BackMichael C. Ellis|There’s a lot riding on how a country is portrayed in movies
Mike Ellis, president and managing director, Motion Picture Association (MPA), Asia Pacific, talks about why he believes India can transform itself into a film-friendly destination
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Mumbai: India’s film industry is expected to touch ₹ 22,000 crore in revenue by 2018, according to a report by consulting firm EY presented at the media and entertainment conference Ficci Frames, organized by lobby group Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Ficci) in Mumbai. At a time when countries are going the extra mile to market themselves as tourist destinations and capitalize on film tourism, India, owing to regulatory and administrative challenges, continues to lag behind, with as many as 30 agencies involved in the process of granting approvals for shooting in the country. Experts say, what’s required is an overhaul, starting with a single-window clearance mechanism, which the government is working towards.
Mike Ellis, president and managing director, Motion Picture Association (MPA), Asia Pacific, talks about why he believes India can transform itself into a film-friendly destination, learning from other markets, and why India continues to be a cinematic draw for movie goers. Edited excerpts:
Would you say India is on its way to becoming a more film-friendly destination?
There’s certainly an environment for it, right from the skill-sets to technology and the promise of better infrastructure. What’s really missing are tax incentives, and having in place a single-window clearance.
For instance, in the US, you have almost 40 states which offer tax incentives. Money is a key driver and so is the ease of making a movie in that country. If you have a bad experience shooting in a country, not many are likely to come back to make another movie.
What are some of the challenges for this market?
Issues like getting your permits in place. You’re paying by the day, which shoots up costs and at times, you’re waiting 14 days for those permits to come in, and also working around bureaucracy.
That can be a huge impediment.
I think that’s where having a film commission might help. States might also make it easier if they have the right infrastructure in place.
How important is film tourism in today’s context and how are countries leveraging this?
Smart governments see this as a way to bring in more money into the country.
There’s a lot riding on how a country is portrayed in movies. Film tourism doesn’t necessarily have to be about just locales and scenery, it can also be about culture, religion and other experiences.
India is one of the most populous places in the world to make films. There’s a whole range of movies coming out of the industry here, not to mention that lot of people know India through its movies.
For that matter, take the latest James Bond movie franchise being shot in Mexico, which can give it plenty of visibility. Other countries like New Zealand, Canada and Malaysia have also done a fantastic job of building facilities.
What are some of the lessons for the Indian market then?
I think it’s important to look at what other countries are doing in this space.
If you take the best practices from each of them, you can end up with a world-class facility here in India as well. There is a lot of money to be made in Asia.
You’re attracting not just Hollywood studios but also local productions, provided you give them the right environment.
What is the sort of dialogue MPA has with the Indian film industry currently?
You can see that producers and film-makers in India are passionate about their craft and are working towards making the process easier—something they often complain about themselves, when you have to go make a film state by state.
We have experiences from around the world which we can share of course. But there is a need to review, restructure and provide for an easier and more transparent process.
If that can be put in place, India will be able to provide the unfulfilled possibility of truly becoming a film friendly destination.
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