Why Spain is quickly becoming a hotspot for international movie shoots
Spain experiences 3,000 hours of sunshine every year. With a reliable transport network and local film crews, it’s quickly becoming a hotspot for international movie shoots. There are also numerous other reasons why Spain is so popular, one of them being the 30% tax rebate. In the Canary Islands, this extends to 54%, showing how much potential there is here.
THE BOOM OF SPAGHETTI WESTERNS
Spain really did boom as a filming destination in the 1960s, Lawrence of Arabia was a huge hit, and you also have the Dollars Trilogy and Once Upon a Time in the West, all of which were filmed in Spain. Since then, Westerns have become a Hollywood staple and inspired TV shows that include Yellowstone, 1883, and even Deadwood. Westerns have also inspired numerous games, including Red Dead Redemption.
The Western theme is also evident in other verticals, including iGaming. The trend is so widespread that there are even online slots UK with western themes, including Rodeo Grand and Wild West Gold Blazing Bounty. Titles like this often include many traditional Western elements, including cowboy hats, horses, sprawling plains, and ranches. With Westerns being so popular, and with locations like Almeria and the Tabernas Desert being iconic backdrops for Western productions, the country has quickly cemented itself as a prime filming destination.
Since then, the country’s popularity has grown exponentially, with the sixth season of The Crown being filmed in Catalonia and Mallorca, as it helped to mimic settings of the US, Greece, and France. As there are such generous tax incentives, it made perfect sense for Spain to be used.
The heritage sites in Spain are also suited to period styling. House of the Dragon and Game of Thrones both used locations across Spain, showing how much potential the country has for huge productions.
FILMING IS HAVING A POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE COUNTRY
The number of international productions heading to Spain is substantial. The territory is quickly becoming competitive. Later this year, the Spanish Film Commission is going to release a report on the economic impact of shooting, which could help to lobby for higher tax rebates.
This is going to help showcase the positive impact on the sector, and it is also going to help provide local service companies with the chance to exploit the sector. It could even lead to the country becoming even more competitive against neighbouring countries. Interestingly, Netflix opened up its first European hub in Madrid in 2019, and this is very active in Spain as a whole.
Kaos, a show based on Greek mythology starring Jeff Goldblum, was also shot in locations that include Madrid, Aragon, and Andalusia, not only showing how much potential there is for it as a destination, but also how varied the productions there can be.
As time goes on, it would not be surprising to see even more film productions shoot here, especially given the rise of Spain as a destination, and how more and more Hollywood producers are choosing it as a backdrop to mimic other countries across the world, but for more affordable prices.
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