Minister of home affairs Leon Schreiber has taken a big step in making SA the preferred destination for international filmmakers by proposing easing requirements for visa applications for the sector, in a move also meant to boost tourism.
To this end, Schreiber has issued an invitation to film and production federations and organisations to submit an expression of interest for admission to the Screen Talent and Global Entertainment Scheme (Stages).
The invitation states that the introduction of Stages is critical to reform the visa system and position the department as an economic enabler by enhancing tourism through film production in SA.
“With an initial focus on the burgeoning opportunities and markets of film production in SA, the Stages will remove some of the key obstacles standing in the way of SA becoming a favoured destination for the production of film and modelling agencies,” the expression of interest invitation reads.
“Through the Stages, the department aims to put in place a visa regime that will provide the trusted film industry partners with access to a simplified procedure to assist their member companies with obtaining visas for film crews, among other things.
“The process will entail reduced requirements for visa applications from the film industry, based on predictable, reasonable criteria, without consuming excessive administrative capacity or time.”
Canal+, the new owner of MultiChoice, has publicly committed to supporting local content and using SA as a base for projects aimed at international audiences.
Cape Town, Joburg and Durban have become key players in international productions, hosting films such as Avengers: Age of Ultron, The Woman King, Safe House and Bloodshot. The industry recently received a welcome boost with the establishment of a R500m state-of-the-art film studio in Cape Town.
The Stages reform will allow visa applications to be submitted by an accredited film industry partner. The scheme will have two pathways. The first pathway, meant for SA-based federations, will have a selection scorecard of 140 points, with interested parties needing 120 points for selection into the scheme.
Legal compliance, which includes whether the entity is compliant with SA tax laws, will account for 50 points, with 30 points allocated to whether the outfit has experience in film production and another 30 points geared towards the number of films actually produced, with the full 30 points set to be allocated to those companies that have produced more than 100 projects.
The last 30 points for SA-based players are allocated with economic impact, with those entities that can attract foreign direct investment of R200m annually set to be allocated the full points.
The second pathway is for foreign-based federations. The same criteria apply as for local players, with an extra 30 points allocated for partnering with an SA federation, organisation or association facilitating film production.
“The scored results will be assessed and validated by an inter-departmental committee, comprising one or more technical officials from, but not limited to, the department of home affairs, department of trade, industry & competition, the department of arts & culture and any other relevant government department,” the invitation says.
“The Stages inter-departmental committee will, after assessing and validating the application, make recommendations to the minister of home affairs, who will take the final decision on the application.”
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.