Location, Location

"Why film in Ireland?" asks the promotional brochure from Bord Scannan na hEireann, The Irish Film Board. There are an impressive list of reasons why in the past decade Mr Stephen Spielberg et al have chosen to get the cameras rolling over here.

For a start there are the spectacular and accessible locations, the expert technical support and the roaring "Celtic Tiger" economy. Generous tax incentives available to budget conscious movie-makers complete this attractive package.

In the 11 years since Section 35 Relief - a tax deduction available to Irish investors who buy shares in Irish film production companies - the film industry here experienced unparalleled levels of success.

In effect, Section 35 means that 80 per cent of the amount invested in a film can be written off for tax purposes resulting in a contribution of up to 11 per cent to the budget. Companies involved in manufacturing, including film production, can also avail of a favourable 10 per cent tax rate on profits. At times since its introduction the streets of Dublin and the boreens of rural Ireland took on the appearance of a giant movie set. Internationally renowned movies such as My Left Foot, The Crying Game, Braveheart, Michael Collins and more recently The Boxer were all made more profitable through various tax incentives. In the process the skills and talents of Irish film crews are honed and thousands of employment man-hours created.

Mr Ed Guiney is a producer with Temple Films in Dublin. Past feature films from the company include the award-winning Guiltrip and shooting has just begun on Sweety Barret, "a story of revenge set in a small Irish coastal town" starring Mr Brendan Gleeson and Mr Liam Cunningham.

It is "essential", says Mr Guiney, that the government continues its support of the industry. "The business is in a good position at the moment, film is a boom industry worldwide, now a fresh look needs to be taken in terms of how this support can be extended," he says.

According to Mr Guiney, this support should centre around the indigenous film industry here. "We can deceive ourselves to a certain extent with all the hype about offshore activity and Section 35. What we really need is a solid indigenous industry and help for those who are in Irish film for the long haul," he says.

Forbairt, the state agency charged with nurturing Irish industry, are strongly committed to supporting film in Ireland. They provide a wide range of services, including post-production facilities, animation, music recording studios and some funding to film-makers.

Talks are currently ongoing between Forbairt and the Irish Film Board as to how existing services can be more tightly focused to cater for the needs of film and TV production companies. But according to Mr Declan Murphy of Forbairt, state programmes are often not taken up by film production companies.

This, he explains, is because often film makers neglect the commercial side of the business and are preoccupied with the artistic area. "We feel that a commercial, market-orientated approach where a portfolio of projects is developed would be much more productive. And if approached Forbairt can cover the costs of building up such a portfolio," he says.

Ardmore Studios, in Co Wicklow is where much of the major film activity of the past decade in Ireland has been located. It boasts four massive sound stages, a state-of-the-art, post-production facility and all the other elements of a successful studio, from set construction services to dressing rooms for the stars. My Left Foot, The Commitments and In The Name of the Father are just three films made in Ardmore in the past. At the moment the fourth series of the popular TV programme Ballykissangel is being filmed there along with an American TV series. Nightrain, a feature film directed by John Lynch, and supported by RTE and the Irish Film Board, will start production soon.

According to managing director Mr Kevin Moriarty the political moves which made it easier to finance productions brought "reasonable health" to the industry. "In Ireland we are in the position where we have certain natural logistical advantages for film-making. But money talks and talks quite loudly in the film business," he says.

While it is important to support home-grown talent, we have to realise that we are in a global market place says Moriarty. "It is an expensive business and to recover your outlet the production has to have reasonable success outside these borders," he says.

The Irish Film Board was established to promote the indigenous film industry and by the end of 1997 44 major feature films and series - including The Last of the High Kings and I Went Down - were made with it's assistance. Their success of films like these indicates that there is a significant audience for Irish cinema both at home and abroad.

Up until 1993, says Mr Paddy Hayes of The Irish Film Board, there were three or four films made here per year. Currently between 18 and 22 films are made annually. "We have the crews and we have the expertise," he says. "Recently there have been a number of young Irish film-makers, actors and technicians coming through and with that there comes a certain amount of optimism".

Watch out for a development which is set to introduce Ireland to a totally new type of cinematic experience. The country's first IMAX theatre opens it's doors in June as part of a joint venture between Ogden Entertainment and the Sheridan Group. IMAX will present dramatic film experiences on Ireland's largest screen. The films will take you on thrill filled trips to outer space, the depths of the ocean and some of the world's greatest attractions including the Grand Canyon. These and many more will soon be on view the Sheridan Group's Parnell Centre on Parnell Street, Dublin.

In a few weeks The Irish Times will announce details of a competition for secondary school students participating in the Business 2000 project.

The challenge will be to come up with promotional ideas for what is called the ultimate in entertainment experience. Schools, student and teachers prizes are on offer, including being one of the first visitors to IMAX. The prizes also include a family trip to the home of IMAX in the USA.