UK based Supply 2 Location (S2L), announced yesterday their new international division and first regional expansion into NEOM, Saudi Arabia in early 2024. Building on their UK based regional depots, S2L’s Middle Eastern expansion solidifies its international presence, and improves accessibility for a global market. S2L’s current managing director Ian Pearce will take on the role as international CEO.
The Location Managers Guild International (LMGI) Awards welcomed another successful year, announcing their winners of the night. Held on 26 August, location professionals gathered at The Eli and Edythe Broad Stage in Santa Monica to celebrate the crème de la crème of the field as well as the LMGI’s 20th anniversary. Winners included feature flicks such as John Wick: Chapter 4 and acclaimed series like The White Lotus: Season 2.
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.
The Malta Film Commission has announced the launch of the Mediterrane Film Festival, celebrating innovation and creativity in the screen industry. The festival is set to take place in Malta’s capital, Valleta, from 25-30 June, as well as other locations across the country. Malta’s upcoming event comes on the tails of five international shoots which filmed in the region in the past four months.
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.
When watching any film that won at a leading international festival, I find there is an element of prejudice where one’s mind is already leaning towards receiving the film favourably, where for example one might be more patient. But critical acclaim raises expectations and audiences expect to be well awarded for their time. This balances out, at least to my mind, any unfair prejudice towards the film. More patience in exchange for higher expectations.
The industry that supports foreign productions that film in Malta, the film servicing industry, is going through some debate about the need to form a union for local crews in order to protect their rights and wages.
An investment group specialising in the non-fungible token (NFT) market is set to fund a new production studio. NFT Investments PLC will inject USD1 million into NFT Studios in exchange for 20% of their shares. The investment is made collaboration with executive producer Niels Juul and his production company NoFatEgo. Together, the participating parties hope to produce Hollywood’s first feature film funded entirely by NFTs.