The Producer’s Perspective – Interview with Petra Iványi

In the ever-evolving landscape of Hungarian cinema, producer Petra Iványi has emerged as a formidable force. With over 15 years of experience in the world of films and as the owner of Lupa Pictures and the co-owner of Lions Productions, she has produced and serviced numerous successful films and series.

This year, she embarked on her latest venture, “Hiénák“ (Hyenas), a film directed by Ádám Freund that delves into the humorous and intricate daily lives of Budapest’s freelance taxi drivers. Set to begin filming in September 2024, Hiénák has received significant backing from the National Film Institute of Hungary.

In this interview, we asked Petra Iványi about the nuances of her role as an executive producer, shedding light on the challenges and rewards of managing large-scale film projects. From the intricacies of securing funding through the NFI to the logistical hurdles of filming in bustling urban environments, Iványi offers a candid look at the realities of film production.

BPR: How has your approach to producing evolved since working on major Hungarian projects like FOMO and Cat Call? Do you consider it a routine task now?

Petra Iványi: It’s definitely not routine. I’ve been in film production for about 15 years, and FOMO was my first lead producing job. This is my fifth film where I act as producer, but I wouldn’t call it routine by any means, and that’s the beauty of it: the job always feels new and complex. However, with several projects behind me, I can now focus better on my actual tasks as a producer and take a step back to see the bigger picture.

Initially, I tended to micro-manage more and wanted to keep everything in hand. Now I aim to make the necessary and the best decisions, where creative and financial possibilities collide. I hope that with experience comes a certain calmness and confidence that helps me support my directors and create a team and atmosphere that best supports their work.

BPR: You’ve established an SPV (single-purpose vehicle) for the production of your new film, Hiénák. Are there any benefits of setting up a dedicated project company for a single project?

P. Iványi: The SPV is a requirement of the National Film Institute (NFI), which certainly has its advantages, such as having completely separate accounting and finances for each production. However, it also imposes tasks and costs on us, as we need to establish a new company for each film.

I believe it might be more reasonable to set a higher budget threshold for when creating a separate company is mandatory. For instance, I had four previous films within the NFI’s Incubator program, where the funding was between 80 and 120 million HUF – it seems excessive to maintain a company for seven years for that.

BPR: Hiénák received a significant funding of 542 million HUF by the NFI. How does a production start the process of securing such a film fund?

P. Iványi: The NFI’s support system is a three-step process: script development, production preparation/project development, and production itself. Script development typically takes 2-3 years for an average film. If successful, and the NFI recommends the project for realization, you can apply for production preparation or directly for production funds.

Last fall, we completed the production preparation phase of Hiénák, which is essentially a thorough planning stage for the production itself. This phase was crucial for us, as we realized that although the script was developed as a feature film with many car scenes and over 40 days of shooting, the film was recommended for TV funding instead, resulting in a more modest budget.

Obviously, we are very grateful for the substantial support we received. However, it required a significant replanning of the project to fit within these constraints, reducing the number of shooting days and finding good compromises and team members to bring the project to life. My previous films taught me how to spend my budget wisely. The 542 million **HUF (~1.48 million USD) support covers about 60% **of the total budget.

BPR: What do you think made Hiénák stand out to receive such funding?

P. Iványi: I feel we are moving past the era of grand historical epics, and there is a renewed openness to contemporary stories from the decision makers. Audiences are hungry for contemporary narratives, and Hiénák fits this niche perfectly. Our script was written by writer-director Ádám Freund and screenwriter Iván Szabó. I believe they’ve created a captivating, gripping, and at the same time, deeply emotional and human drama. Our main characters are everyday people, they are both loveable and selfish, which makes them easier to identify with.

BPR: What logistical challenges do you face in a production with extensive car scenes and multiple locations?

P. Iványi: The main logistical challenge is to film all of this in a dense and popular city like Budapest. This involves road closures and traffic diversions. To make this easier, we not only plan to shoot scenes in actual traffic, but also in digital studios with LED walls, which speeds up our work a bit, provides better communication between the actors and the director and is overall cheaper than constantly shooting on the streets, which involves hiring police, blocking traffic and renting all the necessary equipment.

Additionally, a significant part of the film takes place at the airport, where taxi drivers pick up passengers. While the airport in Budapest is normally shooting friendly with Hungary currently holding the presidency of the Council of the European Union, it’s more difficult to film there nowadays, but we are fortunate to have several large public buildings that can convincingly serve as an international airport.

BPR: You’ve originally studied sociology and worked on several films that tackle social issues. How much does a comedy like Hiénák allow you to delve into deeper themes?

P. Iványi: Hiénák has a lot of humor, but also a deeply human drama that showcases the Hungarian spirit, our efforts of trying to make the best of our circumstances. It reflects our unique mentality and deals with the ripple effects of the lies our protagonists tell themselves and others.

Without giving too much away, there is also a significant “role reversal”, where a woman must take on a traditionally male job and prove herself in a male-dominated environment and a rather conventional society. So to answer the question, I still find the sociological aspect and human drama very much present in my projects, including Hiénák.

BPR: You also regularly work at Lupa Pictures and Lions Productions. Any ongoing projects you can tell us about?

P. Iványi: I’ve founded Lupa Pictures four years ago, and we are developing both Hungarian and international co-production films. We have two projects in post-production. A Pokol élővilága (The Sinless) is the second feature of Attila Hartung, a genre bending project, a socio drama with horror elements. A világ eredete (The Origin of the World), Borbála Nagy’s first feature film, a Hungarian-German-French co-production. It’s a drama set in Budapest, Berlin, and Paris, revolving around three women at the threshold of motherhood.

We are currently in the post-production phase, having shot the majority of our footage in Budapest, and just a few days in Berlin, Paris, and Bordeaux. Working with countries with higher GDPs presents a challenge as costs are significantly higher, making it a struggle to balance budgets effectively.

As for Lions Productions, our film service company, we recently worked on the Netflix series Hitler and the Nazis: Evil On Trial, which topped the platform’s top 10 in both the US and Hungary for a couple weeks. We are just about to start shooting a period piece, mostly in the medieval backlots around Budapest.

BPR: Do you believe your work contributes to the international recognition of the Hungarian film industry and the local professionals?

P. Iványi: Absolutely, and I say this without any false modesty. A fundamental rule in our work ethic is that everyone should leave our productions satisfied, which enhances not only our reputation, but also Hungary’s professional standing in the film industry.

We apply the same level of dedication to all our projects, whether it’s service work or a film of our own slate. I feel our clients and foreign crew members recognize and appreciate this effort. We strive to involve Hungarian crew members in head-of-department roles and lobby for them to be chosen.

It is easier for those involved in the shooting of the film, as most of the time, post-production is done in the home country of a project. We also have fantastic editors and composers, and while it’s often more convenient for directors to work with their regular collaborators, I believe our efforts are gradually paying off as we see more Hungarian professionals participating in significant international projects.