Working Conditions in Croatia

• Croatia is part of the EU, and as of 01.01.2023 has implemented the EUR currency and is a part of the Schengen border treaty.
• Location permits need to be obtained for each individual location.
• There are several institutions such as Zagreb Film Office, www.filmzagreb.hr, or Zadar Film Commission, www.zadarfilmcommission.com, that can assist and guide production companies in obtaining necessary permits and local services.
• Hiring a local location manager and/or service producer is not necessary. But, it is advisory having a location manager and/or service producer when obtaining location permits and hiring local crew and staff.

Working Hours

• 60 hours a week / 5 days a week / 12 hours a day (11 hours + 1 hour lunch)- OPTIMAL WORKING HOURS
• The 6th day is paid at a pro rata daily fee.
• Surcharges apply for 7th day engagement, turnaround breach, overtime fees and meal penalties.
• Working time is calculated from hotel/place of residence to hotel/place of residence.
• One-hour lunch break is a standard. Lunch is called at the latest 5-6 hours from the shooting start.
• Running lunch (10 hrs consecutive shooting) is compensated with 2 OT hours penalty.
• Turnaround (TA) is defined to 12 hours for the Croatian crew
• It is possible to work on Sunday, providing an alternative day off is granted (5- or 6-days working week)

Overtime

• Overtime is subject to negotiation
• Usual Croatian OT is calculated at Daily Rate/12 x 1,5
• There is no additional charge for working during night
• Overtime is calculated after any half hour started over the 12 hours daily limit.

Rates

• Currency in Croatia as of 01.01.2023 is EUR and has replaced Croatian Kuna (KN)
• The exchange rate from KN to EUR was fixed at 1 Euro = 7.53450 kn
• There are no unions related to the audiovisual industry in Croatia.
• There are several NGO-s that offer protection and regulation within the audiovisual industry such as Croatian Producers Association, www.hrup.hr, and Filmmakers Association of Croatia, www.hdfd.hr.
• Fees are established on a national level, but they are just an indication; actual rates are subject to negotiation.
• Average daily fees are cca. ¼ of weekly fee.

Allowances

• If shooting remotely, the employer is to provide transport for the crew and actors to/from shooting location or, alternatively, cover the corresponding fuel cost.
• A minimum of breakfast and one warm meal, as well as craft is provided to everyone on set during a working day.
• A 30€ per diem is to be paid for every working day outside of the crew members’ residency.
• Hotel cost depends on region and season :
  • Zagreb : 70 (3* hotel out of season) - 300 (5* hotel in season)
  • Dubrovnik : 100 (3* hotel out of season) - 600* (5* hotel in season)
  • Istria : 60 (3* hotel out of season) - 300 (5* hotel in season)
  • Dalmatia : 50 (3* hotel out of season) - 300 (5* hotel in season)
  • Rest of Croatia : 50 - 100 EUR (3* hotel)

Studio facilities

There are several studio facilities in Zagreb. But are rather limited in space and requirements for a bigger service production.

List of studio facilities:

• Cinecro Studio, 2 polyvalent studios (cca 720m2 , 250m2), more at www.cinecro.studio
• Jadran Film, more at www.jadran-film.com
• Novalis (cca 600m2), more at www.film-rental-studio.business.site

National cash rebate

Croatian government offers eligible productions a cash rebate of up to 25% of qualifying EU expenditure in Croatia once filming is complete. Additional 5% of rebate is available on some specific costs if shooting in one of the underdeveloped regions.

The incentive program is available for eligible productions that have a Croatian service production partner, more information available at www.filmingincroatia.hr.

Eligibility criteria:

• Minimum required spending in Croatia: EUR 265,446 for feature films, EUR 39,817 for documentaries, EUR 66,361 for animation films, EUR 132,723 for television films, EUR 99,542 for each tv episode, EUR 59,725 for one episode of documentary tv series, EUR 66,361 for an animated tv series with a minimum total duration of 24 minutes
• “Cultural test”
• Croatian (service) production company
• Employment of Croatian crew, authors, and cast