Tips when choosing a production service company
Generally speaking Malta is a film friendly location with enthusiastic crews and service providers. However, like some other countries, there is stuff to look out for. Careful diligence is required if you want to have an enjoyable professional experience. If you are one of those lazy producers who constantly complain about being ripped off or conned by a service company, then you probably ALLOW yourself to be ripped off
The below pointers are a must-read.
1) Research Production Service Companies properly
There are several PSCs registered in Malta but less than a handful have enough professional experience and actually "get it", Call the producers of at least two of their recent projects to hear about their local experience. Do not be conned by the websites and free dinners. Simply check their credits and speak to past clients. Do not rely entirely on imdb. Do your homework properly!
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2) Double-check credits on websites and make sure they are truthful. Many post false credits!
The sad truth is that several companies actually list credits that they have not serviced and neither managed. The sites insinuate clearly that they have serviced these shoots or at least had a heavy involvement in its management. However, as of early 2014, there are at least five companies that list credits for films or commercials that are false. For example, a former diver providing the service of a safety diver late rset up a service company and pretends to have serviced the entire production as a production service company, when in fact another PSC did the job! Another individual pretends to have serviced entire projects for which he was employed as a location or transport assistant. There is also the case of the notorious accountant who was an employee for a long-established service company before being fired for misappropriation of funds and who five years later became a shareholder in a new service company which now claims to have serviced entirely the projects serviced by his previous employer. Beware and check EVERYONE's credits, as nice as they seem to be. You will then discover that small handful of 3 or 4 companies that are honest and without the bulls***.
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3) Don't believe everything you are told about what is not possible!
Do not believe claims that without hiring a service company you cannot engage local crew or neither reap in the benefits of the financial incentives or get your VAT refund. All these are perfectly possible and legal without the need of a service company. Service companies naturally provide great convenience but the trick in Malta is to ensure first that you have an experienced production manager or line producer.
Generally speaking Malta is a film friendly location with enthusiastic crews and service providers. However, like some other countries, there is stuff to look out for. Careful diligence is required if you want to have an enjoyable professional experience. If you are one of those lazy producers who constantly complain about being ripped off or conned by a service company, then you probably ALLOW yourself to be ripped off
The below pointers are a must-read.
1) Research Production Service Companies properly
There are several PSCs registered in Malta but less than a handful have enough professional experience and actually "get it", Call the producers of at least two of their recent projects to hear about their local experience. Do not be conned by the websites and free dinners. Simply check their credits and speak to past clients. Do not rely entirely on imdb. Do your homework properly!
AND
2) Double-check credits on websites and make sure they are truthful. Many post false credits!
The sad truth is that several companies actually list credits that they have not serviced and neither managed. The sites insinuate clearly that they have serviced these shoots or at least had a heavy involvement in its management. However, as of early 2014, there are at least five companies that list credits for films or commercials that are false. For example, a former diver providing the service of a safety diver late rset up a service company and pretends to have serviced the entire production as a production service company, when in fact another PSC did the job! Another individual pretends to have serviced entire projects for which he was employed as a location or transport assistant. There is also the case of the notorious accountant who was an employee for a long-established service company before being fired for misappropriation of funds and who five years later became a shareholder in a new service company which now claims to have serviced entirely the projects serviced by his previous employer. Beware and check EVERYONE's credits, as nice as they seem to be. You will then discover that small handful of 3 or 4 companies that are honest and without the bulls***.
AND
3) Don't believe everything you are told about what is not possible!
Do not believe claims that without hiring a service company you cannot engage local crew or neither reap in the benefits of the financial incentives or get your VAT refund. All these are perfectly possible and legal without the need of a service company. Service companies naturally provide great convenience but the trick in Malta is to ensure first that you have an experienced production manager or line producer.