By Tanya Batson, Staff ReporterPOSSIBLY GUIDED by the notion that great ideas flow better on a full stomach, how to bring the Caribbean film production into the 21st century, a recently much-discussed topic, was once again chewed upon over lunch at 'One Pot Stew', the Women In Film and Television International (WIFTI) Summit 2002.
The forum, held at The Ritz Carlton, Montego Bay, found much wind (hopefully it was not mere hot air) in the discussion titled 'Moving Pictures in the Caribbean - Television and Film'.
Del Crooks (Film Commissioner - JAMPRO) introduced the issue while the delegates of the summit attempted to ingest the last of the noonday repast. The forum included a panel comprised of: Jennifer Grant (moderator), Director of Entertainment; Marcia Forbes, General Manager of TVJ; Brian St. Juste, President of Jamaica Film and Video Producers; Megan Deane, director of project investment at the National Investment Bank of Jamaica and Jessica Canham-Wiltshire, co-founder, producer and managing director of Link International Productions, Dominica.
According to Crooks and St. Juste, the country's economy requires the industry's development. Both argued the industry's development would allow it to capitalise on the film industry boom. Crooks noted that in North America, a gross income of US$8.4 billion dollars was earned last year. She noted that the industry is important to the economy, directly and through its
linkages to tourism and agricultural.
Crooks pointed out that the need to develop the industry was brought home when the island recently lost a bid to host a shoot for a film about pirates, which was worth US$200 million. Developing the yet untapped Caribbean film industry is a multi-dimensional task, she said, which includes an integration of Jamaican and Caribbean culture in the film products produced, and encouraging entrepreneurship.
Forbes complemented Crooks' presentation, giving a glimpse of the industry at present. Incidentally, her presentation may also have squashed high expectations which had blossomed from the earlier presentation. It was a grim picture which suggested there were not sufficient funds in the Caribbean to produce better programmes, and the likelihood of generating them was low. Although she attempted to end on a positive note, her clichéd call for unity among independent producers, sponsors and television stations, which she stated was the only way forward, fell flat after the grim picture.
Hope only glimmered through her assertion that a change in government policies may allow for greater investment. She argued that in order for the industry to grow, the government must introduce incentives, such as tax breaks, to attract financiers.
According to Forbes, part of the problem in building the English-speaking Caribbean television and film industry is the low population (less than 6 million), which does not allow for a great margin of profit, leaving television stations struggling. As such, regional advertising revenue (from all media) is approximately US$550 million, and revenue for television only is US$176 million. For Jamaica, this figure is approximately US$12 million.
This contrasted with the comparatively high production cost of local programmes. To illustrate, she spoke of the programme Sing and Learn, which she stated cost the station approximately US$5,000 an episode to produce.
Widespread piracy does not aid the situation, as it lessens the possibilities for profit. "Products once they're aired are copied with impunity," Forbes stated, "and sold across the world with no recognition of copyright, or intellectual property."
So, while the potential of the industry may stretch far beyond the horizon, it is not yet within the grasp of the local industry, and without much concerted effort, may never be.
