Today the reach of media is truly global. Once upon a time it could take weeks or months for a film to be released worldwide; today same-day releases across the planet are common. Likewise, TV shows that once needed freighting to get from country to country now frequently have the latest episode premiered just hours after first showing in its place of origin.
The production of media itself is one remaining area where the local industry and audience is critical. After all, even the best special effects will struggle to replicate Earth’s natural beauty. Blockbuster movies like ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’, which filmed scenes in the waterways of Saint Lucia, and TV shows like ‘The Bachelor’, recently filmed in Curaçao, certainly showcase the beauty of the region as a backdrop.
Beyond the landscape, what can Caribbean nations glean from the experience of other countries around the world hosting international productions? And what more can they do to ensure a real ROI anytime the cameras start rolling on a film in the region?
Lights, Camera, Profits
Northern Ireland’s capital of Belfast has had a difficult history. The Good Friday Agreement signed in 1998 did much to dissipate the conflict and start a new chapter for Northern Ireland, resulting in Belfast beginning to build a new tourism identity. As of 2019, and helped along by two media blockbusters, it has done so successfully.
Titanic Belfast is a visitor attraction that pays homage to local shipworkers who built the tragic vessel, and piggybacks off the 1997 blockbuster by James Cameron. When it opened in 2012 it was expected to bring an extra US$38 million to the city’s economy in that year alone. Then there has been the phenomenon of Game of Thrones.
The Emmy Award-winning TV show that ran for eight seasons before wrapping earlier this year was filmed across multiple locations in Northern Ireland, turning the country into a must-visit destination for fans. While filming, it was estimated that the series provided US$37 million to Northern Ireland’s tourism revenue each year, delivering up to 120,000 visitors annually. Even though the series has now finished, it remains a very popular show, with plans in the works for a number of spin-offs.
Behind the Scenes
Beyond the British Isles, continental Europe shows a more complicated picture in drawing international productions. There has been increased competition as EU nations have vied to make their film scene the most attractive in the region. It helps explain why many films, such as ‘Mission Impossible: Fallout’, have had substantial (and even predominantly) European settings.
The reach extends beyond ever-popular nations like the UK and France; the trend is spreading east on the continent. In 2018 Romania announced what has been described as ‘Europe’s most generous film incentives’, with a planned cash rebate scheme providing for up to 45 per cent of a film’s budget for qualifying international pictures. Recent months have also brought news of Moscow’s plans to launch a cash rebate scheme similar to that of Romania, and other Eastern European nations like Hungary and Poland.
Northern Ireland’s experience has shown the benefits that international productions can bring to local tourism. But it’s also important to be mindful of the challenges seen in wider Europe, especially the risk of a ‘race to the bottom’ that’s great for film makers but less beneficial to locals.
Getting Outcomes Into Frame
International film and TV production done locally has the potential to benefit local creatives if pursued correctly. For example, Australia has its own visual media industry and many visual creatives keen to pursue a career overseas, and is a great case study in how international productions can be harnessed to enhance the local industry. The nation has built a strong bridge to major media epicentres like Hollywood, and blockbusters, like ‘The Matrix’, ‘The Great Gatsby’, ‘Thor’ and ‘Aquaman’, have filmed substantial scenes in Australia. Such stints ensure that local production crews acquire industry-leading expertise that they can then reapply to local films or other projects abroad.
For local actors, such films offer a way to hone their skills on home ground and build visibility internationally After making a leap to Hollywood or a similar epicentre, they can return home from time to time in order to pursue films that are close to their cultural heart, or for independent projects financed with old friends.
Recording Enduring Benefits
Puerto Rico is always an obvious local candidate for American productions filmed internationally; the shared currency and laws guarantee it. Yet other islands in the region have also made a success of luring foreign film makers. Prior to the Dominican Republic introducing a 25 per cent transferable tax credit (and VAT exemptions), the nation averaged three or less locally-made films a year; now it’s as high as thirty per year.
Costa Rica has rapidly built a strong local industry since the launch of its El Fauno production fund in 2015, seeing over a dozen films released in the first year of its operation. Regardless of what international film makers may do, El Fauno has been credited with creating an entire generation of Costa Rican film makers.
Governments in the region must consider preferencing the home-grown option over enticing international productions if they really aspire to grow a strong local industry. Unlike Australia, the Caribbean is much closer to Hollywood, and other major media epicentres in Argentina, Mexico and Brazil.
Languages and Looking to Asia
Alongside the aforementioned, a particular advantage of the Caribbean region is that it is a melting pot of languages. This means that productions from Europe, and throughout the Americas, can invariably find locals who speak in a shared tongue.
Major investment in future films will increasingly be coming from the east, with funding of international productions by India’s Bollywood and the Chinese. Local nations looking to revive their industry, or begin a new one, will find that enticing Asian productions to local shores could prove very profitable.
