Busan Sets Itself Apart with a Bold Strategy Amidst Rising Competition for Location Filming

- BFC to announce "Busan Location Initiative" at its 25th Anniversary Reception on Monday, October 7.
- Enhancing competitiveness through a unique strategy to overcome the decline in on-location shooting
- Focus on Location + ① Storytelling, ② Cutting-edge Technology, ③ Global Network

Busan Film Commission (BFC) has announced the launch of the "Busan Location Initiative" to establish Busan as a sustainable city for film and video production.

In response to the rapidly changing global film and audiovisual industry and the intensifying competition for incentives, BFC plans to leverage its accumulated expertise in attracting location filming to transition from being merely a "filming city" to a full-fledged "production city."

The initiative is centered on expanding both the quantity and quality of productions in Busan by combining its locations with ① storytelling, ② cutting-edge technology, and ③ global networks. The core strategies are as follows:

1. Location + Storytelling
Busan aims to capture the spirit of the city on screen, making it an integral part of storytelling. The initiative encourages the development of content that integrates Busan’s unique spaces and atmosphere. The environment for planning and developing works that combine Busan locations with stories based on its history, culture, classics, and real-life events will be cultivated.

Additionally, existing programs that support local production companies and creative talent will be refined to attract external investment, improve the quality of productions, and foster sustainable local filmmaking.

2. Location + Cutting-edge Technology
As the world moves toward the AI era, Busan will lead a new era of location filming by merging location with cutting-edge technology and building digital locations.

Generative AI technology now allows for the creation of complex backgrounds and scenes previously difficult to achieve through live-action filming, overcoming many of the limitations of virtual production.

By scanning and digitizing Busan’s locations to expand digital archives and enhance AI image recognition of the city, Busan will pursue further globalization.

Furthermore, Busan Cinema Studios’ virtual production infrastructure, which has been steadily built over the past decade, will be advanced to allow for the global re-creation of film settings from Busan. This will help the city establish leadership in On-Set Virtual Production (OSVP), which transcends the limits of location, time, and weather.

3. Location + Global Networks
Leveraging the extensive Asian networks built by BFC and the city of Busan, the initiative aims to boost international co-productions and expand the film and audiovisual sectors.

Through partnerships with the Busan Asian Film School (AFiS), ASEAN-ROK Cooperation projects, and the A+B Project (Asia Meets Busan), the initiative will support the discovery of international co-productions and the creation of financing environments, further enhancing Busan's stature as a global film hub.

Additionally, efforts will be made to consolidate the global capabilities of local production companies to expand inbound production services, paving the way for new business models.

Kang Sungkyu, Director of the Busan Film Commission, stated, "While Busan has already established itself as a globally competitive city, the decrease in film productions following the post-pandemic shifts in the industry is unavoidable." He continued, "Through our unique, differentiated strategies, we are committed to ensuring that Busan becomes a sustainable hub for film and video production."

※ Attachments: Logo Image of Busan Film Commission