Production Office:  Commission Floor, Mediterranean Film Studios
Kalkara CSP 11 - Malta.  E-mail: info(at)pcpmalta.com 
 Enquiries/Budgets: +356 9949-0678 / +44 20 8144-4298
 Tank SFX (Video) | About MFS (Video) | Tank Photos | Video Clips Archive

 

Water Tanks

Malta is world-renowned for its water SFX facility situated in the south-eastern side of the island.  Mediterranean Film Studios (MFS) boasts of one indoor tank and two large exterior water tanks situated along the coast and therefore enjoying a natural horizon.  In size the tanks are only second to Fox Studios' water facility in Baja, Mexico.  However the Malta tanks are significantly cheaper.

 
Life-size mock ups of U-boat submarines in the Shallow Tank for "U-571'.
Small-scale models were used in the Deep Tank for all underwater shots.

MFS was founded back in 1964 by a special effects wizard called Benjamin 'Jim' Hole who was assisted by Paul Avellino.  It was formerly called Malta Film Facilities and hosted a large number of productions over its long history.  Popular productions include Dino de Laurentiis' "U-571" (1999) and Ridley Scott's "White Squall' (1996).  A considerable amount of TV commercials are also shot in the tanks each year.

For many years the facility was government-owned and this made the company's development ultimately subject to the politics of the time.  In 1993, after 35 years of being a parastatal company, MFS was privately leased and subsequently bought by Catalyst Entertainment Inc. based in Toronto.  Headed by Charles J. Falzon, MFS was taken out of its parastatal years and this proved to be one of the most important steps for the studio. The company was later bought in 1999 by German businessman Jost Merten who has since changed its management and restructured the workforce with the aim of making it more cost-efficient.

  

 

AGNESI commercial (1998) directed by the late Julius Cassar.  This behind-the-scene photo reveals the 1m model and a false 'sun' lifted by a crane. A brut was spotted on a silver (foiled) 'sun' and a filter was used on the lens to create the sunset effect.

 

 

 

   

Actor Jeff Bridges makes a rescue attempt underwater in WHITE SQUALL (1998) directed by Ridley Scott.  The photo on the right shows the Insert Tank where typical underwater scenes can be filmed.  Another tank, the outdoor Deep Water Tank is also very popular for underwater filming because of its water clarity which can at times extends to over 50 feet.

 

   

Citroen commercial (1990).  The behind-the-scene photo shows the French special effects team at work on the model car.

 

  

Citroen commercial (1990). The tip tanks and a large hand-painted cyclorama create a storm in the tank.

 

    

An Andromeda super luxury yacht entering the harbour in a commercial for DIMPLE WHISKY (1999). The picture on the right shows MFS model makers at work on the 7m model.

 

    

The village of ERIK THE VIKING (1988).  The set was built in the Shallow Water Tank (which was then 4-foot deep) in order to simulate the village being flooded.

 

    

Gerard Depardieu in the TV Series THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO (1997).  A glassed camera box can be handy for shooting such scenes at water level or split water level.

_____________________

Some interesting quotes published in film journals

"We were like a Hollywood sound stage in the tank with the Mediterranean as our back-drop" - Rennie Harlin, Director of 'Cutthroat Island' (1994)

 

"What we got out of Malta was terrific. It's very much a studio situation and it's the best water facility I know of." - Ridley Scott, Director of White Squall (1996)

 

______________________

 

 
 
 

  mediterranean- film- studios- malta- film- commission- gladiator-  shoot- shot- malta- film- commission- malta- film- commission- location- filming- locations- production- manager- producer- mediterranean- film- studios- producers- stage- stages- facilities- spielberg-    film- malta- studio- commission- water- troy- munich- latina, mediterranean film studios, malta-film commission, gladiator-  shoot- shot- malta- film- commission- malta- film- commission- location- filming- locations- production- manager- producer, mediterranean film studios- malta film commission- film- malta- studio- commission- water- troy- munich- latina- mediterranean- film- studios, malta film commission, gladiator-  shoot- shot, malta film commission, malta- film- commission- location- filming- locations- production- manager- producer- mediterranean- film- studios- producers- stage- stages- facilities- spielberg-  film- malta- studio- commission- water- troy- munich- latina- mediterranean- film- studios- malta- film- commission- gladiator-  shoot- shot- malta- film- commission- malta- film- commission- location- filming- locations- production- manager- producer- mediterranean- film- studios- producers- stage- stages- facilities- spielberg-    film- malta- studio- commission- water- troy- munich- latina, mediterranean film studios, malta-film commission, gladiator-  shoot- shot- malta- film- commission- malta- film- commission- location- filming- locations- production- manager- producermpany-

Designed by Bernard Schembri
© 2004 PCP Ltd.