Stern Film Studio

What Stern Film Studio does

Stern Film Studio Hungary is a privately held film and television production facility located in Pomáz, approximately 30 minutes from downtown Budapest. Founded in 2003 by Robert Szabados on a 35,000 sq m property with roots tracing to a 1927 private holding, the studio is Hungary's first private complex purpose-built to serve both local and international productions. The studio was later developed into a comprehensive rental operation now run with family involvement; Amy Szabados serves as Studio Director and Tamás Gál joined as Production Manager in 2019.

The studio's core product is physical production infrastructure: four sound stages totaling 4,690 sq m (Stage A at 2,280 sq m / 12.5m height; Stage B at 1,482 sq m / 12.5m height with an integrated water tank; Stage C at 837 sq m; Stage D at 148 sq m with rigging points for green screen and stunt work), 40 offices across three blocks (1,381 sq m), 40 workshops (4,702 sq m) for set construction, prop creation, and costume design, dressing and hair/make-up rooms, a 198 sq m theater/meeting room, catering facilities for up to 300 crew, and a 15,000 sq m paved and grassy backlot. All operations run on 100% renewable energy (wind, solar, hydroelectric), earning the studio the MVM Green Award.

Commercially, Stern Film Studio operates a B2B enterprise sales model, with productions inquiring directly via email ([email protected]) to negotiate stage and facility rental on a quote basis. Revenue is generated primarily through stage and facility rental, supplemented by production support services such as catering areas, dressing rooms, and unit base facilities. The studio targets two segments: international film and TV productions (primarily US and UK) drawn by Hungary's EU-approved 30% tax rebate (extendable to 37.5% by adding non-Hungarian costs) and access to diverse locations, and Hungarian domestic productions requiring local infrastructure. The studio maintains an IMDb listing (co0215446) and markets through its website, LinkedIn, and Facebook channels.

Name

Stern Film Studio

Legal name

Stern Film Studio Hungary

Website

https://sternfilm.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Stern Film Studio is a privately held film production facility in Pomáz, Hungary, renting four sound stages plus offices, workshops, and backlot space to international and Hungarian film and television productions seeking European filming infrastructure.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Film Studio Facilities

NAICS

Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries (512), Motion Picture and Video Production (51211)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

Studio Campus / Production Facility Operators (MPADAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Soundstage & Stage Rental (Film/TV) (MPADAIAA), Studio Operations, Scheduling & Stage Management (MPADAIAH)

Keywords

• Film production facilities
• Sound stage rental
• Production infrastructure
• Studio facility rental
• Film production services

Headquarters

HQ city

Pomáz

HQ country

Hungary

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Stage and Facility Rental: Stern Film Studio generates revenue by renting out its film production facilities including 4 sound stages (totaling approximately 4,690 sq m), 40 offices, 40 workshops, dressing rooms, hair and make-up rooms, catering facilities, and backlot space to film and television productions.
2. Production Support Services: The studio provides supporting infrastructure and amenities including catering areas, dressing rooms, theatre/meeting rooms, and unit base facilities that complement the core rental revenue stream.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Stern Film Studio operates a physical film and television production facility in Pomáz, Hungary, renting out four sound stages (totaling approximately 4,690 sq m), 40 offices, 40 workshops, dressing and make-up rooms, a theater/meeting room, catering facilities for up to 300 crew, and a 15,000 sq m backlot area. The studio supports both Hungarian and international film productions and assists productions in accessing Hungary's 30% film production tax rebate incentive program.

