Film and TV sector 'could be worth €1bn'

Ireland’s television and film sector could double in size in the next five years if a concerted effort is made to target international markets, a new report suggests.

A dedicated Irish film channel, a fund to promote Irish films at home and a co-production fund to bring in major international productions are among the recommendations in Creative Capital: Building Ireland's Audiovisual Creative Economy, which was commissioned by the Government.

The report believes that the audiovisual sector, which includes all television and film produced in Ireland, could double its turnover from €500 million to €1 billion and double jobs in the sector from 5,000 to 10,000 within five years.

The report says this cannot be achieved without a greater emphasis on international markets and it recommends that Enterprise Ireland and Culture Ireland be directly involved in the promotion of Irish films abroad.

Enterprise Ireland, which helps indigenous companies that export, should be tasked with finding international markets for Irish film and the IDA should be involved in getting foreign direct investment (FDI) in the sector into Ireland.

A €2 million co-production fund could help generate €40 million in bringing in productions of the scale of The Tudors and Camelot, the report states. It says Irish film and television needs to be more orientated towards an international market and producers should adopt a "make-to-sell" culture for international audiences.

It acknowledges the struggles Irish films have in getting noticed and it recommends that the Irish Film Board (IFB) be involved in marketing and promoting such films.

The Sound and Vision fund, which is critical to the success of independent production companies in the country, should be transferred from the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) to the IFB.

The change would be part of an increased mandate for the film board which will also have a dedicated business development unit. It will also have full responsibility for co-ordinating a single training programme for the whole industry.

The report recommends that each of the local broadcasters agree a memorandum of understanding setting out common standards for feature film, TV drama, animation, documentary production and industry training.

It urges the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Jimmy Deenihan to convey an industry wide consultation to agree “free, flexible, transparent and internationally competitive labour agreements” across the sector.

It also recommends that the intellectual property rights for content should remain with the companies who create the work rather than reside with the broadcaster who pay a fee for it.

Mr Deenihan has approved the formation of a new inter-departmental committee to examine the feasibility of implementing the recommendations in the report.

Mr Deenihan said Ireland had “world-class talent” and he hoped that a coherent interdepartmental collaboration would help achieve the “sustainable growth for the sector and the skills to build a sustainable export market.”

The members of the steering group which produced the report include Cathal Gaffney the managing director of Brown Bag Films, Ed Guiney, the company director of Element Films, and Niall O’Donnchu, the assistant secretary general of the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.