promptly. We have enough experience and we know the life of the production from soft prep to wrapping, through the building to filming. As an engineer myself, I understand that the most critical phase is filming. Any failure during shooting—whether in the studio or backlot—reflects on us, and we can’t afford that risk. It’s a matter of prestige, as György always said: ‘We do our best in silence.’’

How many people work at Korda Studios? Do you outsource for specific shoots and what are your next investment goals?

Our core team consists of 25 people. We primarily focus on renting facilities and providing spaces, offices and stages. We don’t offer production services, as many service companies in Hungary handle tasks like CGI. It’s the production companies’ responsibility to contract these services to complete the film. We have made several investments, though not large-scale, with a focus on environmental, social and governance issues. Sustainability is a priority, and we have been committed to energy efficiency for years. Last year, we applied for the BAFTA Studio Sustainability Standard, which encourages environmental responsibility in filmmaking. This certification process, which involved a thorough assessment of our facilities and energy usage, motivated our transition to more sustainable operations. We invested in energy-efficient technologies, including heat pumps, intelligent building systems and e-charging stations. Additionally, we made strides toward paperless administration and switched to green cleaning products. These efforts represent our ongoing commitment to reducing our ecological footprint. We have also focused on improving our employees’ work-life balance, which is important to both us and our team. We recently received the BAFTA results, where we achieved a “VERY GOOD” rating.

Can you share some of Korda Studios’ biggest past and upcoming projects, and the importance of partnerships with international clients?

We are proud of all the productions at Korda Studios, with the Halo series (2018-2023) being the largest. We have strong connections with third parties, including Netflix and NBCU, and are currently working on two major projects, which are confidential. We also collaborate closely with the National Film Institute and other Hungarian studios, such as Origo Studios. We don’t see them as competitors, but as partners with whom we share good relationships.

How do you approach building partnerships with international clients and what sets Korda Studios apart?

Big productions in Hungary are mostly foreign, with only 5% being local. While we don’t directly connect with major studios like Universal or Showtime, we work closely with service companies that have contracts with these studios. They bring their projects to us for filming.

How do you see the future of film production in Hungary and what role will Korda Studios play in shaping it?   

A few years ago, challenges like the U.S. strikes and COVID impacted the industry. 2022 was a peak year, but after the 2023 strikes, the industry suffered. 2024 showed signs of recovery, though still weaker than 2022. Production costs and launched projects confirm this trend. A Prodpro (33:16) survey indicates that crew members are less optimistic. However, we remain hopeful for 2025, based on our current bookings and requests. Approximately 25,000 people work in Hungary’s film industry, both directly and indirectly. We expect a better year ahead, with positive outcomes for both studios and staff, now that the U.S. strikes are over. AI became a key issue during the industry strikes and WGA negotiations. It’s not something to fear but something to embrace, like the shift from analog to digital. In the film industry, AI will mostly impact post-production, automated dialogue replacement, script analysis and budgeting. While AI can be useful, we must learn to use it effectively. However, there will always be a need for stages, as nothing replaces a unique set or a director’s vision. Studios will remain the birthplace of filmmaking. After the challenges of the past two years, we look forward to a better year. While the global economy may impact film productions, we are confident that Hungary’s extended financial incentives, available until 2030, will attract both international and domestic productions. Our main goal is to meet the high standards demanded by the market.

What is your final message for the readers of USA TODAY?

If we enjoy our work, we can do it with passion. Given the challenges and hard work, it’s important to take better care of ourselves than we did a few years ago.