Volvo shoots extreme TV
commercial and
interactive video with
PCP
July 31, 2011
"Challenging would be an
understatement" says
PCP's line producer Malcolm Scerri-Ferrante in
describing the filming
of Volvo's latest
commercial which took
place last month in
Malta.
"Command the Extreme"
was filmed over two
nights in the water tank
and a stage, with a
third night on location
on a racing track with a specially
constructed off-road
track. With under
four weeks to prepare,
Maltese craftsmen raced
against time to build a
scale model of a 70 foot
racing yacht and a large
life-size section.
The TV commercial and
interactive video was
filmed entirely with
Motion Control in a
"super tight" filming
schedule that resulted
in very long filming
hours, with ongoing
creative developments
and a
budget which was "far
from generous" explains
Malcolm.
Furthermore filming was
scheduled at a time when
Malta and it's film tank
were experiencing
several other
productions during "the
busiest filming ever in
history" as reported by
The Times of Malta.
"Still, we pushed the
envelope in Malta like
no other commercial
before and we got the
look we wanted" said
Malcolm.
Due to the severe lack
of local crew, the PCP
brought in all
its technicians from Germany
and France.
The Volvo shoot led to
the tank facility,
Mediterranean Film
Studios, creating - for
the first time ever -
"an extreme motion
effect on a totally
static set" using all
the special water
effects they could get
their hands on.
Usually water effects
such as 'white' air
bubbles are used to aid
with the illusion of
speed on moving boats or
models in the tank.
However in this
commercial all sets were
forced to remain
completely static due to
the strict technical
demands of motion
control.
As a result of this, the illusion
of high racing speed
became
totally dependent on
the water effects which were
set up around and behind
the sets in order to
simulate the extreme
velocity of a race in
progress. Stylewar directors
Henry Selder Moore and
Martin Sjostrum pushed
MFS' special effects
technicians to the
extreme limits
in order to achieve
their ideal vision,
prompting the client to
hail the shots as
"simply awesome!".
A record in Malta's
history of film
servicing
Jun 3, 2011
This month will go down
in history as the
busiest time for Malta's
film servicing industry
since almost fifty years
when the industry had
first sparked off. In
1964 the Rinella tank
was constructed and an
organized form of film
servicing soon followed,
although it was to
remain very sporadic and
uncertain for the first
35 years at least.
Amongst the list of
productions filming in
Malta this month is
Paramount's "World War
Z" directed by Marc
Forster and starring
Brad Pitt. a Norwegian
feature film "Kon-Tiki"
which is considered to
be larger than normal
Nordic productions with
as much as 650 extras on
one day, and Sky1's TV
Series "Sinbad" which is
filming until early next
year. Also filming this
same month is a
challenging car
commercial filming in
the water tanks as well
as on location, an
Italian production as
well as part of a
Bollywood feature film.
The limited experienced
crew available in Malta
is being spread thinly
amongst all productions
and this is forcing
producers to fly in more
foreign crew then would
usually be necessary.
Some locals with limited
or no experience are
being given more
opportunities then usual
but local production
managers are wary of
having too many
inexperienced crew
members. Budgets are
being strained in order
to make up for missing
local resources.
Meanwhile some local
service providers are
struggling for the basic
services such as car
hires and hotel
accommodation.
Whilst this increased
activity all bodes well
for Malta, helping keep
its reputed spot on the
Hollywood map, the PCP
cautions all those in
the industry to remember
that Malta needs to be
on the map only for the
right reasons. Whilst it
is inevitable that
market forces will play
a part in costs,
industry stakeholders
should be careful not to
overprice themselves.
Following the filming of
"Munich" in 2005, there
were rumours amongst
filmmakers abroad that
in Malta "everyone wants
to get rich whilst the
sun shines". Since then
Malta has 'repaired' its
reputation back to being
a cost-effective filming
destination but it is
very easy to lose it
once again in the coming
weeks.
Although it is difficult
to predict the future of
the film servicing
industry in Malta,
recent developments and
clear signs indicate
that there is a
substantial risk filming
activity in Malta shall
decrease when compared
to recent trends,
possibly going back down
to levels of a decade
ago. Both private
stakeholders and the
government should
exercise extreme caution
and nurture this
industry if recent
levels are to be
sustained.
PCP launches online
registration form
May 20, 2011
This summer is expected to be the busiest for Malta's film servicing
industry in many years.
PCP has launched two internet tools to ensure crew members and those
aspiring to train in the film industry are better aware of future
opportunities and also to help PCP find the most suitable job or
training opportunities.
FACEBOOK -
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Producers-Creative-Partnership-PCP/172344666120935
This is a platform where announcements will be made for crew positions
or trainees that need to be filled by PCP or its colleagues or
associates.
ONLINE APPLICATION FORM
- http://www.pcpmalta.com/jobform.htm
This is a new online application form, launched this week, for both
experienced film crews as well as hopeful trainees.
Film lobby group expresses concern over "continuity" following
resignation of film commissioner. New film commissioner appointed.
