Germany has it all: a wide diversity of locations and the sophisticated production facilities and infrastructure found in the three major film-making hubs of Munich, Cologne and Berlin-Brandenburg. Having recently hosted the likes of The Bourne Ultimatum and Perfume: The Story Of A Murderer, Germany got more attractive with the introduction of the German Federal Film Fund.

The Berlin-Brandenburg Film Commission is a division of the regional public film fund Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg with the remit of attracting productions to shoot in the region.

Christiane Raab was appointed film commissioner in 2001. She has a background in production and festival organisation.

Why shoot in Germany'
Germany offers outstanding production possibilities, interesting locations and highly professional service-providers, as well as excellent economic and financial parameters and ideal cost-effectiveness.

Which are your biggest competitors'
The studios in Berlin-Brandenburg and Munich, which are attractive for international producers, are competing with metropolises like London, Paris or Rome. For the studio service-providers, the activities of the East European studios in Prague, Hungary or Romania are also of importance.

What is your working day like'
A day at the Film Commission is basically too short... The more we do, the more we are asked [for help]. That is the object of the exercise. That is what film commissions are about.

For producers, what is the deciding factor in where to shoot'
It's all in the mix: a good combination of financial incentives, attractive locations, high competence and professionalism and, last but not least, the people one is working with.