Hollywood ready to roll: First movie to begin filming in St Thomas in September
Published:Monday | June 23, 2014 | 12:00 AM
Keisha Hill, Gleaner Writer
Lights! Camera! Action! Hollywood comes to Jamaica in live and living colour, and in only a matter of months, the first of many productions will begin filming right here.
Following recent Government announcements that negotiations are far advanced to construct a film lot at the former Goodyear Factory and complex, near Morant Bay in St Thomas, chairman of RealVibez Group, David Mullings, has shed more light on the proposed development.
Mullings, in a recent interview with The Gleaner, said they could have looked at other Caribbean countries for the proposed development, however, with Jamaica's background in film-making and its central location in the Caribbean, it was an easy choice to have the facility here.
"Hollywood knows that Jamaica has many outdoor locations where scenes have been done in the past and they have grown accustomed to the people and the culture. Jamaica is also easily accessible; people can fly here from anywhere in the world for productions," Mullings said.
"We also needed somewhere quiet and underdeveloped. Jamaicans tend to be too Kingston-centred. We have to start where we can expand. Disney World was built in orange groves and look where it is today," Mullings added.
According to Mullings, the genesis for the construction of the film lot in Jamaica began on a flight from Barbados with Dr André Gordon, chairman of The Competitiveness Company.
"I met him in Washington, DC, we kept in touch and I saw him on the flight and the conversation developed from there," he said.
"Basically, Gordon's company had access to a grant of €500,000 for the creative arts and performing industry in Jamaica and was unable to find a sustainable project after much deliberations. Following our conversation, we made some calls and the interest level was so high that we all got very excited about the project," Mullings said.
Mullings, who is also chairman of Keystone Augusta Group, under which RealVibez is a portfolio, said the proposed facility will have post-production and audio facilities, workspaces, live-music venues, rehearsal spaces for the theatrical side and space to build and construct sets - all made to Hollywood standards.
He also stated that they are in the process of signing a long-term lease with the Factories Corporation of Jamaica for the 23 acres of land to construct the facility.
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"Overseas filmmakers will come to Jamaica to make movies and do as much editing that will be possible here. It will provide jobs for Caribbean people and, by extension, persons in the Caribbean can also rent the equipment," Mullings said.
Lionsgate - a leading global entertainment company with a strong and diversified presence in motion picture production and distribution, television programming and syndication, home entertainment, family entertainment, digital distribution, international distribution and sales - has agreed to provide oversight on the project. It will also provide advice on the purchasing of the equipment that will be similar to the standards of its studio built in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Through the Family Office Association, the RealVibez Group was introduced to Hollywood producer Steven Paul, who produced the films Ghost Rider and Baby Geniuses. From a meeting that also included Kaiel Eytle, chief creative officer of ReelVibz studio, who is a graduate of Full Sail University, a deal to produce five films has been signed with Paul, who has also offered them a distribution deal as well.
"As an entrepreneur, it is not wise to hope for a deal. We have started backwards and have found out what they want us to make. Hope is not a strategy. They have a Walmart DVD distribution and it works well with our minority business enterprise certification. Paul has also committed to help raise the money, identify scripts, directors, actors and production crews," Mullings said.
"With the level of excitement generated about the vision of RealVibez, a grant only should not determine whether we do this project," Mullings added. Should the grant be awarded, it will be a three-year project with one third to be spent on capacity building, workshops and training that will cover more than eight areas of expertise.
However, moving forward without the anticipated grant, from this project, The Method, a low-budget horror movie, will begin filming in Jamaica in September.
"We want people to understand our vision and show what is possible if you think big," Mullings said.
Retired Canadian sprinter Donovan Bailey is also a partner and shareholder in RealVibez Group, and his involvement has also increased the interest and the momentum that the project has been receiving. Real Vibez is also in discussion with a leading music and film-production school in the United States to build a campus at the lot.