Local films can make billion$

Sunday Newsday chatted with three of the directors of the non-profit organisation last week: Dion Boucaud, Lesley-Anne Macfarlane and Danielle Dieffenthaller.

The organisation’s fourth director, Mariel Brown, was absent.

Boucaud explained FILMCO arose from an exercise they had with a local television station that wanted to rebrand as “total local”.

He said they met with the station weekly to show how to provide profitable and sustainable programmes with local content. He recalled the station managers were amazed at how much foreign exchange they would be able to save.

However, in 2016 there was a change in the station’s leadership which cancelled the entire process.

Boucaud said, rather than cry and gnash their teeth, they decided to get together and “do it on our own”.

Boucaud explained the relationship between filmmakers and local stations is one-sided because stations charge for the content to be aired and the filmmakers also have to get their own advertising.

“It’s tiresome, it’s unsustainable, it’s hostile, it needs to change.” Boucaud said broadcasters seek cheap foreign programming and just sell commercials.

Macfarlane said one of the main goals of FILMCO, which was incorporated last week, is to aid in the creation of a sustainable system for local film and television and will do this through sustainable models, workshops and training. He said a main issue was that there was single body that could speak on behalf of filmmakers.As a result, they will bring filmmakers together as a group to approach broadcasters and Government. Boucaud said feedback on FILMCO has been positive since they launched their Facebook page in January.

“It is something that has been needed and wanted.” Boucaud said the film industry was booming at a point partly because of the TT Film Company (TTFC), for which he served as a consultant at one point. With the film company, he said decisions were immediate and the managers listened to industry players.

However, the film industry was at a “standstill”, after the previous administration implemented CreativeTT in 2013 and made film a subsidiary along with music and fashion. Boucaud said with this structure the new FilmTT has a board made up of filmmakers but they cannot make any decision without first going through the CreativeTT board. Therefore, decisions that took a week before now take a month.

“The whole film structure started to crumble.” He said the fruits of the TTFC can be seen in films such as Bazodee, The Cutlass and Play the Devil but now there is little momentum, noting many filmmakers lost their motivation and some left the country to find work elsewhere.

Now, FILMCO is creating a process where dialogue can take place and said they have engaged FilmTT which has been supportive.

Boucaud said to build the industry incentives are needed such as tax credits and duty free allowance on equipment.

Dieffenthaller governments do not understand the power they hold as creative people, adding there is a lot of lip service about supporting the film industry.

Macfarlane also observed students graduating from the film programme at the University of the West Indies find there is “nothing for them”, and older filmmakers cannot help them as they are struggling themselves.

“We all struggling,” Dieffenthaller added. Boucaud said government should remain involved in a national television station to “preserve our culture, (our) moral values, tell our stories, (and) educate the population on why they need to invest in the country.” Dieffenthaller said many people do not care about the country and that is why they can allow it to look like a rubbish heap, “The only time they see themselves is when they biting concrete.

The majority of people. Or in handcuffs, or dead on the front page or your mother raped. I mean, really, how are we selling this country? “Get us back to understand who we are. We don’t know who we are.” Dieffenthaller said FILMCO is not asking for handouts but for investment.

FILMCO will have their first meet and greet on May 5.