Today we’d like to introduce you to Mate Szorad
Hi Mate, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I started my journey in a small town in Hungary and dreamed of becoming an actor as a kid. I began high school in Budapest, the capital of Hungary, and moved to the city when I was 14. At 18, I realized I wanted to be a television producer. I attended SZFE, the only university in Hungary offering this program, and graduated in 2014.
I worked on shows like “Got Talent” and “X Factor,” worked my way up, and later served as a story producer for the Hungarian version of “Big Brother” called “The Real World” for the RTL Group.
I returned to university and graduated as a Motion Picture Editor in 2018. My first feature film as an editor, “One Day,” premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2018. Also I edited dozens of television commercials and another feature film, then I became a voting member of the European Film Academy.
I gradually transitioned into post-production and then into producing, working on campaigns for brands like Bottega Veneta and Nanushka, and a commercial for the Kometa Cycling Team featuring Alberto Contador and Ivan Basso. In 2022, I received a Fulbright Scholarship to study producing at UCLA Extension in Los Angeles.
I started an internship at Milk & Honey Productions, a production service company that brings US film and television productions to Europe, where it is more affordable to shoot. Our main destination is Prague, where we have our own studios, Prague Studios, which currently accommodates “Foundation” for Apple TV+ for which we do production services as well. I became an Executive Producer at the company and recently became a partner in our Budapest office, which we opened lately, so I travel between LA and Hungary to build a creative network between the two cities.
Budapest is a very attractive destination for productions coming from the US. For example, “Dune: Part One and Two” and “Poor Things” were shot there. I hope that soon, we will produce films of this scale and quality from our Budapest office.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Coming from a small town and moving to the capital of Hungary, Budapest, was a huge transition for a 14-year-old. Being around a diverse population, starting my teenage life in an always-pulsing city with new friends who grew up there made a huge impact on me. Even having grocery stores open after 8 pm was new for me. It might have been hard at first, but I had a strong foundation from my upbringing, which helped me stay on the right path. I learned and grew a lot from this experience.
However, it was difficult because I never felt like I truly belonged anywhere again. When I went home, I felt I was no longer the boy from the countryside, but in the city, I was always the country boy. It was a discrepancy I had to deal with internally, but I eventually found a way to keep myself authentic while evolving into a citizen of a Central European metropolis.
Moving to Los Angeles as an adult was easier because of this experience from the past. However, realizing that my professional experience and achievements didn’t matter as much as I thought was hard. The most challenging part of this cultural melting pot was realizing I was just one of many young professionals in the city without any network or connection. I needed all my survival skills to finally knock on the right doors and find my way in Los Angeles. Meanwhile, I was afraid that since my scholarship time was limited, I might not make it and wouldn’t form any relevant professional connections that could impact my future.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
For 30 years, Milk and Honey has provided international production services for every major studio and platform, including Universal, Netflix, Amazon, Disney, Sony Pictures, and countless indie projects that have worked with our company. We have provided production services for films such as Blow with Johnny Depp and Blade II. Our latest productions include the sci-fi epic Foundation for Skydance and Apple TV+ and John Carpenter’s Suburban Screams for Peacock.
From our production bases in Prague and Budapest, we offer a 30-40% reduction in labor rates compared to the US and UK, as well as 20% and 30% rebates, respectively.
With a diverse array of locations and architectural styles, from rural to urban and gothic to modern, our locations can double for countless regions and periods. For example, Budapest or Prague can double for Paris or Moscow, without the extra costs of shooting in those locations. Additionally, being strategically located in Central Europe, we make it easy for our clients to access all of Europe via our extensive production network for any additional locations the production might require.
We also own the largest floor space of stages in the Czech Republic at Prague Studios, where we are currently building a state-of-the-art LED Volume and full-service virtual production studio.
Whether it be long-format series, feature films, and documentaries, or short-format pieces for broadcast, digital or social media, we have the team and the talent to execute. We have our office and colleagues in Los Angeles, allowing our clients to communicate with us in Pacific Time, as direct and fast communication is crucial during film or television projects and commercials.
Milk & Honey is deeply committed to ESG sustainable practices. Every year, we continue to analyze and evolve our practices to reduce environmental footprints, adopt eco-friendly technologies, and minimize waste throughout our operations. We believe in the power of responsible filmmaking to inspire positive change.
For all of our credits and more information, please visit our website at milkandhoney.productions.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
I always saw life as a challenge, striving to prove to myself and others that I am capable of achieving great things. I am open to learning new skills and have a healthy perfectionism that drives me to develop everything I need to reach my goals. I believe in kindness; it’s always easier to be nice to each other, and doors are more likely to open when you have a smile on your face. The key element to my success is that I never give up and always keep my goals high. Once I achieve one, I take a moment to feel grateful, but then I’m quickly on to a new mission, reaching my goals step by step. And if I fail, I get up and try again, maybe from a different direction.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.milkandhoney.productions/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/szoradmate/
