Strengthening Malta’s film and TV sector – Martin Bonnici
The Maltese film and television sector has rarely, if ever, seen as much discussion as we have in recent months. Everyone from the Malta Film Commission (MFC), to the Malta Entertainment Industry and Arts Association (MEIA), the Malta Producers ‘Association (MPA), the General Workers’ Union (GWU) and individual film producers were speaking. about strengths. and weaknesses of this sector.
However, although I have been producing Maltese content for about 12 years, and this sector has been my life for a long time, today I have found myself unable to recognize the industry.
No, unfortunately we do not have a 100-year history of the film and TV industry. Industry is an economic activity that generates capital and, from the available data, no Maltese film producer has generated much economic activity, let alone capital, from Maltese films and television before the last decades. .
But producers are not failing and the sector has seen a serious boom in the last decade with some really impressive growth. Especially when you remember that we are operating within a market dominated by multinational companies with annual budgets in billions.
So how do I describe the sector? Like any new economic activity, it is going through some growing pain. In 2021, we had two Maltese films released in our cinemas and at least two Maltese films will be released in 2022, a record for our sector when we were lucky to have one film every two years for so long.
Just a few weeks ago, GO plc announced a € 1 million investment in original content over the next three years and government funding for the sector will continue to grow.
Do we have bad players who take advantage of their cast and crew on all sides? Yes we do, but a growing movement to combat this abuse is growing, thanks in part to the GWU.
Is it a tough business that requires long hours and sacrifice? Let’s be honest, what innovative business undergoing accelerated growth doesn’t do? Our sector is no different.
Is funding available through Screen Malta sufficient? Considering that it takes dozens, sometimes hundreds, of workers to work for months to make a film, in the words of the Malta Film Commission: “No, nothing.”
No Maltese film producer has generated much economic activity, let alone capital– Martin Bonnici
But, at the very least, we all agree on that answer and this government (in its electoral manifesto) has promised to increase Screen Malta’s funding from € 600,000 a year to € 2,000,000 a year, which it is substantial.
While our film funding opportunities may be low compared to other European nations, the level of private investment is probably the most embarrassing gap in our strategy. Films around the world make use of state subsidies but these are only a small part of the equation needed to make a film; we must also attract private investment.
For years, Maltese filmmakers have struggled to raise private funding to match the funding offered by the Maltese government. If the private sector was not even able to reach € 100,000 in state funding, will it be able to compare more? Our long-term goal should be to build a stable and financially sustainable sector that not only helps us examine and understand our own culture but also generates jobs and return on investment.
To achieve this goal, we need to look at the industry as a long-term investment and also start talking about both the arts and the film and TV business. We need to take a step back, forget our appetite for glamor and awards, focus on the economic activity that each project has created over the last decades and encourage more long-term commitments from filmmakers and investors. While we must ensure that the industry provides opportunities for all, we must not discourage people with talents and long records from building on their experience.
As announced during the first Malta Film Week, a new national film policy is currently being developed. It is an exciting time to be part of the sector, not only for film producers but also for investors interested in seeing a whole new economic niche develop in Malta. The coming months are crucial to our future and it is my hope that small disputes will be settled.
We need Maltese filmmakers, the business community and public officials to come together for a constructive discussion that shapes our future. We need to talk openly and honestly about the place of producers within the sector and ask ourselves what roles organizations like Malta Enterprise and Malta Development Bank can play in creating a long-term plan for success. in this sector.
Martin Bonnici, film director
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