Budget

In 2005 the government introduced financial incentives by offering a cash rebate based on expenditure. Currently this rebate has a maximum ceiling of 22% and both Maltese and EU expenditure are eligible. Commercials and music videos are excluded from this scheme.

The following is intended as a very rough guideline for budgeting your film in Malta.

The PCP specializes in detailed and professional budgets for both features and commercials.

As of November 2007, one Euro is equivalent to approx 1.47 US Dollars. Click here for the latest exchange rates.

ACCOMMODATION

Most hotels with experience of film crews offer special film rates. A single room on B&B in a 4-star tourist class hotel will cost between EUR 50 and EUR 85 in the low and high season respectively. A 4-star superior hotel may cost an additional EUR 10 per night. For a top 5-star hotel allow EUR 100-EUR 140 per night depending on the size of the crew and whether the hotel is busy. 

Comfortable luxury apartments for short-term lets can cost anywhere between EUR 1160 to EUR 2330 per month.  Houses of character and villas can also be rented with prices ranging from EUR 1600 to EUR 2800 per month depending on the luxury and the season of hire.  A small but decent apartment apartment could usually be found between EUR 600 and EUR 1000 a month.

A 4-star standard room

A 4-star executive suite

A typical house for rent

ACTORS

There is a small but healthy pool of day players in Malta who have proven experience in films.  You can find a handful of potential actors for speaking parts and these are generally paid between EUR 120 and EUR 235 including buy-outs, the rates depending on how experienced they are and the number of lines. In extreme cases involving perhaps ex-pats living in Malta the fee might go as high as EUR 350/day. (The TV mini-series Helen of Troy tapped into a lot of local talent) 

CATERING

Catering is not cheap in Malta and ranges from EUR 23.50 to EUR 30.60 per head for one meal and including crafts service. 

EXTRAS

Allow EUR 58.30 for an approximate 11-hour day, excluding meal breaks or special allowances. There is no union in Malta and extras' fees can therefore be varied from one production to another. Crowd marshals cost around EUR 70 - EUR 82 per day.  These fees exclude any payroll charges which is usually a flat fee depending on the quantity of extras. Overtime is calculated at  x 1.5. Fees for models range from EUR 150 to EUR 235 per day including buy-outs. However these are very negotiable and there are no fixed rates.

PER DIEMS

The lowest and yet reasonable per diem paid daily in 2007 was EUR 45 on a non-filming day (allowing for two meals) and EUR 28 on non-filming days when for one meal is provided on set.  In a 5-star first class restaurant expect to pay EUR 45 / head excluding wines.  Some productions keep per diems the same throughout prep and shoot at approximately EUR 45 per day. 

TRANSPORT

The figures below are indicative rates only from large companies with a proven reputation in servicing the film industry.  They include full comprehensive insurance. You may find small garages on the island which offer cheaper prices but  needless to say you should check out the quality of service (i.e. condition of vehicle, type of insurance cover, speed of response for all requirements and even check out whether an effective staff member can be reached during the day at all times).  If your production is very small and you perhaps require only four or five vehicles, then checking out the smaller garages may be very worthwhile.  But you should be cautious of claims from the smaller businesses of  "our best car"  as the condition of that car may be not be what you imagine. 

For a self-drive standard car with AC allow between EUR 19.80 and EUR 23.30 per day depending on how busy the garage is at the time of rental. A self-drive minivan will cost you between EUR 35 and EUR 58 depending mainly on the model and season. These prices include full comprehensive insurance and exclude an excess of typically between EUR 350 and EUR 580 in case of a damage claim.  For chauffeur-driven limos and vans allow EUR 14 and EUR 23 per hour respectively, depending on the luxury of the vehicle and usually with a minimum hire of four hours. For garage-controlled taxis allow EUR 17.50 to EUR 23.30 per transfer (eg: hotel to airport or vice versa). Luggage vans cost between EUR 23.30 to EUR 35 per transfer.

The vehicles with the above prices are from garages with very large fleets and with experience in dealing with the demands of the film industry. A camera truck costs between EUR 117 and EUR 186 per day respectively for an 18ft or  28ft truck. Wardrobe and make up trucks cost between EUR 163 and EUR 233 per day. Artiste trailers and honeywagons are available at EUR 233 per day.

