HBO Drop €5.7 Million in Croatia for Game of Thrones Production

Representatives of the media were given access on Friday to the set of popular HBO series Game of Thrones in the southern Croatian city of Dubrovnik, where scenes for the fifth season are currently being filmed…

Filming on location in Dubrovnik will go on for 33 days, with the production costing around 5.7 million euros, said Enterprise Minister Gordan Maras and Croatian Audiovisual Centre director Hrvoje Hribar, who with Dubrovnik Mayor Andro Vlahušić and HBO and Embassy Films representatives visited the set on Dubrovnik’s famous stone walls today.

The HBO crew expressed their satisfaction with the partnership they have with the Croatian film industry, which is now in its fourth year. Game of Thrones have been filming already this month on location in Split, Klis, and for the first time in Šibenik.

By spending around 5.7 million euros on production in Croatia this year, HBO will get back around 1.1 million euros thanks to an initiative by the Croatian Audiovisual Centre aimed at attraction production crews to film in Croatia. Around 300 film professionals and extras from Croatia have gained employment this year thanks to Game of Thrones. Minister Maras said that the series acted as a great promotional tool for Croatia, Dubrovnik and all the locations used.

Since the rebate initiative was introduced in 2012, there has been increased interest from international production houses to film on location in Croatia. In 2012 there were 82 days of international filming, growing to 156 in 2013, with over 210 this year. (pic: makingofgameofthrones)