Written by Shona Smith on Dec 18, 2018. Posted in General Interest

The Location Guide: 2018 in Review

Not only has 2018 has been a seismic year for the global production sector, but here at The Location Guide we have been busier than ever.

In our effort to become an indispensable resource for global creatives, we introduced makers, our biannual magazine providing a real insight into global production. The makers launch party at Cannes was followed by a strong presence at Cannes Lions. The first two magazines include exclusive interviews with the production heads of Netflix and Amazon, discussions with some of the world’s top commercials producers and provide in-depth guides to filming in global destinations from China and Romania through to the Republic of Georgia and Malaysia.

Another success for us was the return of FOCUS in early December. As event director Jean-Frédéric Garcia explains, “This year was our most ambitious to date. By doubling the conference element of the show we increased the size and scope of sessions on offer. We’ve also almost doubled the number of exhibitor stands with newcomers from all around the world representing a wider range of filming services, from Down Under to the Middle East, from sustainable solutions to post-production”.

The event saw a 40% increase in footfall which contributed to an even busier show and visitors were able to meet with 244 exhibiting companies including international film commissions, location providers and production service companies offering filming incentives and production solutions from pre to post.

This year, The Location Guide has continued to deliver sought after information to production professionals. As a freely available online resource, we continue to function as a comprehensive locations directory for anyone working in the production industry. Memorable contributions this year discussed how to film in Hong Kong, and why Iceland’s Westfjords make an incredible location for car shoots.

In 2018, The Location Guide has been involved in familiarisation tours to diverse locations including Sri Lanka, Romania and Tunisia. Keep your eyes peeled throughout January when we will publish full rundowns detailing the array of locations on offer in both Sri Lanka and Tunisia.

At the end of an incredibly busy year, we are already looking to the future and how we can continue to meet the demands of a booming industry.

We wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year!