Les Studios de Paris, Where ‘Jackie’ and ‘The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon’ Filmed, Positions Itself as One Stop Shop for International Productions

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In the past, Luc Besson envisioned a goal: creating a top-tier studio facility in Paris that could compete with Pinewood Studios in the U.K. His ambition was to draw high-profile international film productions and prevent major Hollywood movies from scouting locations throughout France only to shoot interiors in London or America.

In 2012, Luc Besson unveiled La Cité du Cinéma, which included the expansive Les Studios de Paris, the largest soundstage complex within the Paris region. This impressive studio features an entrance that resembles a cathedral nave.

Last Friday, during the Global Conversations Summit hosted by EbMaster’s in Cannes, Brigitte Segal, head of Les Studios de Paris, along with John Bernard, a prominent figure among France’s line producers (known for projects like “Inception,” “Franklin,” “The New Look,” and “Heads of State”), emphasized that Les Studios de Paris and France as a whole are close to achieving Luc Besson’s vision. They attributed this progress to indirect effects stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic and preparations for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

At the onset of his career in the French film industry, no American studios expressed interest in filming studio work in France, as Bernard reminisced. However, the pandemic served as a significant turning point. Initially, the series “The New Look” produced by Bernard for Apple TV+ was intended to shoot scenes in Paris and then transition to Budapest for studio work.

Due to COVID-19, the filmmaking process underwent a significant shift. This transformation affected how productions moved across countries and maintained multiple locations since crews and cast had to isolate for at least a week to ten days after arriving at each destination. As a result, the production designer might lose an entire week of preparation due to travel time between cities like Budapest and Paris.

Apple TV+ decided to film “The New Look” entirely at Les Studios de Paris. As Bernard explained, “Not only did we demonstrate how to shoot it effectively, but also in terms of budget, it turned out to be more economical and cost-effective to remain in a single location.

Les Studios de Paris, France’s largest and most modern film studios, with nine soundstages, workshops, a wood mill, camera rental services, and sound companies, have been a popular choice for productions. Notable projects include Pablo Larrain’s “Jackie,” starring Natalie Portman, the first three seasons of Netflix’s “Emily in Paris,” and scenes from “The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon.” However, a significant change came with the Olympic Games. For 10 months, the entire Cite du Cinéma was transformed into part of the Olympic Village, with its cathedral nave serving as a restaurant and the Studios de Paris soundstages used for training. Initially, when Segal learned about their plans, she felt quite disheartened.

The state-of-the-art film studios Les Studios de Paris in France have hosted various productions like Pablo Larrain’s “Jackie,” Netflix’s “Emily in Paris” and scenes from “The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon.” However, the Olympic Games marked a turning point as the whole Cite du Cinéma was taken over for 10 months to accommodate part of the Olympic Village, with its cathedral nave serving as a restaurant and Studios de Paris soundstages used for training. When Segal first heard about this, she felt quite down.

However, the 10-month break provided an opportunity for her to strategize ways to elevate the studios, aiming to establish them as a comprehensive, multi-purpose hub, catering to large-scale international productions under one roof.

She expressed that the concept of the Olympics inspired her to propose transforming our location into a hub for film productions. Here, they could establish their production camp, parking their vehicles at a secure site with surveillance, guard dogs, and venture out to shoot scenes in Paris day and night. They would then return, collect their equipment, and depart again.

For this purpose, Segal is designing a 30,000 square foot base camp equipped to handle three major productions simultaneously, as he stated. Additionally, the Olympics have constructed a hotel just five minutes away from the Studios. In his plans, Segal includes a multi-story parking garage and prefabrication workshops for assembly prior to the main event.

In France, there’s a tax refund of 30% for eligible costs spent within the country on international productions, which is already quite generous. If your Visual Effects (VFX) spending exceeds €2 million ($2.2 million), you become eligible for an additional 10% rebate not just on VFX expenses, but on all your expenditures as well.

“Bernard mentioned during the Summit that if any production, regardless of its size, spends at least $2.2 million on VFX, they will receive a 10% bonus. This means that the spending amount increases to 40% for everything spent,” or

“At the Summit, Bernard explained that if you spend a minimum of $2.2 million on VFX for any production, regardless of its size, you’ll earn a 10% bonus. In turn, this raises your total spending to 40%.”

In regards to the rebate, U.S. crew costs do not apply, but this opens up an opportunity for hiring more staff in France. For a single hub model in France to be effective, the quality of the crew must warrant shooting a major production solely within France. As suggested by Segal and Bernard, this is definitely feasible.

Bernard emphasized that when working in a studio, it’s crucial to be able to construct a visually stunning set. He also mentioned the importance of having skilled artisans such as painters and sculptors who can work efficiently and cost-effectively.

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2025-05-19 09:47