They’re the short clips that introduce audiences to each contestant before they take to the Eurovision stage. Now the BBC has revealed more details about how the postcards for Eurovision 2023 will feature locations from all over the UK, Ukraine and each participating country.
Each of the 37 postcards will include three locations – one from the UK, one from Ukraine and one from the act’s own country. That makes 111 places in total.
The postcards will make use of drones and 360-degree cameras to transport viewers from one location to the next. Despite travelling across three countries, each postcard will be connected by a central theme — this could be castles, beaches, street art or rivers.
Over the last couple of weeks, BBC Eurovision has been sharing behind-the-scenes videos of this year’s contestants as they film the section of the postcard from their own country. Local production crews were used where possible.
But we now know that this will only make up a third of the actual postcard, with shots from both Ukraine and the UK also featuring. Windfall Films have been leading the postcard filming in the UK. They have collaborated with Ukrainian company 23/32 Films, who have secured the footage from the locations in Ukraine.
The postcards will feature music by Ukrainian musician and composer Dmytro Shurov – all three locations in each postcard will truly be United By Music.
If Slovenia's Joker Out are impressed by pinball machines on a rooftop, wait until they see the stage at #Eurovision2023 ? pic.twitter.com/wPzwAD6Ken
— BBC Eurovision (@bbceurovision) April 7, 2023
Rachel Ashdown, BBC Lead Commissioner for Eurovision 2023, says:
“The creative concept for the Postcards is much anticipated by fans every year.
“They are the perfect way to introduce each act to the combined 160 million people watching across the globe, and I can’t wait for audiences to see this year’s offering when they air in the Semi-Finals and Grand Final.
“As well as the UK, Ukraine and participating countries being United by Music, viewers will be surprised to see what else unites us too.”
Sarah Cherniavskyi, executive producer for 23/32 Films, added:
“We are pleased to participate in this project and to show that shooting of every difficulty level is still possible in Ukraine. This year’s Eurovision, despite not happening in Ukraine due to Russian aggression, will have our country in its heart.”
What do you think about the Eurovision 2023 postcards? Are you excited to see the final result? Let us know in the comments below.
Have a bad feeling about this… Maybe we will have drone postcards again but instead of projecting the photos to the sightseeing, they will show the video they filmed in their own countries, or something like the 2010 postcard (which is also bad).
I don’t know how to feel about this… drone postcards from last year still haunt me. They were dreadful.
Really great idea and shows that BBC is willing to spend the dough to make it look great. I have a feeling that something like this will be reused in the future but for 2 countries per act — the host and the participant. Surprised no one had thought of it before.
bad idea
Can’t wait to see these postcards!
If anything these will at least be better than the horrible ones we had last year ?
What a great idea. ESC is all about unity, and those postcards embody the true essence of the contest and the celebration of music.
This sounds like a very creative, innovative and ambitious concept. The bar was pretty low after last year’s dismal efforts, but these could potentially turn out to be some of the best we’ve seen at the contest. The BBC are really throwing the kitchen sink at hosting. I also really like how the slogan ‘United By Music’ is reflected in the postcards by showing the UK, Ukraine AND the participating countries. It’s good too that they’re trying out new filming techniques, namely these 360°s. Can’t wait to see them!
Strong years for postcards – 1998, 2009,2013,2014,2016,2019
Dreadful , 2021 , 2022, 2012,2008
Turin’s postcards were incredibly bad, the worst in recent years by far.
Harsh to judge in a time of covid restrictions.
Rotterdam 2021 didn’t use that excuse, their postcards were brilliant given the tougher restrictions they had in comparison to Torino.
Imagine if Lordi entered in 2013, with them in those cozy ‘life at home’ films…..