Spain Location Industry Unveils Five-Point Action Plan

variety.com:

John Hopewell Chief International CorrespondentAs Cannes celebrates it first big get-together since 2019 with much of the traditional movie industry business model now being questioned, one thing, at least, has never been stronger: The drive by governments worldwide to lure big movie shoots.Powered by an exponential rise in demand, film and TV shoots are already big business.

Total expenditure on shoots in France last year was valued at €2.8 billion ($3 billion), 30% up on 2019, CNC president Dominique Boutonnat announced at the recent Series Mania.Overseas shoot numbers are already rebounding from pandemic, with France’s Tax Rebate for Intl.

Productions (TRIP) attracting 62 overseas shoots in 2021, 20% more than 2019. Expenditure was up 60%. Goosed by more incentive schemes, the locations industry looks set to build even more.

In March 2021, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced a Spain AVS Hub plan with a total $1.8 billion budget for 2021-25.Much of that targets big foreign productions to Spain, which has already hosted huge productions including “Game of Thrones” and its series prequel “House of the Dragon.” Just what film commissions can do to further add more is a big question.One answer came on the cusp of Cannes as the Spain Film Commission (SFC) unveiled a five-point action plan:• The creation of a Spain Film Talent Network, placing special emphasis on women working in the industry.• The strengthening of SFC’s territorial network under a Spain Film Friendly Land initiative.• A transmedia overhaul of SFC’s website.• Promoting Spain as an international destination for shoots and inward investment under a Shooting in Spain brand.• Spain Virtual Locations: The creation of pilot schemes for 3D models of.