The set up of the Malta Audiovisual Production Centre should build on the achievements in the IT sector and could provide the basis for Malta to become a centre of excellence in this sector.
IT and Investment Minister Austin Gatt said that just like the investment from Dubai in SmartCity has helped boost IT in Malta, the MAPC should do just the same for the filming and advertising industry in Malta.
This new audiovisual company has been set up by a number of audiovisual industry professionals from Malta, Italy, Europe and the US.
MAPC will be providing comprehensive services in relation to the creation of any form of audiovisual production. This will range from the drawing board stage to the final product. All productions will be of high technological and quality levels, thereby contributing significantly to raise the level of audiovisual productions originating from Malta.
During yesterday’s launch, the press was treated to a snippet of the experience which the backing companies have with clients such as Coca Cola, Motta, Renault, Adidas, the Disney Channel, Sky, Buitoni, Prada, Beltè, Merrell and many others.
The backers, represented yesterday by Andrea Pardo and Daniele Ventura, said that the company aimed to bring work to Malta and not sap work from the country. “We want to bring our clients here and we want the work to be done in Malta,” said Mr Pardo. He explained that the reasons for coming to Malta were many: “People have excellent English, it is a pretty location, there is good weather, Malta is a stepping stone to Europe and North Africa and you have competitive salaries and costs, among many other reasons,” he said.
To offer high-quality productions, MAPC will be utilising services already available in Malta together with overseas expertise. This will help to ensure the quality leap required by potential clients, including large multinational companies. The quality guarantees together with the significant cost-effectiveness, are expected to attract large-budget productions which previously would not have considered Malta for their audiovisual needs.
Also speaking at the launch was Giorgio Mondovì of Nestlé (Malta). Nestlé has on previous occasions acquired the services of AV production from the mother companies of the promoters of the MAPC project. Speaking at the launch, he said: “Nestlé, like all the other multi-national companies with a base in Malta look forward to the potential of Malta becoming a service centre for the international advertising needs.” Although Nestlé Malta was the initial promoter of this initiative, MAPC is a totally independent company and will provide its services to any international company that might be interested in such productions.
Dr Gatt remarked that Malta was today experiencing a very important quality leap. This is a company with recognition and reputation in the Italian and European advertising markets that is investing in Malta under a significant brand choice “Malta Audiovisual Production Centre”, improving Malta’s supply chain to customers.
The Maltese AV product will be undergoing an upgrade that will have to meet the expectations of major firms such as Nestlé and other worldwide clients. This will create the opportunity for Malta to gain experience in exporting TV products for advertising, which is only a step away from exporting other AV products such as TV and film.
The MAPC project has the full support of Malta’s government which especially appreciates MAPC’s undertaking to support training initiatives for Maltese human resources, he said. He added that MAPC was indeed undertaking to train resources it would employ and also resources belonging to the local SMEs that supply it. MAPC has also agreed to provide 400 unpaid man-days in stages for students training for the creative industries to help them gain experience with hands-on training.
MAPC is also helping the government to draw up new curricula for training in specialised skills in the TV advertising business for people working for Maltese TV companies. The courses will be provided by MCAST though it is worth noting that some private training providers are already providing university degrees in creative computing.
MAPC has also agreed to help fund the Malta Film Commission to give a share in Malta’s new effort to market the country with global players as a place where to film TV adverts. This will be marketing that will benefit directly the Maltese TV business community. Dr Gatt also said that next year was likely to be a bumper one for film-making in Malta. “We have two blockbusters lined up, but we cannot yet say what they are; it is too early,” he said. He also said that this year was also a good one with some EUR7.2m worth of films being shot in Malta, leading to EUR30m investment directly into the Maltese economy.
In typical fashion, Dr Gatt said: “I am bullish in such deals. We cannot guarantee success, but we have struck a win-win deal here which should kick start the film-making industry in Malta. The ball has started rolling and hopefully, we can get that ball free rolling down the hill.”