North Macedonia sits 180km southwest of Sofia - two and a half hours by road - and offers a visual range that few European locations can match within such compact geography. Lake Ohrid, one of Europe's oldest and deepest lakes, provides pristine waterside settings. The Mavrovo and Pelister national parks offer rugged mountain terrain. Skopje's Old Bazaar - one of the largest in the Balkans - provides an immersive Ottoman urban environment. Push Pull services shoots across North Macedonia as part of its Balkans production territory, with no second service company required.
What North Macedonia Offers
Lake Ohrid and the surrounding national park provide Mediterranean-quality water and mountain backdrops that are difficult to permit affordably in Western Europe. Skopje offers a striking mix of Ottoman bazaar architecture, Yugoslav-era brutalism, and contemporary development - a city with more visual contrast per block than most European capitals. The country's mountain roads and highland terrain are largely untouched by commercial traffic, making them accessible and permittable for automotive and adventure campaigns that would be impossible to shoot at equivalent locations in more developed markets.
Combined Balkans Productions
North Macedonia works best as part of a wider Balkans shooting schedule. Push Pull can combine Bulgaria - with its backlots, studios, and alpine ranges - with North Macedonia's lakes and Ottoman architecture, and northern Greece's Aegean coastline and Halkidiki beaches, all within a single production trip and under the same line producer. One brief, one budget, three countries.
Explore Our Locations
Natural Locations - mountains, forests and Black Sea coastline. Backlots - New York, London, Rome and Middle East standing sets. Studios - sound stages and production facilities in Sofia. City - Sofia and Plovdiv urban locations. View all locations.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can you film in North Macedonia?
North Macedonia offers dramatic mountain landscapes in the Mavrovo and Pelister national parks, the historic Old Bazaar district of Skopje, Ottoman-era architecture, and Lake Ohrid - one of Europe's oldest and deepest lakes. The country provides a wide visual range within compact geography, all serviced by Push Pull from Sofia.
How far is North Macedonia from Bulgaria?
Skopje is approximately 180km from Sofia - around a 2.5 hour drive. Push Pull can coordinate productions across both countries within the same shooting schedule, with no need for a second service company.
Do international productions need a permit to film in North Macedonia?
Yes, location permits are required for professional filming in North Macedonia. Push Pull handles all permitting, scouting, and logistics on the ground. North Macedonia is not an EU member state, so equipment carnets may be required for non-Balkan productions.
Can Push Pull combine Bulgaria and North Macedonia in one shoot?
Yes. Push Pull operates across Bulgaria, North Macedonia, and northern Greece under one production team. Productions can move between countries within the same schedule without the cost and complexity of managing multiple service companies.
What film production incentives does Bulgaria offer?
Bulgaria offers a 25% cash rebate on eligible local production expenditures, administered by the Bulgarian National Film Centre (NFC). The rebate applies to feature films, high-end TV series, documentaries and animation. Qualifying spend includes crew salaries, equipment rentals, location fees and post-production costs. Minimum qualifying spend is EUR 250,000, with a maximum rebate of EUR 5 million per project. For productions combining Bulgaria with North Macedonia or northern Greece, the Bulgarian portion of spend qualifies for the rebate. Push Pull Production is a registered service company and handles the application process.
