The T&T Film Company (TTFC), in developing its mandate to build a national film industry, needs the private sector's support, said chief executive officer Carla Foderingham. The TTFC has several finance programmes to support producers."Our focus is to develop the national film industry and it cannot be developed wholly by the injection of state funds, it really needs the support of the private sector. We need the buy in and support of the corporate sector," she told the Business Guardian last Thursday at her office, Bretton Hall, Victoria Avenue, Port-of-Spain.
Some of the main objectives of the TTFC include generating revenue and employment within the sector, assisting local producers to access funding for the production and distribution of their products and the responsibility for marketing and promotion of the T&T film industry in the international marketplace.She gave options available for financing.The TTFC makes calls for applications from producers and filmmakers for funding to help their production and write their scripts. We are also responsible for incentives. There is a 35 per cent incentive cash rebate that is for T&T filmmakers once the money is spent in T&T. In February that was increased by 15 per cent more. The T&T filmmaker only has to spend $100,000 to get 35 per cent cash back," she said.
She described the relationship between banks and the creative industry."The banks do not usually consider the creative industry as solid credit as a block factory and because our films are not seen on local channels or at the movies, we do not have an appetite or business sense of that industry."She spoke about collaboration with the Ministries of Trade and Finance to boost incentives."The incentives that have been proposed by the state was an incentive of 150 per cent tax incentive. This is managed by the Ministry of Arts and Multiculturalism in terms of the certification process. However, the TTFC is of the view that there are certain tweaks we are making in line with the Ministry of Trade, in association with the Ministry of Finance, to make the incentive more robust."
The Production Assistance Development Grant Funding Programme, started in 2004, has produced more than 100 productions: features, documentaries, many of which award winning, she said.Foderingham believes the industry is still at an early stage."T&T has not had a history of developing the creative sector. It was only in 2007 the TTFC was staffed. So from 2007 to now, we have been funding productions every year. Before the TTFC, where else could they go?" she asked.Despite the challenges of the young film industry, T&T is being increasingly used as a site for local and international productions.The Canadian film Home Again, shot in T&T last year, is a story about Jamaicans who were deported back to the land of their birth. Filming locations included the Piarco International Airport, Sea Lots and Long Circular Mall. More than 100 local actors took part.Hip hop star Nicki Minaj, who is of Trinidadian heritage, did her Pound the Alarm music video shoot in Trinidad last year. The 75-minute documentary Hero, on Ulric Cross, the T&T-born World War II war fighter, has also used T&T for location shots.
An enabling environment
She pointed to the national economic benefits of a building a strong local film industry."If you look at the indicators that could define development, you are speaking about employment, foreign exchange, levels of investment, you want to ensure there is an enabling environment to support the growth of the industry, and you want to ensure there is robust legislation, robust incentives to be able to lift and carry the industry," she said.Speaking about graduates from University of the West Indies (UWI) BA Film programme, she raised the issue of where these graduates would go on completion of their UWI training."The sector here is not as old as Hollywood. They want to work in production companies. The goal is for us to build a cadre of directors, producers, production managers. We want to keep them at home and help them develop their own stories, create their own production and animations and find all platforms for the screening and exhibition of the work that would allow them to enjoy revenue."
Foderingham spoke about the possibilities for distribution."Should we be speaking about having films for sale in a place like Hi-Lo? Bookstores?" she asked.She said Market Facts and Opinions polls indicate the T&T television viewing public love local content.Speaking specifically about the Danielle Dieffenthaller-produced and directed series, The Reef, Foderingham said: "Around 2008, her series was judged as the best on television over Young and Restless, Bold and Beautiful and other foreign shows."She said T&T is behind bigger countries that have developed their industries long ago–Canada, India, Mexico– and are now benefitting. T&T needs to catch up quickly."We are like entrants into this game," Foderingham said. "It has been played out for a long time."