Product overview

Stern Film Studio is a physical film production facility offering a comprehensive range of infrastructure for film and television productions. The studio comprises four soundstages (Stage A, B, C, and D) with varying sizes and capabilities, including a water tank feature. Supporting facilities include office blocks, workshop spaces for set construction and prop creation, dressing and make-up rooms, a theater/meeting room, catering facilities for up to 300 crew members, and a backlot. The studio operates in Pomáz, Hungary, approximately 30 minutes from Budapest, and assists productions with Hungary's 30% tax rebate incentive program for eligible film production expenditure.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Stage A Large-scale soundstage spanning 2,280 sq m (24,545 sq ft) with a height of 12.5m (41 ft), designed for elaborate set construction and advanced filming equipment for large-scale film and television productions.
• Stage B Soundstage covering 1,482 sq m (15,956 sq ft) with a height of 12.5m (41 ft), featuring an integrated water tank for aquatic scenes and special effects. Located adjacent to Stage A for seamless collaboration.
• Stage C Versatile production space of 837 sq m (9,009 sq ft) with a height of 5.3m (17 ft), offering flexibility for custom sets; popular for creative shoots despite lacking catwalk, grid, and soundproofing.
• Stage D Compact production space of 148 sq m (1,600 sq ft) with a height of 6m (21 ft), equipped with rigging points. Suitable for green screen shoots, special effects, element shoots, volume wall work, and stunt rehearsals.
• Office Facilities Offices spread across three office blocks offering 1,295 sq m (13,939 sq ft) of workspace, furnished with tables, chairs, and shelving, with natural lighting from windows.
• Workshop Facilities Expansive workshop space totaling 4,602 sq m (49,510 sq ft) designed for set construction, prop creation, and costume design, with dedicated sections for different departments and storage for large set pieces.
• Dressing and Make-up Rooms Four dressing rooms, three hair and make-up rooms, and three background artist dressing rooms with direct access to Stage A and Stage B.
• Theater/Meeting Room Adaptable 198 sq m theater space for production meetings, cast or stunt rehearsals, with flexible seating and table arrangements for various group sizes.
• Catering Area Catering facility accommodating up to 300 crew members with indoor seating and covered outdoor area; production caterers can connect to studio utilities.
• Backlot 15,000 sq m (161,458 sq ft) outdoor area with paved and grassy sections for set building, additional parking, or unit base, with secure private access adjacent to the studio lot.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30-37.5% tax rebate on qualifying production expenditure
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Barrandov Studios: Barrandov Studios is one of the largest and oldest film studios in Central Europe, located in Prague, Czech Republic. It competes with Stern for international productions choosing between Central/Eastern European filming hubs with national tax incentives.
• Shepperton Studios: Shepperton Studios is a major UK film and TV studio facility offering sound stages and production support. As part of the broader UK studio landscape, it competes with Stern for international productions selecting European filming destinations.
• Studio Babelsberg: Studio Babelsberg in Potsdam, Germany is the world's oldest large-scale film studio and operates multiple sound stages and production facilities. It competes with Stern for major international productions in continental Europe and offers the German federal film fund as a comparable incentive.
• Cinecittà: Cinecittà is Italy's historic and largest film studio complex in Rome, offering multiple sound stages, backlots, and production services. It competes with Stern for major European and Hollywood productions selecting continental filming locations.
• Pinewood Studios: Pinewood Studios in the UK is one of the most prominent film studio campuses globally, hosting major Hollywood tentpoles and streaming content. It competes with Stern for large-budget international productions and serves as a benchmark for studio facility operating models in Europe.
• Korda Studios: Korda Studios is the largest film and TV studio complex in Hungary, located in Etyek near Budapest. It directly competes with Stern Film Studio for both Hungarian and international productions and is the most geographically and structurally comparable peer.
• Origo Studios: Origo Studios is a Hungarian film studio complex in Budapest offering sound stages, workshops, and backlot facilities. As a domestic competitor sharing the same Hungary-based tax incentive framework, it competes head-to-head with Stern for Hungarian and European productions.
• Mafilm Studios: Mafilm Studios is one of Hungary's historic state-era film studio facilities located in Budapest. As a domestic Hungarian competitor with legacy infrastructure, it competes with Stern for both local productions and Hungarian-based international shoots.

Regional players

• Film i Väst / Trollywood (Sweden): Film i Väst operates Trollywood and other production facilities in Sweden, leveraging Swedish national film incentives. It competes with Stern for international productions weighing between Northern and Central European filming hubs.

Broad incumbents

• Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden: Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden is a major UK studio operated by a Hollywood major, hosting tentpole productions and franchise films. As a vertically integrated incumbent, it competes with Stern for blockbuster bookings and anchors Western European studio demand.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stern-studio

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Stern Film Studio