Cape Town has long been the focus of the international film industry, given its majestic beauty, its lower costs due to the weak Rand, being on the same time zone as Europe, and its excellent weather. The Visa Regulations launched last June have put a damper on the film industry, and with it the model agency business. It may have cost Cape Town ‘its competitive edge‘, which is bad news for the city’s tourism and hospitality businesses.
While film companies make use of local as extras as well as support services to shoot in Cape Town, they often need international models and actors. The Visa Regulations have restricted the availability of some international models and actors, due to the time taken to apply for a visa, which has to be done in person, often with an appointment time of a month ahead, a problem for film shoots which are often planned in the last-minute. This means that a European location will be chosen instead, especially by smaller production companies which are not as well staffed to deal with the administrative demands of the Visa Regulations.
Since the Visa Regulations were relaxed two weeks ago, the interpretation by each South Africa embassy appears to be inconsistent, each embassy interpreting the revised regulations in its own way.
The film industry not only benefits the Tourism industry in that it requires accommodation, catering services, restaurant meals, set builders, technicians, location scouts, transport services, shopping facilities, and more, but it also becomes a wonderful marketing opportunity for our city, when the beauty of Cape Town is reflected in the film. This was the case with the German movie ‘Einfach Rosa – Wolken über Kapstadt‘, which was screened on Germany’s largest TV station ARD last Friday!
The Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry fears that it will take a number of years for the relaxation of the Visa Regulations to attract the international film industry back to our beautiful Cape Town!
Source: Atlantic Sun
Chris von Ulmenstein, WhaleTales Blog: www.whalecottage.com/blog Tel 082 55 11 323 Twitter:@WhaleCottage Facebook: click here
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