Film industry needs action on funds

The film industry is hoping to benefit quickly from a peace settlement and a stable political environment. It has already made considerable advances as a result of the ceasefire announcements of 1994, and the fruits of this are on show this week at the Cannes Film Festival.

An unprecedented five feature films made in the North in 1997 are being showcased in Cannes over the coming week, and the Northern Ireland Film Commission (NIFC) is hoping to use the festival to convince more producers of the benefits of working in the North.

Mr Richard Taylor, chief executive of the NIFC, says the focus will be on both British and Irish producers. Up to 200 people have been invited to a reception tonight in Cannes organised by the NIFC. Mr Taylor admits that many producers, even when making films about the North, have chosen to use locations either in the South or in Britain.

"We are promoting Northern Ireland through the films that were made here last year. For obvious reasons, Northern Ireland wasn't a place where people wanted to make feature films, so we're trying to change that perception," he says.

The task facing the NIFC will not be an easy one. In addition to the difficulties caused by political instability and violence, it also has to cope with competition from the booming film industry in the Republic, which gets greater Government support. Mr Taylor points to the Section 35 tax break scheme south of the Border, which encourages private and corporate investment in films. Producers can raise between 10 and 12 per cent of their budgets through the scheme. This, in Mr Taylor's view, has driven the growth in the industry over the past five years.

The Dublin Government also gives £3 million per annum to the Irish Film Board. The equivalent figure for Britain £12 million. "To translate the level of funding in the South, British Screen Finance would need £40 million, instead of £12 million," he says.

Mr Taylor stresses, however, that he sees the NIFC and the Irish Film Board as playing complementary roles, and says the relationship is very warm between them. The Irish Film Board collaborated on one of five films showing at Cannes, Sunset Heights.

Money from the British Lottery is now coming to the aid of the industry in Britain. The five films made in the North in 1997 had budgets ranging from £500,000 sterling to £3 million. One of these, Divorcing Jack, got one third of its budget £1 million from the Lottery. This was channelled through the Arts Councils in both Northern Ireland and England.

Only one of the five benefited from private investment. The NIFC is now planning to try to bring together groups of private investors to put money into a series of films, rather than just one production. "You have to spread the risk," says Mr Taylor.

At Cannes, the NIFC, which was set up last April and has a budget of £1 million per year, will be impressing on producers the service it offers. As well as giving help and information on locations, crews and facilities, and following through with help on marketing, it also offers producers loans of up 50 per cent towards the cost of developing a project.

The North, says Mr Taylor, is both cost effective and offers a good skills base.

Feature films have a greater spin-off, but the NIFC is also involved in the production of short films, the best known of which to date has been Dance Lexie, Dance, which received an Oscar nomination. Its success has greatly helped to raise the profile of the North in the US according to Mr Taylor. He is optimistic about the future and believes the British government now recognises the value of the industry, as it can return dividends in terms of improving the North's image and boosting tourism.

"This place is underdeveloped for obvious reasons. It's hard enough making films without going to a place which was dangerous to an extent. Now that's gone, and hopefully it's gone forever, this place can only get stronger."