Remember, the availability of support and utility vehicles depends entirely upon the timing of your shoot and whether another film is already shooting on the island.  The island is small and resources are limited.

LOCAL SUPPORT CREW

Salaries for Maltese crew are priced very competitively when compared to other European countries such as the UK, France, Spain or Italy.   There is a refundable 18% Value Added Tax (VAT), from which some crew members are exempt.  For those who are not self-employed (ie: employees) there are fringes to consider. This total figure is a variable (allow between 14 and 20%) according to their wage and the state regulations which change from time to time.

The working week is typically 5 or 6 days but can vary depending on the project.  Although Sunday is usually a rest day, the 7th day of a shooting week does not have to be a Sunday. However, unless an exception is made and agreed with the crew, a surcharge is usually expected for work falling on Sundays. This surcharge is typically at least x 1.5 times of the standard pay and without a prior agreement payment it is expected to be double. What is clearly a 7th work day is typically double pay, as so is a public holiday worked unless an exception is agreed with the crew in advance. There are no union rules and crews can often be flexible.  A working day is typically 12 hours including a one-hour lunch or dinner break.

The working day starts from the unit base or location.  There is no compensation for travelling time since Malta is very small, except in cases when travelling to the islands of Gozo or Comino.  There is no surcharge/bumps in salaries for crew working in Gozo or another nearby although you will find the occasional crew member expecting something extra. It is advisable that the production manager or producer clarifies these issues as early as possible.

When filming in Gozo or Comino where Maltese crew are expected to reside, a per diem will have to be agreed. This rate is either identical to non-Maltese crew or not very different.  In cases where filming is taking place in another country other than the Maltese islands, the Maltese crew will expect a per diem that is identical to non-Maltese crew. All such matters should be clarified before engagement.

Night shoots are charged at the regular crew rates without any extra charges. There are no fixed turnaround penalties but producers are expected not to take advantage of this fact.

Overtime is calculated at one and a half (x 1.5). Crews are flexible when it comes to working overtime and the Maltese will generally do their best to carry out anything within reason. However it is not advisable to abuse of their flexibility and it is always appreciated when some form of bonus is given for extraordinary hours worked when shooting days overrun extensively.

Maltese generally also speak English and although the pool of resources is very limited and just enough to service maybe one production at a time, the few that exist have a great deal of experience of working with international personnel.  It is important to note that many key roles are not available from Malta and hence are usually brought in from the European mainland.

Malta is well known for its highly skilled craftsmen.  Here full-time carpenters and welders from Mediterranean Film Studios are constructing one of three life-size ships for the feature 'Christopher Columbus - The Discovery' (1991)

Well over 100 skilled craftsmen located from Malta were hired to assist with the construction of Gladiator's coliseum and Roman sets

The following rates are rough guidelines for a selection of free-lancers available on the island. Unless indicated otherwise, they are generally based on 11 shooting hours per day excluding a one-hour lunch break and exclusive of VAT, if applicable. 

Carpenters: EUR 81.60/day (10 hrs/day); Labourers: EUR 58.50-EUR 70/day (10 hrs/day); Head of Department in Construction teams: EUR 93.25/day (10 hrs per day); M/Up Artists / Hair Stylists: EUR 117 to EUR 175 per day depending on experience; M/Up-Hair Assistants: EUR 93/day; Production Assistants: EUR 82/day; Runners: EUR 69.93/day; Casting/Extras Coordinator EUR 105 - EUR 128/day; Location Assistant: EUR 81.50-EUR 90/day; Seamstress: EUR 93- EUR 100/day; Clapper/Loader: EUR 179.50 / day; Electricians: EUR 167/day (through a loan-out lighting company); Grip Assistant: EUR93.24 - EUR104.90/day; Grip man: EUR 116.5-EUR 128.20/day

Note that payroll charges in Malta, where applicable, usually range from 5 to 10%, depending on the volume of labour.

A more comprehensive and detailed crew-rates list is available upon request.

