Not many people realise that some of the places that are so familiar to us have been used as the setting for over 80 movies.
This is open to anyone who has a passion for film
In recent years, Malta has been used to double for locations both real and mythical, from ancient Greece and Troy, Italy, France, Alexandria in Egypt, Palestine, Israel to Warsaw.
We know that ancient Rome was rebuilt in Fort Ricasoli for Ridley Scott’s Gladiator.
The city of Troy was resurfaced in the epic Troy featuring Brad Pitt; Buġibba doubled as Cyprus in Steven Spielberg’s Munich; and locations in Siġġiewi, Marsaxlokk and Vittoriosa were used for the historical flashbacks to the Knights Templar in Ron Howard’s The Da Vinci Code. Popeye’s Village is a monument to Robin Williams’s stint on the island.
However, countless other films have used the locations we know so well to flesh out their stories.
From Alan Parker’s classic Midnight Express where Fort St Elmo in Valletta was transformed into the Turkish prison to Kevin Reynold’s The Count of Monte Cristo starring Jim Caviezel, which is considered to be one of the very best cinematic showcases for Malta’s picturesque locations.
This film featured the Grand Harbour standing in for Marseilles, the Dockyard creek at Vittoriosa, the Azure Window in Gozo, Fort St Angelo, Mdina Gate and the main square in Mdina as well as Comino, the Blue Grotto and the Grandmaster’s Palace in Valletta.
“The countless Maltese locations we see in such productions continuously serve to publicise the islands of Malta and Gozo and this leaves an indelible mark on the economy,” said Malta Film Commissioner Peter Busuttil.
“However, having trained location scouts who are well versed in their craft strengthens the island’s reputation as a viable, efficient film destination.”
The first in a series of training courses being organised by the Malta Film Commission is focusing on location management and scouting.
“This is open to anyone who has a passion for film; you don’t have to have a particular skill,” said Mr Busuttil.
Location scouts are the first people hired on a film production. They are entrusted with finding, photographing and securing locations based on a script and a brief given by film producers. They negotiate location fees, organise local permits and liaise with local authorities to organise film shoots.
The three-day seminar, taking place between Saturday and Monday, will be conducted by experienced location professionals such as Christian McWilliams, who is also a guest at the first-ever Malta convention (see story opposite).
Joseph Formosa Randon, who has worked on a large number of local projects, with directors such as Stephen Spielberg, Ron Howard, Guy Ritchie and Mark Foster, will also take part.
Participants will get an overview of what being a location manager involves.
This includes the skills needed to make contact with and find locations and; the photography skills required to present photos to a film director closing a deal.
Reservations are on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information visit www.mfc.com.mt, call 21 809135 or drop an e-mail to info@mfc.com.mt.