JAMAICA Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO) is in discussion with Canadian and British film councils, with a view to develop co-production treaties to allow for increased investment in local film production.

According to JAMPRO chairman, Joseph Matalon, the country last year earned approximately $400 million from the expenditure of overseas-based film and photographic crews that shot pictures for magazine editorials. Some of that revenue was also generated from screen and television productions, as well as music videos.

Many Jamaicans, he added, benefited from these projects as the crews utilised not only the country's natural resources, but its human capital as well.

"The people who come to Jamaica use local cameramen, local venues, caterers, carpenters and transportation workers," Matalon told JIS News.

Meanwhile, Michael McMorris, JAMPRO's executive director of marketing, said the Corporation's involvement in discussions with Canada and the UK will enable Jamaican filmmakers to access funds for local-based movies and create a raft of employment opportunities for Jamaicans in varying professions. The initiative, he said, was also designed to bring increased exposure to the country as an ideal location for filmmaking.

This effort at increased exposure for the country is expected to be reinforced by the work of the Film Commission, which was set up to bring overseas production personnel to the country to do film, video shoots and advertisements, and interface with foreign professionals to facilitate the movement of services outside of Jamaica.

The executive director noted that the Film Commission had achieved a number of successes, including facilitating the use of Jamaica as a double for countries such as Africa -- as was the case in Legends of the Fall, a period-based film that starred well-known actors, Brad Pitt and Anthony Hopkins.

McMorris added that in other instances, Jamaica had even been used as a double for southern American states.

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