Taiwan’s film industry is absolutely booming. If you’ve never considered it as a filming location, then it’s time to think again. From its stunning natural landscapes to its thriving metropolises, Taiwan offers filmmakers a treasure trove of cinematic opportunities.
After pulling our bags across the hot tarmac to the Windhoek Air Terminal, we meet Ma Fiina, a woman with a generous smile and IMMIGRATION emblazoned across her back on a neon yellow vest. She whisks us through security and passport checkpoints, removing her vest to reveal a uniform polo shirt that promises CUSTOMER SERVICE…I asked how many layers of super hero costuming was she wearing to get us to our final destination. Ma is an address of respect, and Fiina Elago commands it and is, among other things, a valued member of the Namibia Film Commission Board, representing the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security.
The Baltic States initial foray into the world of FamTours was off the charts. Borne from years of speaking with my Lithuanian colleague Jonas Spokas, it all came to fruition at 2022 Focus. I was talking with Jonas and Jurate Pazikaite, the Vilnius Film Commissioner, about how I had just seen the Lithuanian submission for the Academy’s Best Foreign Film selections. As an International Film juror, I enjoy the locations and original storylines of foreign films. They asked if I might be available for a summer trip.
Malta’s first attempt at creating a networking event for the Mediterranean region kicked off this week. The Mediterrane Film Festival was held in the old city of Valletta and involved dozens of international filmmakers flown in from various parts of the world to take part in discussion panels.
South Africa is not new to political and economic turbulence, at times testing the resilience of its film industry. The latest crisis is dealing with daily nationwide powercuts which in some areas total over 12 hours. Meanwhile the production of TV commercials remained fairly consistent year in and year out.
Two decades ago, countries began to compete for the hosting of international filming by creating a scheme whereby foreign producers are partially refunded for their monies spent in the country. Government appointed economists calculated the “multiplier effect’ of the monies brought in by foreign productions, how they stimulated economies and how much taxation would be created down the line to render such schemes sustainable.
Bohmenian author Henry Miller said, ”One's destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.” Though we travelled to new places, more to the point, we made new friends, learning new interpretations of place through our shared experiences. As one hopes, the journey was as key as our destinations. Your fam tour correspondent was fortunate enough to sojourn the UK courtesy of travel specialists, the Radisson Hotel Group and United Airlines.
Today 29 July 2022, the Production Guild of Great Britain (PGGB) have launched their new six part podcast series titled Meet the Producer. Hosted by film critic, presenter and producer Jason Solomons, the show aims to allow listeners to learn from industry professionals on how they have used their personal experiences when approaching their work.