Growth & Jobs | Film Commission leads local creatives to South Africa

ADVANCED DISCUSSIONS on the Jamaica and South Africa Co-production Treaty through the Film Commission and a successful mission to the 2024 FAME Week/MIP Africa solidified Jamaica’s increasing efforts to form alliances among stakeholders in the global film industry. Local filmmakers secured 80 meetings with key stakeholders from global streaming platforms during the prestigious event held in Cape Town, South Africa.

The mission, led by Jamaica’s Film Commission under the Jamaica Promotion Corporation (JAMPRO), highlighted the tremendous opportunity to showcase Jamaica’s vibrant film industry and tap into African markets. The commission collaborated with the Culture, Health, Arts, Sports and Education Fund (CHASE) to sponsor a delegation of local creatives to seize the opportunity.

Achievements from the mission underscored a growing demand for Caribbean content in Africa, prompting the South African government to share co-production treaty samples for review. Finalising such a treaty would mark a critical step in formalising arrangements to pool resources to create high-quality, investment-ready content for global distribution.

During the event, Film Commissioner Jackie Jackson participated in several panel discussions while engaging with government entities including the National Film and Video Foundation and the Ministry of Sport, Arts and Culture.

She emphasised that a consistent presence within these markets is vital for showcasing industry stability and attracting international financing and distribution for local filmmakers.

“MIP Africa/FAME Week 2024 served as a critical gate in the global film industry, providing Jamaican creative practitioners with opportunities to export content, build international networks, access business prospects, and experience knowledge transfer,” Jackson stated.

The Jamaican delegates networked with representatives from industry giants such as Netflix, Amazon, Showmax, Multichoice, Africa Channel and Docubay. Some delegates secured distribution offers, contingent on the development of a unified and complete content catalogue.

During a recent post-mission briefing, the delegates collectively expressed optimism and gratitude for the opportunity and exposure received during the mission.

Chief Executive Officer at YaadBoiiz Film Productions, Orville Matherson shared that he was able to engage in meaningful discussions with Netflix, about his film, Jamaican Mafia, which features Nigerian characters. “I was also able to talk with different people and understand co-productions with people who were interested in what we had as Jamaican creatives. It was such a rewarding experience that opened my eyes and gave me opportunities I never imagined happening so quickly,” he shared.

Head of Production at The Lab, Tashara-Lee Johnson, said strong interest was gained for the projects ‘Jenna in Law and SEEN,’ as well as the trailer for Love Offside. The company was also offered a three-year distribution with ROK and Nollywood TV which will see their projects published in multiple territories in Africa, the UK and the Caribbean with rights in English and French.

“Over three days we met directly with buyers and distributors from major networks like Netflix, Paramount and Canal+, building relationships that have since led to formal negotiations,” Johnson stated.

With the strategic objective to increase the export of commercially viable local content and support local creatives, the Government has allocated a $1-billion financing initiative to the creative sector. The Jamaica Screen Development Initiative (JSDI) which is currently evaluating applicants for approval, will support creatives in completing their projects for distribution.

Writer and director, Michael Cushnie, while providing feedback on his experience, stressed the importance of driving local investment into the sector, to develop a full catalogue of content to attract international distributors.

“They want volume. It is our responsibility to sustain the local film industry. International streamers are asking for hours, and they want more culturally relevant and authentic content of Jamaica,” he stated.

While remaining optimistic for the financing support through the JSDI and other opportunities currently being formalised under the Film Commission, the delegates are motivated to finalise the development of their projects.

The Film Commission, under JAMPRO, is responsible for promoting Jamaica at international festivals, trade shows and content markets as a premier location for filming and for positioning business linkages for Jamaican industry participants. The commission is tasked with circulating regional and international export and investment opportunities to local industry stakeholders, pursuing investor progression for eligible international projects that will result in the employment of Jamaicans in the film industry, and lobbying for incentives and policies to strengthen the business environment and increase investment opportunities in the industry.