Korda Studios
Coordinates: 47°26′20″N 18°43′48″E / 47.439°N 18.730°E Korda Studios (in Hungarian: Korda Filmstúdió) is a new film studio complex 26 km west of Budapest in the wine-making village of Etyek; hence the media nickname Etyekwood. It is built on the site of a former barracks. The studio is named after Sir Alexander Korda. There was a former Korda Studios in London until c1980 (see Abbey Road Studios).
Korda Studios were inaugurated in April 2007. Altogether six studios were built from a total budget of 90 million Euros. It boasts a sound stage of 5,975 square metres (64,314 sq feet) which is claimed to be the biggest of its kind in the world. The "superstage" was delivered in 2009. The entire project was financed from private capital investment. The main shareholders are Sándor Demján, Andy Vajna, Peter Munk and Nathaniel Philip Rothschild.
Specialising in designing film studios, Bastien and Associates Inc. of the United States made the architectural designs and Iparterv Épülettervező Zrt. of Budapest made the permit designs and as-built plans. The investors originally planned to implement the project in three phases. The studios use the most developed technology and feature all supporting service facilities including wardrobes, make-up rooms and offices. The complex also has a 50-seat screening room.
The first film produced at Korda Studios was Hellboy II: The Golden Army of Universal Studios, directed by Guillermo del Toro.
Fact sheet
- 6 state of the art sound stages on 15,000 square metres
- One of the biggest soundstages in the world with an area of 6,000 square metres and net buildable height of 20 m
- More than 2,800 square metres of production accommodations
- Nearly 7,000 square metres of warehouse and workshop areas
- 15 hectares (37 acres) of empty backlot space suitable for set construction
- 10 hectares of backlot sets: New York, Renaissance and Medieval
Studios and sizes
Korda Studios has 6 state of the art sound stages meeting the industry’s highest level of expectations:
- All stages are soundproof and allow for direct sound recording
- Built-in lighting and scenic bridges with rigging points are able to hold 500 kg per intersection points, and 200 kg per sections
- Silent ventilation and full climate control
- Independent and redundant high voltage power network
- Redundant fiber optic network and WIFI
- Fire detection and extinguishing system
- Remote controlled smoke extraction
- Attached dimmer and local storage rooms
- Direct access to production buildings
- Large elephant doors
Stage 1: 1946 square metre. 49.4 x 39.4 metre. 10.75 metre internal height including 10 x 10 x 4 metre watertank
Stage 2: 1769 square metre. 49.4 x 39.4. 10.75 metre internal height
Stage 3: 1769 square metre. 49.4 x 39.4. 10.75 metre internal height
Stage 4: 961 square metre. 24.4 x 39.4. 10.75 metre internal height
Stage 5: 2205 square metre. 37 x 59.6. 13.75 metre internal height
Stage 6: 5856 square metre. 96 x 61. 20 metre internal height
Backlot sets
Korda Studios has three existing backlot sets:
New York Brooklyn backlot set: built for Hellboy II: The Golden Army
The New York backlot Street set at Korda Studios was created for the movie Hellboy 2 – The Golden Army. The New York / Brooklyn block offers a great location for films, commercials or special events with an authentic atmosphere. The backlot includes a full Brooklyn street block with four-story facades on sides, a movie theater, bank, restaurant, repair shop, freight loading docks and fire escapes.
The length of the main street is 120 meters which runs into 60 meter long side streets at each end. The width of the paved road is 14,5 meters excluding the 3 and 4m sidewalks on each side.
The large backlot area at Korda Studios makes it possible to extend the set to all sides. The façade of the streets can easily be rebuilt to suit the production’s needs.
Renaissance backlot set: built for The Borgias TV series
The renaissance backlot set was built for the TV series The Borgias. The impressive backlot was designed by Francois Seguin & Jonathan McKinstry. The stunning set portrays numerous regions of historical Italy, from The Vatican to Florence. The more than 1 hectare renaissance city has various styled buildings and gates, courtyards, alleys, interiors, prison cell, a piazza and Vatican façade.
Buildings:
- St. Peter Parvis
- Amphiteatre
- Central building
- Poor Quarter
- Cancelleria
- Colonnade Building
- Building Sforza
- Building Florence Forza
- Naples/ Rome Palace
- Florence Cathedral
- Brothel
- Orsini Palazzo
- City Gate Milan/Naples
- Rome Battlements
- Leontine’s wall
- Bell Tower
- Loggia
- Vatican Garden
- Florence/Milan/ Forli Square
- Several alleys and other unnamed buildings
Medieval village backlot set: built for World Without End miniseries
The medieval backlot set is situated in a beautiful natural environment next to a lake and forest. It was constructed on a 12,000-square metre backlot for the TV series World Without End. The set portrays a village from the 13-14th century with various houses, fortress wall, central square and ambulatory. Most of the houses include interiors, the rest have the possibility to be constructed.