The Mediterranean Film Studios are "quite busy" from this month until the end of the year, following a quiet first six months, said studio manager Cornelia Azzopardi Schellmann, who described 2006 as "the year of the beer".

Indeed, three beer commercials are lined up to be shot at the studios - the first being the renowned brand Corona from Mexico, scheduled for next month.

Mexico is one of the few countries to boast its own water tanks, so it was quite a feat for Malta to secure the job, said Ms Azzopardi Schellmann, attributing the choice to the fact that MFS is cheaper because the tanks are smaller, and that it has the required ships, which would be revamped for the commercial.

Another two beer commercials are scheduled for the end of September and October, while other major brands opting to use Malta include Rolex.

The prestigious watch company has just concluded a month-long photo shoot carried out around the world and in a number of Mediterranean countries, culminating in Malta, where underwater photographs were taken using a set constructed by the studios.

Other internationally renowned brands, Kit Kat and the telecommunications company Orange, have also shot commercials at the tanks - each featuring water, vessels and storms.

The studios do not underestimate the importance of commercials. "Last year, we did not host a single one, but over the previous six, they have pulled us through," Ms Azzopardi Schellmann said.

On the MFS agenda for 2006 is part of a German feature film starting in October over seven weeks, followed by the UK TV production Roman Mysteries, which would also be using other locations.

A Russian feature film that was scheduled for spring and would have filled in a lull at the studios has been moved to the end of the year, meaning that from now until December, they are being kept busy.

Meanwhile, MFS is actively working on 2007 and "it is already looking good", said Ms Azzopardi Schellmann, who has been running the studio for seven years and is "addicted" to the industry.

Many recces for shooting next year have been carried out and could result in the filming of three German TV productions, one from the UK in March, another from southern Europe in late spring and the possibility of a Japanese project at the end of next year.

"However, in this industry, you think you have sealed the deal, but you never really know," she pointed out.

About 60 enquiries from small and medium productions have been received so far this year, and interest seems to be flowing in from various parts of the world.

"That is thanks to the good promotional job being carried out by the Film Commission, which markets the tanks as one of Malta's major assets," Ms Azzopardi Schellmann said, adding that "word of mouth" also has a strong effect in such a small industry, where everyone knows everyone.

"That is why it is vital to be honest and offer a fair deal. A couple of decades ago, it was not the case, but we have to look beyond our noses."

Meanwhile, the movie Open Water 2, shot entirely in Malta, mainly in the tanks, over around eight weeks last summer by the German production company Orange Pictures, is due for a worldwide release. It hit German cinemas yesterday and the UK on September 1, where it is being called Adrift.

Then entitled Godspeed, the gripping thriller had pumped around €1.2 million into the economy, its executive producer Stephan Barth had told The Times.

Sign up to our free newsletters

Get the best updates straight to your inbox:
Please select at least one mailing list.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing.