Raleigh Studios, the largest independent studio operator in the U.S., has extended its reach internationally, breaking ground on a new state-of-the-art studio facility in Budapest. Raleigh’s European partner in the venture is Origo Film Group.
Raleigh Studios Budapest is scheduled to open its doors in April 2010. The site is less than 20 minutes from all major hotels and downtown Budapest, meaning it will be home to the closest studio facility to the heart of Hungary. The studio will feature nine soundstages, including a super stage 45,000 square feet and 65 feet to the grid. There will be full transportation, set and location lighting and grip via Hollywood Rentals (which is owned by Raleigh’s parent company), line producing with Raleigh Film (Raleigh’s production service arm), a postproduction facility and digital film lab.
Incorporated into the studio’s design is a 15 acre backlot which will lend itself to such activities as outdoor set builds. A full production training school will also be on let to help maintain Hungary’s existing talent pool while creating a new generation of film crews.
Raleigh will also offer administration services for film incentives and tax rebates available in Hungry. Currently Hungry offers a 20 percent production incentive and can go as high as 25 percent in some cases to qualified productions. A value added tax is also fully reclaimable.
Raleigh Studios also maintains facilities in Hollywood, Manhattan Beach and Playa Vista, Calif., as well as Baton Route, Louisiana. Lighting and grip firm Hollywood Rentals maintains shops in Los Angeles, Charlotte, Orlando and Baton Rouge.
Disney Pledges $15 million In L.A. Fire Aid As More Celebs Learn They’ve Lost Their Homes
The Pacific Palisades wildfires torched the home of "This Is Us" star Milo Ventimiglia, perhaps most poignantly destroying the father-to-be's newly installed crib.
CBS cameras caught the actor walking through his charred house for the first time, standing in what was once his kitchen and looking at a neighborhood in ruin. "Your heart just breaks."
He and his pregnant wife, Jarah Mariano, evacuated Tuesday with their dog and they watched on security cameras as the flames ripped through the house, destroying everything, including a new crib.
"There's a kind of shock moment where you're going, 'Oh, this is real. This is happening.' What good is it to continue watching?' And then at a certain point we just turned it off, like 'What good is it to continue watching?'"
Firefighters sought to make gains Friday during a respite in the heavy winds that fanned the flames as numerous groups pledged aid to help victims and rebuild, including a $15 million donation pledge from the Walt Disney Co.
More stars learn their homes are gone
While seeing the remains of his home, Ventimiglia was struck by a connection to his "This Is Us" character, Jack Pearson, who died after inhaling smoke in a house fire. "It's not lost on me life imitating art."
Mandy Moore, who played Ventimiglia's wife on "This Is Us," nearly lost her home in the Eaton fire, which scorched large areas of the Altadena neighborhood. She said Thursday that part of her house is standing but is unlivable, and her husband lost his music studio and all his instruments.
Mel Gibson's home is "completely gone," his publicist Alan Nierob confirmed Friday. The Oscar winner revealed the loss of his home earlier Friday while appearing on Joe Rogan's... Read More