Malta’s Home Affairs Minister has pledged his continued support for the country’s filming industries on a set visit to BBC production The Whale. The TV movie tells the story of US whaling ship The Essex, which was sunk by a whale in 1820 and inspired Herman Melville to write Moby Dick.
The Malta-based Producer’s Creative Partnership (PCP) has expanded its operations to South Africa through an agreement with Cape Town’s Film Afrika. From here, PCP plans to increase co-productions between Europe and South Africa through existing treaties.
World War I feature The Wipers Times has started filming in Northern Ireland, doubling the region for Belgium and London. Set in 1916, it tells the true story of a satirical newspaper that was published for troops on the Western Front when soldiers found an old printing press in Ypres.
Steve Mortimore convinced Glasgow to host a zombie apocalypse and also secured a Navy ship for Brad Pitt’s upcoming World War Z. He talks to TLG about planning the end of the world and finding studio space for one of the biggest movies ever made.
The Malta Film Commission has been awarded EUR500,000 to help it develop its film crew base. Money will be funnelled into training below-the-line production employees like location scouts, special effects and lighting experts, and wardrobe managers.
Malta wants to ensure its historic sites are protected from the potential damage of location filming visits. TV series Game of Thrones visited in 2010 and reportedly damaged parts of the island of Gozo – the show switched to Croatia for its second season.
HBO’s fantasy series Game of Thrones has faced challenging weather conditions on location in Northern Ireland. Summertime is yet to properly show its face in Britain, although climatic conditions are certainly not unique to the UK.
HBO’s hit fantasy drama Game of Thrones will film scenes in Morocco for its third season. The country featured in the show’s pilot episode but was not used again, with Malta and then Croatia used for warmer climes in the two seasons to date.