Locations: 2010 Sees Strong Growth in Levels of Incoming Film & TV Productions to Ireland
2010 proved to be one of the strongest years for incoming international film and television productions Ireland has experienced having attracted numerous big budget feature films, TV series and movies. It is estimated that the level of incoming projects has doubled in value.
Ireland has been the place of pirates, rock stars, royalty and dinosaurs as it doubled for many cities and countries past, present and future, fantasy worlds and alternative universes over the last year.
The year kicked off to great start when the major feature film HAYWIRE, directed by Hollywood legend Steven Soderbergh and starring Ewan McGregor and Michael Fassbender, shot in various locations around Dublin and Wicklow.
Another international feature film which filmed in Dublin and Wicklow was Paolo Sorrentino's THIS MUST BE THE PLACE. The film which stars Sean Penn and Frances McDormand had a budget of over €20 million, with funding provided by the IFB, Eurimage, Medusa, Indigo Film, Intesa Sanpaolo Bank and ARP Selection France.
Recent big-budget period productions made in Ireland include the TV series CAMELOT (GK-TV & Starz) starring Joseph Fiennes, Eva Green and Claire Forlani, which filmed for 22 weeks this year, GAME OF THRONES (HBO), and THE TUDORS (Showtime).
Other series, TV movies and mini-series include NEVERLAND (Sky Movies & SyFy) starring Rhys Ifans, Bob Hoskins, and Anna Friel, SINBAD (Sky1), TREASURE ISLAND (Sky1 & ABC) starring Eddie Izzard and the hugely popular PRIMEVAL (ITV1, ProSieben, UKTV and BBC Americas) which had an estimated budget of €15 million.
Ireland's animation sector also has shown strong growth on foot of Academy Award® nominations earlier this year for the feature film THE SECRET OF KELLS produced by Cartoon Saloon and the short animation GRANNY O'GRIMM'S SLEEPING BEAUTY produced by Brown Bag Films.
New Brown Bag Films projects include OLIVIA Season 2 (Nickelodeon US), DOC MCSTUFFIN (Disney Junior), and OCTONOUTS (CBeebies) which has just been announced as the top rating pre school show in the UK with over 1 million viewers tuning in a week.
The upturn in incoming international production is due in large part to the improved tax incentive, Section 481, which is now worth up to 28% of Irish eligible spend and delivers upfront on the first day of principal photography. Section 481 finance is available to scripted television drama as well as feature film. As a result Ireland has become a major European production hub for incoming mobile productions.
Irish Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport Mary Hannafin commenting on the Irish Four Year Recovery Plan said "In the context of the four year plan, we will continue to prioritise capital investment in the film and audiovisual content production sector."
NOTES ON SECTION 481
The Irish tax incentive for Film and Television, Section 481 is worth
- Worth up to 28% (max net benefit of €14m per project) of eligible expenditure
- Scheme guaranteed until at least December 2012
- Is available to both Film and TV production
- Benefit delivered on first day of Principal Photography
- Doesn't require bank discounting
- Pays out an amount that is known at the outset