When it comes to hardened veterans of international film production, they don't come much more experienced than Anthony Waye.

Executive producer of Casino Royale, he has worked on no fewer than 10 Bond films, and his remarkable record includes working as assistant director on the original Star Wars, The Elephant Man, Carry On films, Doctor films, horror movies and war films such as Where Eagles Dare.

Waye's main lesson is that no one site is ever ideal for making a film. "If you had a script early enough in life and you could plan it out, you'd do a bit here and a bit there," he says. "You'd do all your big crowd scenes in Prague, where the extras are good and cheap, and go elsewhere to do this and do that."

But he is in no doubt that Prague, and central and eastern Europe generally, are in many ways the best places for shooting at the moment. "We had a fabulous experience in Prague on Casino Royale," he says. "They've got the facilities - they're not as good as Pinewood but they have very good stages; they have very good crews; they're very nice people; the cost of living is considerably less than the UK; they've got nice hotels, very good restaurants and great locations, depending on what you're looking for."

While the specific requirements of a project are clearly the main concern when deciding where to shoot, Waye says other more universal concerns also enter into the equation. "Anywhere you get great food and wine would be good," he says. "Any of the Italian cities would be great. I'm sure Paris is the same."

While London is "a great city to work in", there are plenty of appealing sites outside Europe, Waye says, pointing to Australia and New Zealand as "undoubtedly good" as well as South Africa.

International production is not just about hotels and restaurants. Some of Waye's rougher experiences have been the most memorable and the most enjoyable - a feeling he believes works its way into the final product.

"I've lived in some appalling places. We made Dogs Of War in Belize, and we stayed in a hotel that was an ex-British Victorian children's home, and it was absolutely appalling. It had a knocking shop down in the bottom of it, there was a concrete shower with live wires coming out of it, and bugs used to descend on the bed. It was terrible, and we were there for eight weeks or something. And yet we had a lot of fun making the film.

"I've always tried to enjoy wherever I go. On a film in India we had to share rooms, but we warned everybody and they drew lots to decide who to share with. It could have caused trouble but it turned out well in the end.

"Sometimes those experiences can be better than living in a modern city where it's a nightmare trying to get around."

Waye is working on his eleventh Bond film, due to start shooting in December. And when it does, based on his extensive experience of international locations, what are the options' "Not telling," he says.