1 March 2005
As the dust settles on this year’s Oscars, the Government has unveiled a scheme to help British film makers enter into co-productions with overseas firms.
Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell is inviting movie companies from South Africa, China, India, Jamaica and Morocco to share their film-making expertise and talent with the UK.
Special treaties will allow them to work together to produce films which will benefit all the countries involved.
The Government says that co-produced films ‘are vitally important to the expansion of the UK film industry’ as well as to the economy and culture.
In 2004 UK firms co-produced 83 movies worth £142 million with countries in Europe as well as Australia, New Zealand and Canada - producing box office hits such as The Magic Roundabout and The Merchant of Venice.
Following a meeting with the South African Minister for Arts and Culture, in which both Ministers signed a statement of intent to get the negotiations underway, Tessa Jowell said:
"Movie making has always been a global business. Pooling talent and expertise is increasingly important to enable all those involved in the film industry to compete on a world stage.
"In 2001 India made more than 1,000 films - making it the world’s largest feature film producer. And with a population of over a billion in China it makes sense to tap into this market."
Extra information
The negotiations for setting up the treaty structures will take place over the next 18 months.
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