The Year of Compass Rose: Creativity, Craftsmanship and Global Collaboration

2025 was a challenging year for anyone in production. With clients looking for ever more efficiency – without a decline in quality – amid difficult economic conditions and emerging technologies. Production service companies have been working overtime to deliver on both. Compass Rose (a global group of top service production companies) experienced this first-hand with Pavla Burgetova Callegari, Compass Rose’s founder and executive producer, reflecting, “This year brought even more creative challenges and plenty of production puzzle-solving as clients look for more efficiencies.” For CR, it also presented new opportunities. “It really highlighted the strength of being an international network, helping our clients produce their best work and finding smart solutions together which I find incredibly rewarding,” Pavla adds.

Looking back on the past 12 months, what the Compass Rose group has achieved – and has been recognised for – is indeed impressive. “Creatively, it’s been a strong year, collaborating with great partners and talent to deliver projects we’re genuinely proud to have been part of.”

Pavla says of the collaborations on award-winning projects like Papaya’s ‘Swing’ ( with Icon Films Sofia for MJZ and director Nicolai Fuglsig) and Coinbase’s ‘Everything Is Fine’ (Icon Films Romania for Biscuit Filmworks, Revolver and director Steve Rogers), plus the expansion into virtual production through a partnership with Fantasy Studios. “The range of projects produced across different territories around the world, each leveraging local strengths and unique capabilities, is what I believe demonstrates the real value of our model,” Pavla comments.

As the year draws to a close, CR’s goal for 2026 is all about “evolving with the industry,” states Pavla, adding, “to keep elevating what an international service production network can offer. As new technologies reshape production, we want to stay at the forefront, whether it's expanding into new territories, strengthening our virtual production capabilities and continually adapting so we can support our clients in smarter, more innovative ways. Our focus is on staying agile, growing intentionally and making sure Compass Rose remains a trusted partner as the landscape continues to shift.”

Below, we review the Compass Rose group’s past 12 months and its biggest hits including award-winning spots, new sets, and business moves.

January

Director Collin Tilley was behind the lens for a duo of videos for Lizzo’s singles, with service production from Stillking Prague for Echobend Pictures. Shot across numerous locations (a castle, a forest) and Barrandov Studios’ Parisian Street standing set, the videos are a testament to the relationship between Collin, Stillking Prague, and producer Lida Ashwell Ordnung – they’ve worked together before on Halsey’s epic album film, ‘If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power’ .

February

Papaya’s ‘Swing’ spot, with service production from Icon Films Sofia for MJZ and Nicolai Fuglsig, was billed “less an ad and more a quiet piece of entertainment”, going on to win two Bronzes at The British Arrows, Graphite and Wood pencils at the D&AD awards. It also picked up a Gold at the Creative Circle Awards for Film Craft/Cinematography and a Bronze for Best Colour Grading at the Shark Awards, plus it was shortlisted at Cannes Lions for Film, Cinematography, and Achievement in Production.

March

Compass Rose’s diverse range of standing sets – in Bulgaria, Romania, Czech Republic, Serbia and Spain – got a new addition this year with sets in Mexico, giving filmmakers even more options all year around. Need a Parisian or New York street, a Western-style saloon, or ‘St. Paul’s Cathedral’? They’re all possible (and affordable) via standing sets.

Recently, Leonardo da Vinci’s world of inventions came to life for Amazon Business courtesy of a standing set in Bulgaria, with service production from Icon Films Sofia. Filmed at Nu Boyana film studios with Stink and Traktor, the spot takes viewers back in time to Renaissance Italy while looking like a Hollywood epic.

Above: standing sets in Mexico

April

‘Little Bo Peep Finds Success’ (Stink/Traktor) was Amazon Business’ follow up to the previous spot, now with service production from Stillking Cape Town delivering a background of luscious green hills. While much of the northern hemisphere is in winter mode, South Africa is in its busiest season. EP and MD of Stillking Cape Town, Charlie Hey, previously detailed what makes the country so special and picturesque in his love letter.

May

Though Coca-Cola’s ‘The Heroes’ (Partizan x Landia/Antoine Bardou-Jacquet) was released in 2024 – winning a number of awards then – it continued to pick up accolades well into 2025. With service production from Stillking Prague, the spot picked up a Gold and a Silver from The British Arrows, a Gold for Film Craft/Animation from Clio Awards; two Wood Pencils from D&AD; and two Golds and a Bronze from the Creative Circle Awards, with all commending the spot’s high craft values.

