Czech it out! Danish runaway film production in the Czech Republic

In this article, I identify two overarching incentives and four specific motivations behind the phenomenon of Danish runaway film and television production in the Czech Republic. These include economic motivations, such as fiscal incentives and cost-effective production, and aesthetic motivations, notably the availability of experienced local film crews and attractive locations. Drawing on desktop production studies of 21 Danish film and television projects produced between 2006 and 2023, I analyse the interplay of these factors in decisions to partially relocate production to Czech locations, typically in collaboration with the local production company and service provider Sirena Film. The findings indicate that while economic considerations are a primary driver for relocating production outside Denmark, these are frequently complemented and reinforced by practical and aesthetic motivations. The article concludes by situating these motivations within a broader national – and at times nationalistic – discourse surrounding the outsourcing of Danish audio-visual production.