Training, financing imperative to developing film industry in Barbados
Training and funding are two of the things that are necessary in order for the film industry in this island to develop.
This is according to the Film Commissioner with the Barbados Cultural Industries Development Authority, Annette Nias who spoke with The Barbados Advocate on the sidelines of the workshop on Audio Production yesterday at Building #2, Harbour Industrial Estate.
She said that they decided on the topics based on the weaknesses that they would have observed occurring in the local film industry.
“The topics are really where the weaknesses are shown from the products that we produce. So we know that there are problems with sound, there are problems with lighting. So over the course of the year, we say that ‘okay, these are the workshops that are needed. That is why we have this type of response because they (participants) know there are the weaknesses.”
Another critical area is for film producers and directors to acquire the required equipment in order to carry out their work.
“Money is important, you know for them to buy equipment and run projects. So through grants and through funding opportunities, you know, they gradually acquire their own equipment. But yeah, I would say funding for equipment and funding for projects. That is what is needed.”
The Film Commissioner said that while the industry is not that huge right now, it has the potential to grow.
“In Barbados it (filmmaking) is not very big. But, I would say it is growing. I myself use the word industry with caution, but we are moving towards something viable. There is a lot of talent and these workshops help to build capacity, help these people to build their skills so that they would be better on projects and that is what would help to build the industry.”
Meanwhile, the speakers were chosen because they are the experts in those particular areas.
She stated that these workshops are conducted from time to time as a way of training local persons involved in the industry, especially since they want to promote this island as an ideal destination for film directors and producers to shoot their films as well as to to develop the local industry and training of local personnel is critical to that process.
The workshop, which was conducted by Trinidadian Audio Producer, Cedric Smart, is being coordinated in conjunction with the Barbados Investment Development Corporation (BIDC) and it is a part of a series of training workshops in film in order to help to build this industry. They would have started on March 24th to the 25th with a workshop on screenwriting which was taught by Producer and Director, Rommell Hall and it would conclude next week with a workshop for lighting in film which would be conducted by Lighting Designer and Owner of Parachute Film Studios, Roger Moore.