- There must be a deliberate effort to design a policy as a cornerstone of development for a healthy film sector.
- The sector is increasingly regarded as not only culturally important but as a powerful driver for economic development.
Image: Moses Mwangi
The film industry presents a major opportunity for Kenya to service demand by investing in production capability and capacity.
Critical in the attraction of international Screen productions, providing both incentives and capacity to ensure that projects can be attracted and effectively serviced.
The film production sector is increasingly regarded by governments as not only culturally important but as a powerful driver for economic development.
Productions generate significant amounts of expenditure in production locations, which is distributed across on-the-ground crew, local production companies, service and rental companies, and a range of other suppliers such as caterers, restaurants, hotels, and transport providers among others.
Film Incentives
Film incentives are considered a crucial factor in accelerating the film industry's growth by attracting productions to specific locations through financial incentives such as tax credits, rebates, grants, or subsidies.
These incentives lower production costs, making it more appealing for filmmakers to choose a particular location for their projects.
As a result, the local economy benefits from increased spending on goods and services, job creation, and infrastructure development.
Additionally, film incentives can stimulate tourism and enhance the cultural identity of a region, further contributing to its economic and social growth.
Overall, film incentives can serve as catalysts for expanding the film industry and fostering economic development in the areas where they are implemented and as a catalyst for growth in all other related industries.
There is evidence underlining the pronounced impact that film production can have on tourism.
Indeed, film production is a major tourism motivator, and aligns with wider trends such as experiential travel and the influence of social media on tourism.
Why Film incentives would play a crucial role in determining Kenya’s competitiveness.
Cost-Effectiveness- Incentives such as tax waivers, tax breaks, grants, or rebates reduce the overall cost of production, making the destination more attractive to filmmakers who are often budget-conscious.
Economic Impact- Film production injects money into the local economy through spending on accommodation, catering, transportation, and hiring local talent.
Incentives can encourage more production, thus boosting economic growth and creating jobs. Competitive Edge – In the marketplace, countries compete for film productions.
Offering attractive incentives can give a destination a competitive edge over others, enticing filmmakers to choose it over alternative locations.
Infrastructure Development - Increased film activity can lead to the development of infrastructure such as studios, post-production facilities, and skilled workforce, which benefits the local film industry in the long term.
Promotion and Tourism - Films shot in a country can serve as powerful marketing tools, showcasing its landscapes, culture, and attractions to a global audience.
This exposure can boost tourism and promote the country's brand internationally.
Overall, film incentives are essential for attracting productions, driving economic growth, and enhancing the global visibility of a destination in the highly competitive film industry. Recognizing the economic and cultural benefits of attracting international productions and developing a local industry, governments around the world make a range of interventions that seek to achieve these aims.
Policy, legislation, and strategy
There must be a deliberate effort to design a policy as a cornerstone of development for a healthy film sector.
This includes both sector-specific and non-sector-specific policies in areas where it affects film production.
The scale of production investment has significantly increased the need for physical spaces to shoot, or manufacture screen content.
Production studios are now a key area of need in many markets and strategic, long-term government investment is required as a key intervention for developing production infrastructure and building the sector.
Studios require significant capital expenditure, and financial support from the state can be necessary either to promote private investment in the facility by lending upfront costs on favorable terms, or by directly investing in infrastructure.
We must aim to achieve a film-friendly operational environment
A film-friendly production environment encompasses a shared, positive view of the film industry across a range of different government departments, agencies, and other entities.
Storytelling is at the center of all our national aspirations i.e. security, cohesion, and integration, ethics, job creation with a critical view on economic and social well-being.
Film production companies need to bring technical equipment and crew – particularly in Kenya, and this must be a straightforward process with no delays and ambiguities.
The Film Commission and other agencies to collectively and effectively communicate the positive impacts of the film sector, to ensure ongoing support from all relevant stakeholders and, in turn, ensure effective turnaround for productions by implementing the policy measures.
The writer is the CEO Kenya Film Commission