Film in Finland and AV production incentive create huge impact for Finland

Since 2017, a total of 125 productions have received AV production incentive funding, boosting the internationalization of the industry and, in turn, the local economy in several key ways. A new study on the impact of Film in Finland, the marketing brand of the Finnish audiovisual industry, shows that Finland's reputation as an excellent production partner is consistently strengthened by its marketing efforts.

The new “Study of Competitiveness – How promotion services can help to secure long-term growth and transformation in Finland, Business Finland report 1/2023” confirms that the Film in Finland brand and AV production incentive are having considerable influence on the international awareness and growth of the local industry. The increase in foreign productions here is also boosting the local economy, attracting foreign talent to Finland and growing Finland’s country brand. 

Introduced in 2017, the AV production incentive offers a rebate of up to 25 per cent of production costs for local and international productions. Recent years have seen an increase in the number of foreign productions seizing the opportunity to film here thanks to this incentive. Film in Finland is the marketing brand that highlights the Finnish content, know-how, talent, companies, and the AV production incentive. The Film in Finland brand was created in 2021 to support the successful launch of the incentive.  

The following year, in 2022, just over half of the 29 productions to receive the AV production incentive were from abroad. The impact of these international productions was substantial. The 20 million euros that was distributed to the productions in 2022 created investments in Finland worth almost 80 million euros – most of it foreign capital.

Indeed, the figures charting the impact of the AV production incentive speak for themselves. One euro invested in the AV production incentive generates employment and acquisitions in Finland four euros and the tax return on each euro spent is €1.40 – even before the incentive is paid out. 

Efficiency for all

The chief objective of Film in Finland is to increase international interest in Finland as an AV production country and promote the development, internationalization and growth of Finnish companies. 

This international impact has brought new expertise and ways of working to the local industry – and vice versa – and foreign producers and other professionals have been glowing in their praise. During its two years of operations, Film in Finland has collected a great number of success stories and testimonials from international professionals.

"I can easily say that this was the best filmmaking experience I’ve had, internationally, just in terms of the speed, and on delivering on the promises made," said Lee Kim, the producer of the Hollywood film Dual which was shot in the city of Tampere in 2020.

This was a sentiment echoed by the film’s director Riley Stearns.

“The Finnish mindset of everyone working for the greater good, worked out well for us, both on our film set and also with how relaxed and enjoyable our daily lives were off the set,” he commented in an article for Film in Finland.

Another Finnish trait – efficiency – was also of significant note to the filmmakers, especially during the incentive application process. 

“It really only took about six months, which is almost unheard of,” Lee recalled. “In other countries, it sometimes can take up to two years, and this felt like this was pretty standard for Finland.” 

“Once all the proper paperwork was submitted, there wasn’t any excessive bureaucracy or red tape.”

Growing networks

The greater number of international productions coming to Finland has brought the local industry much needed exposure to global networks.  

This growing network is starting to pay dividends. Netflix’s first ever Finnish series, Dance Brothers, was released in 2023, showcasing a more diverse, contemporary brand of storytelling. Elsewhere, Estonia, a 15-million-euro series about Europe’s deadliest civil maritime disaster, was made in collaboration with creatives from such globally lauded series as Chernobyl. 

Photo from Estonia 2023, copyright Fisher King 

The internationalization of the Finnish audiovisual industry also helps to showcase Finland’s landscapes, landmarks, and cultural heritage to wider audiences globally, serving as a form of destination marketing.

One recent example is the intriguingly titled film Sisu, which debuted in the Top 5 US Box Office when it was released earlier this year. Before its release, perhaps the only Finnish word widely known by English speakers was sauna. However, the success of the film did more than just offer an addition to the lexicon, meaning ‘grit, determination and rationality in the face of adversity’: it highlighted the stunning landscape of Finnish Lapland to one of Visit Finland’s key target markets – and beyond.

Bringing talent to Finland

The new study also underlined the role that the AV production incentive plays in bringing foreign talent to Finland for extended periods of time, aligning with the activities of Work in Finland, another service area of Business Finland.

Finnish animation studio Gigglebug is a prime example of this. The studio has previously produced animation for such global giants as Warner Bros, Disney and Netflix, and recently teamed up with Nickelodeon for its latest project. 

The 10-million-euro production based on the popular children’s comic book Super Duper Bunny League has employed around 150 professionals, thanks in part to receiving a production incentive of 1.8 million euros.

“Perhaps more than half are highly educated foreign experts who moved to Finland with contracts of one year, or one-and-a-half years,” said Gigglebug CEO Anttu Harlin, “and hopefully they will then continue working here for forthcoming productions.”

The growing popularity of the AV incentive and its resultant economic impact on Finland shows no sign of waning – something reflected by the fact that its 9.5-million-euro annual budget was used up already by June of this year. Film in Finland is just getting started.

 Photo from Finnish series Ivalo, season 2, BTS. Copyright Yellow Film & TV Oy.

Sources: 

Study of Competitiveness – How promotion services can help to secure long-term growth and transformation in Finland, Business Finland report 1/2023 (public 6.10.2023)

Audiovisual Producers Finland ry data 2023