Germany × Hungary.
How to structure a Germany–Hungary film or TV co-production: stack Hungary's 30–37.5% cash rebate with Germany's incentives (~25% (DFFF / GMPF)). Worked $10M example, location strategy and a calculator.
Structuring a Germany–Hungary co-production
Germany offers deep funding pools and a major domestic market. A Germany–Hungary co-production combines German soft money and broadcaster interest with Hungary's cash rebate and lower build costs.
The incentive stack
The German Federal Film Fund (DFFF I and II) and the German Motion Picture Fund (GMPF) provide grants worth roughly 25% of qualifying German spend, with regional funds (Bavaria, NRW, Berlin-Brandenburg) stacking on top. Paired with Hungary's 37.5%, the combined non-dilutive support is substantial.
Worked example — a $10M budget
| Leg | Spend | Rate | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hungary (60%) | $6,000,000 | 37.5% | $2,250,000 |
| Germany (40%) | $4,000,000 | ~25% | $1,000,000 |
| Combined | $10,000,000 | 32.5% eff. | $3,250,000 |
Indicative only. Real numbers depend on the qualifying-spend split, treaty status and points tests in each territory. Bonuses and top-ups (e.g. Telefilm, regional funds, labor uplifts) can raise the Germany figure further.
Locations: who shoots what
German cities cover contemporary and 20th-century European looks; Hungary provides period streets, palaces and large-scale construction. Berlin-Brandenburg and Budapest have a long history of sharing crews and productions.
How Dopamine runs it
As your Hungarian partner — Dopamine Ventures Kft. is a registered Hungarian company — we structure the Hungarian leg to 37.5%, run the cultural test, and coordinate with your Germany partner and its funding bodies so the two incentives are additive rather than in conflict. And we can arrange to finance the Hungarian rebate upfront. Model this structure in the calculator →
Questions producers ask us
How does a Germany–Hungary co-production work?
What is the combined return on a Germany–Hungary structure?
Can Dopamine finance the Hungarian rebate upfront?
Related insights
Bring your production to Hungary.
Tell us the budget and territory. We'll model the rebate and plan the floor — and we can arrange to monetize the rebate upfront.
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