June

The awards continued to pour in with Apple’s ‘Captured’ from Smuggler and directed by Aoife McArdle (who was behind the camera for several episodes of the megahit ‘Severance’) earning a Gold in Production from AICP, with Icon Films responsible for the production service. With the spot, Apple once more pushed the boundaries of mobile filmmaking, with all the action captured on an iPhone 16 Pro, highlighting the phone camera’s ground-breaking 4K120 fps, “and the ability to adjust the playback speed after capture in the Photos app to create stunning cinematic slow-motion.”

July

A new executive producer, Pippa Bhat, joined the Compass Rose fold bringing 21 years of experience in global production and production service to help the group’s continued growth and business innovation. She had previously co-founded Madam Films and grew it into a leading production service company, partnering with top-tier global brands and high-profile ambassadors including Naomi Campbell, Malala Yousafzai, and Lewis Hamilton.

Growing its services once more, Compass Rose partnered with Fantasy Studios to expand into virtual production. Based in Prague, a creative hub renowned for its exceptional artistic and technical talent, they are now able to deliver productions that blend innovation and new technology with craft. With AI-powered tools seamlessly integrated into the workflow, they can streamline processes and maximise efficiency at every stage of production. The state-of-the-art virtual production stages combine XR LED screens, Unreal Engine integration and advanced motion capture, all supported by expert leadership and world-class crews.

For the ‘A Modern Dynasty of Football’ spot, Google sent the German women’s national team to Italy to train for the Women’s Euro 2025 campaign. Entity Films, the Slovenia-based service production company covering locations across the Adriatic region - including Slovenia, Croatia, Italy, and Austria - supported Anorak and director Nina Holmgren in bringing their vision to life. With these four countries just a few hours apart and easily accessible, Entity Films team makes it effortless to tap into a wide range of looks and locations.

August

A spot that continues to win awards is Coinbase’s ‘Everything Is Fine’ (Biscuit Filmworks x Revolver/Steve Rogers). It has already picked up three – a Gold, Silver, and Bronze – at Ciclope Awards, and two Bronzes at the Shark Awards. It benefited from service production from Icon Films Romania with the spot, a financial musical, taking place across a number of sets. Something tells us that it’s going to win more awards in the months ahead too.

September

Tuna+Icon Serbia was the service provider for the highly crafted ‘Race to the Moon’ (Solab Films/Romain Chassaing) from Winamax which saw a number of unlikely characters build home rockets to launch themselves into space. With high production values akin to a blockbuster, the spot is a testament to the craftspeople in Serbia’s production industry.

October

Compass Rose partnered with Ciclope for the fourth time to sponsor the event, and Pavla served on the executive jury at this year’s awards. “CICLOPE has long been close to our hearts and continues to be an important platform for craft and innovation, so partnering for the fourth time and serving on the executive jury this year was a real privilege," she explains.

November

The anticipated return of Netflix’s ‘Stranger Things’ was marked with a number of fun brand collaborations, including one with KFC that Icon Films Sofia provided service production for ProdCo and Nick Roney. The hero spot reimagines KFC as Hawkins Fried Chicken (HFC), following a team of employees on a mission through the rifts-ravaged town while dodging supernatural chaos.

The fashion brand Brunello Cucinelli tapped director Michael Gracey – ‘The Greatest Showman’, ‘Better Man’ – for its romantic, nostalgic ‘Cinema Meraviglia’ spot (Partizan). Relishing in visual detail, the spot, filmed in Prague with production service from Stillking Prague, celebrates joy and beauty.

December

Wrapping up the year is ‘El Regreso’, a short documentary film by director Samantha Ramirez-Herrera which Spectrum Mexico did production service for Resonant Pictures. The director’s personal story of life across borders was an official selection at a variety of independent festivals, including Dances With Films (LA) where it premiered in 2024, followed this year by Portland Film Festival, Phoenix Film Festival, Aesthetica Short Film Festival, Tucson Film Festival and the legendary Urbanworld Film Festival in New York, among others.

Compass Rose’s group of service production companies consists of Stillking Films Prague and Cape Town, Icon Romania, Bulgaria, Tuna+Icon Serbia, Entity Films Slovenia and Croatia, Spectrum Mexico and 24/7 Spain, Portugal, Chile and Argentina.