16 years after the first Government announcement of a National Film Policy, a serious attempt at creating one is finally underway. Malcolm Scerri-Ferrante writes about how the financial incentives for foreign producers and the engagement of local crews may be affected by new policies.
The internationally acclaimed water tanks in Malta, formerly managed by Mediterranean Film Studios, are up for sale. The property was taken over by the Maltese government 14 months ago following a dispute over unpaid ground rent which involved a lengthy court case.
Some two decades ago productions filming overseas - particularly in developing countries or difficult destinations - would commonly dispatch their production manager or producer well in advance of the prep start to establish government contacts and set up a bank account and payroll.
[slideshow id=349]I am on a lovely ‘Caribbean’ beach surrounded by clear water, tall palm trees, smooth white sand, huge boulders, wooden huts and a picturesque village. I would be tempted to take a swim or lie down to sunbathe were it not for the resounding call of ‘Action’.
When I tell friends about my next trip to Colombia, it is not unusual for those who have never visited to say “Be careful!” or even throw in the classic joke “Make sure you don’t get kidnapped!” But for those who have already visited the country their reaction is usually only one of awe and envy.
“We want to bring an existing 70-foot racing yacht from Spain to Malta and shoot it in the water tank.” This was the first phone call from the UK. But this proved too costly, which prompted the producers to opt for a more creative solution;
Malta went through a thriving year of filming with June becoming the busiest month in the island’s history. Crews, suppliers and service providers were stretched beyond their limits as Paramount’s World War Z “clashed” on the tiny island with the long running UK TV series Sinbad, Norway’s large feature Kon Tiki, Sweden’s Volvo commercial and some other works.
[slideshow id=61]Back in 1999 a CNN journalist coined the phrase “A Hollywood in the Mediterranean” in describing Malta as it simultaneously hosted two big budget films - Gladiator and U-571.