CAMERA EQUIPMENT

Camera equipment is brought in from the mainland by air or by truck, typically from Rome, Munich or London.  Malta is in the EU and hence paperwork at the border is greatly simplified if equipment is arriving from another EU country.

The reality is that most professional grip equipment must be shipped into Malta since none is stocked on the island.

GRIPS

A privately owned jimy-jib with a 2-axis remote head is available on the island. There is other minimal equipment available in Malta but it is best to confirm its (physical) availability on the island as some of it is not permanently based. Also there is no chief grip on the island but a couple good grip men and some good assistants.

FREIGHT

Freight costs in Malta are not cheap.  For 500kg of equipment from and back to London allow around EUR 3400.  Price includes return air freight, all customs clearance work, delivery and pick-ups from door to door. For a 40ft-45ft container driven from Milan to Malta allow EUR 3300 each way.  The same container from London will cost around EUR 4550 each way. These rates, although comprehensive in their estimates, are meant as guidelines and it is highly suggested you get specific quotes as per your shipping lists.  There are two leading shipping companies in Malta with film experience.

Note all equipment coming from outside the EU need an ATA Carnet.  Otherwise a Temporary Import document would need to be issued, which can cause delays in clearance and which forces you to give the Malta Customs Department a bond or bank guarantee of around 25% of the declared value of the shipment. You will get this money back once the shipment is exported.

INCENTIVES

The government grants a rebate up to 22% on selected expenditure spent in Malta, applicable to film and TV productions but not to TV commercials or music videos. (More on incentives)

LAB & STOCK 

The  labs nearest to Malta with frequent flights daily are found in Rome.  One lab can streamline dailies over the internet.  Stock has to be brought from the mainland.

LIGHTS

The local studio (MFS) has some tungsten and bruts. A small private company provides a small package of HMIs and gennies. A few AC gennies on Malta are super -silent. There is only one company geared up for small productions and prices are not cheap. For local gennies on a short-term hire allow EUR 233/day for 100KVA and EUR 652/day for a 350KVA. Price excludes fuel.

LOCATION FEES

There are generally no government location fees for shooting in streets or exterior public locations. However there are often donations applicable to local councils and these usually range from EUR 116.55 to EUR 233 per day. In extreme cases it may be higher if it is a very large location and/or involves major construction and if the filming is causing a lot inconvenience to the local residents.   For houses or palaces which are privately owned, location fees usually range anywhere from EUR 466 to EUR 2331 per day.

Fees for government-owned buildings and costs usually range from EUR 233 per day to EUR 466 per day. There are exceptions when such fees can go as high as EUR 700/day.  In greater recognition of the importance of the film servicing industry, the government is trying to minimize such fees for producers.  

SECURITY

A police constable costs around Lm9/hr depending on his rank. Private security can be cheaper and contracted at between EUR 5.82 and EUR 6.41 per hour.

SFX TANK

Malta is well known for the popular water tanks based at Mediterranean Film Studios. For the use of the Shallow Water Tank using a wide range of SFX and labour, allow EUR 5,400 to EUR 8,900 per day depending on the amount of machinery you require (ie the size of the storm or other effects). Discounts are possible for long periods of hire. There are also one-time filling costs ranging from approx EUR 1,440 to EUR 2,400.  Both the Shallow Water Tank and the Deep Water Tank without any SFX cost EUR 2,150/day for prep and EUR 3,100/day for filming. There is also an Insert Tank for closer shots underwater.

 
The 'Shallow Water Tank' The 'Deep Water Tank'

PRODUCTION OFFICES

Allow EUR 100 and EUR 140 per week per office, excluding cost of electricity.

TELEPHONE CALLS

Local calls cost approx EUR 0.117 every five minutes. Overseas calls to Europe and the US cost around EUR 0.16 a minute. Good quality internet-based services have been established on the island which provide overseas calls at a low cost of approximately EUR 0.035 per minute to main European cities and the US/Canada.

TAX

All above prices exclude Value Added Tax (VAT) which stands at 5% for accommodation and 18% for all services and labour. This tax is refundable to foreign producers who film in Malta. In practice, the VAT refund can be effected anywhere from five to eight months after the submission date of the accounts which generally occurs on a quarterly basis. (See government news)