May 12, 2011
Peter Busuttil has been appointed Film Commissioner. Mr Busuttil
graduated in Education from the University of Malta and in Performing
Arts from the Paolo Grassi, Milano (ex-Piccolo Teatro di Milano). In
recent years he was a non executive board director of the Malta Film
Commission. Mr Busuttil had created and produced a number of events on a
national scale included Notte Bianca, Science Week, EU Information
Festivals and Malta Eurosong festivals.
The Minister of Finance, the Economy and Investment, Tonio Fenech,
expressed his conviction that Peter Busuttil’s experience on the sector
will encourage further growth in this sector, following the significant
results achieved over the past few years, which have made the film
industry an important contributor to the economy and to job creation in
the Maltese islands.
Following the resignation of Ms Luisa Bonello in February, the new
film servicing lobby group FILM SERVICE PROVIDERS MALTA had expressed
its concern with the government over the continuity of the Malta Film
Commission and especially with the administration of the financial
incentives which so far has been handled by the same office. An informal
meeting was held between the lobby group and the chairman of the film
commission, Mr Anthony Sammut. Mr Sammut promised continuity and
asked for everyone to give the new commission a chance to prove itself.
Meanwhile, Minister Tonio Fenech welcomed the formation of the lobby
group but, citing EU policies, fell short from "approving" the lobby
group's credentials as being fully representative of the film servicing
industry.
The lobby group (FSPMalta) is formed by all service providers and
production managers who have been responsible for the majority of
foreign film, TV and commercial productions filmed in Malta over the
last decade.
The lobby group is expected to release a report this summer with
proposals on how to make Malta an efficient and film-friendly
destination for foreign film productions. The permitting authority MEPA,
the policies regarding working permits and the Malta Film Commission are
expected to dominate the report.
The PCP, a member of FSPMalta, regards the founding of this lobby
group as a clear sign that the film servicing industry in Malta has
reached a certain level of maturity. The PCP feels that Malta has made
big strides in the last decade and it is now time
for the private sector and politicians to put their heads together in a
serious manner to ensure that government's departmental policies and
systems are all conducive towards
the goal of sustaining growth in the film servicing industry.
Lobby group set up by film servicing industry
April 7, 2011
A lobby group for the film-servicing industry has been set up “with
the sole aim of trying to assist the government in streamlining relevant
procedures”.
Finance Minister Tonio Fenech, under whose portfolio the industry
falls, has been sent a letter informing him of the group and he has
accepted a request to meet them.
The announcement comes in the wake of last month’s unexpected
resignation of Film Commissioner Luisa Bonello, who occupied the post
for the past four years, and her replacement by Anthony Sammut. Her
resignation was seen as a great loss to the industry by those who are
involved in it.
In its letter, the lobby group said it could serve as a think-tank
for the government, as well as a consultant for its policies.
The group said that by handling foreign film productions on a
day-to-day basis, it was constantly in touch with the issues that
involved government departments and policies and was informed on both
the good and bad impressions left on producers, who choose to spend
their money in Malta.
The plan is for the group to meet to discuss the issues they are
experiencing, together with foreign producers, and to publish a report
at least once a year. The first is scheduled for summer.
Members of the lobby group must be “officially credited” as
production managers and producers on at least three international
feature-length films for TV and cinema or they should be members of an
internationally recognized guild.
They should also have a minimum of 12 years of professional
involvement in the film industry, or represent a service company that
has the same amount of experience with foreign film productions in
Malta.
“In the same way that the government and the Malta Film Commission
are willing to serve us and the industry, rest assured that we are eager
to serve government through our collective ideas and opinions,” the
letter to the Minister said.
March 4, 2011
The Times of Malta
Luisa Bonello, who has
occupied the post of
Film Commissioner for
the past four years, has
resigned, and Anthony
Sammut has been
appointed Acting Film
Commissioner until a
replacement is chosen.
Finance Minister Tonio
Fenech, under whose
umbrella the Film
Commission falls,
thanked Ms Bonello for
her valuable work. She
has been involved in the
Film Commission since
its inception and
resigned for personal
reasons, saying that
after 11 years in the
industry, she felt it
was an appropriate time
to “move on and seek new
challenges”.
Ms Bonello leaves behind
a film-servicing
industry that is doing
particularly well, with
several productions
lined up for 2011,
continuing the
consistency that has
been achieved over the
last few years. The
local creative sector is
also responding well to
recent developments as
regards training and the
film fund.
Since 2007, a production
was in prep, or shooting
every day of the year,
except for a few months
in 2009 due to the
global financial crisis.
People working in the
industry were full of
praise for the outgoing
Film Commissioner and
sorry about her
resignation.
Reacting to the news,
line producer Malcolm
Scerri-Ferrante said Ms
Bonello was doing
“sterling” work in
promoting Malta and
administering
incentives, leaving a
question mark as to who
could replace her.
“She grasped this
specialised industry
incredibly fast, even
though these things take
time. I think I can
speak on behalf of the
industry when I express
concern about who could
take her place,” Mr
Scerri-Ferrante said.
“This is not an easy
role to occupy and it is
important to speak the
language. You have to
understand the mind of
producers and the
politics involved,” he
said.
“Whoever replaces her
must not have any
private economic
interests in the film
industry and must not
use their position for
personal benefit on the
side – a strict rule in
the International
Association of Film
Commissioners,” Mr
Scerri-Ferrante
insisted.
Luisa
Bonello
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