FOCUS connection leads to Sri Lankan-Israeli co-production

Written by The Location Guide on May 26, 2022. Posted in On Location

United Channel Movies (UCM) is shooting its latest feature film in Sri Lanka. UCM – a film production house from Israel – will create the project alongside Sri Lanka-based company Frames TV & Film Production, Sri Lanka Tourism and the Israel Film Commission. Named after a prominent beach area in Sri Lanka’s eastern region, Arugam Bay will also shoot in Tel Aviv, Israel. This collaboration was arranged after Frames TV & Film Productions attended FOCUS, The Location Guide’s annual trade conference in London.

Thailand’s production services industry achieves record results

Written by Joe Jackson on May 26, 2022. Posted in General Interest

Thailand’s government has announced that the country’s production services industry achieved record results last year. Despite complications created by the global pandemic, the country’s revenue from international production services exceeded EUR132 million for the first time. Government officials revealed this news at Cannes Film Festival’s Thai Pavilion.

McCann London enlists Katy Perry for Just Eat spot

Written by Joe Jackson on May 26, 2022. Posted in General Interest

Food delivery service Just Eat Takeaway.com and creative agency McCann London have created a new advertisement with pop star Katy Perry. The musician performs her own rendition of Just Eat’s Did Somebody Say jingle, celebrating the excitement of ordering takeaway food. This spot had to appeal to 10 new markets that had never previously encountered a Just Eat commercial (including Germany, Poland and the Netherlands) following the merger of Just Eat and Takeaway.com.

Greek locations in Crimes of the Future: A conversation with production supervisor Elena Priovolou

Written by Joe Jackson on May 25, 2022. Posted in On Location

The Location Guide caught up with production supervisor Elena Priovolou. We discussed how key locations across Greece were used for the new David Cronenberg horror film Crimes of the Future, which premiered at Cannes Film Festival’s 75th Anniversary. The film is a co-production between Serendipity Point Films and Argonauts Productions.

Buenos Aires offers 20% rebate scheme for international productions

Written by Joe Jackson on May 24, 2022. Posted in Incentive News

The City of Buenos Aires is offering a 20% cash rebate scheme for international shoots. The incentive is available for production expenditure in the country’s capital city. This scheme is capped at USD600,000 per title, and requires a minimum spend of USD680,000 as well as at least four days shooting in Buenos Aires. It is predicted that the incentives will support around 8,000 jobs across the audiovisual, gastronomic and hospitality industries.

New film studio will be built in Saudi Arabia’s AlUla region

Written by The Location Guide on May 23, 2022. Posted in General Interest

A major new film studio is being built in Saudi Arabia’s AlUla region. The complex will offer two soundstages (both 24,000 sq ft) alongside a backlot, production offices, catering spaces, film clusters and other support facilities. Following the successful filming of action movie Kandahar with Gerard Butler and Apple TV+’s Iraq war drama Cherry, the region’s filmmakers are keen to use state-of-the-art facilities to attract more international co-productions. It is anticipated that the studio will open by February 2023.

British Film Commission and the Italian Film Commissions sign Memorandum of Understanding at Cannes’s 75th Anniversary

Written by Joe Jackson on May 20, 2022. Posted in Awards and Festivals

The British Film Commission (BFC) and the Italian Film Commissions (IFC) have signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The UK and Italy are both recognised as leading production centres for film and high-end TV production, and this agreement is designed to enhance collaboration between their respective screen industries. The MoU was signed today at The Italian Pavilion, Le Majestic Hotel 10, Cannes.

30% foreign production incentive revealed at Cannes 2022's Indian Pavilion

Written by Joe Jackson on May 20, 2022. Posted in Incentive News

India has unveiled a new incentive scheme for international productions. Up to 30% of qualifying expenditure (capped at USD260,000) can be reimbursed by the federal government. A 5% boost (capped at USD65,000) will be granted if 15% or more of a production’s workforce are from India. Anurag Thakur – the country’s Minister for Information and Broadcasting (I&B) – revealed the news at Cannes Film Festival’s newly-inaugurated Indian Pavilion.