Pedro Martín proposes creating thematic circuits on series and movies and opens the door to providing the island with production centers
SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, Feb. 7 (EUROPE PRESS) –
Audiovisual filming broke records in Tenerife last year by generating spending of 58.3 million and more than 8,500 jobs, practically doubling the pre-pandemic figures for 2010, when spending stood at 28.8 million.
This was stated this Monday at a press conference by the president of the Cabildo, Pedro Martín; the island director of Tourism, Laura Castro, and the CEO of Tourism of Tenerife, David Pérez, during the annual balance of activity of the Tenerife Film Commission.
As a whole, the productions totaled 1,207 days of filming, 60% more than in 2019 and the main country of origin was Spain, with 70, followed by Germany, with 48, and the rest of the European Union, also with 48 productions.
Most of the filming corresponds to advertisements and photography sessions, in the case of the last advertisement of the singer Dua Lipa for Yves Sain Laurent, and as for the rest of the productions, others stand out, such as the series ‘La Casa de Papel’ or ‘Balko Tenerife’, films such as ‘Amor de madre’, ‘Space Jam’ or ‘Todos lo do’ or Shakira’s video clip ‘Don’t wait up’.
Martín has valued that the audiovisual industry “generates employment and activity” and helps to diversify the island’s economy, consolidating it as a natural set and establishing it as an international claim.
He also highlighted that there are 85 companies affiliated with the Tenerife Film Commission, 12% more, and the strong economic impact of the animation industry, with a spending volume of 15.1 million and the company on the island of 8 companies with more of 300 jobs.
Along these lines, it has influenced the “offshoring of talent” by companies in the sector, attracted by the tax advantages of the islands but also by the climate and quality of life in Tenerife.
The president of Tenerife has indicated that the central government has become an “ally” of the audiovisual sector by defending tax advantages, so the bureaucratic horizon “is clear” and now it is about continuing to attract productions to continue generating employment.
OVER 5,000 EXTRAS
Last year alone there were 3,511 hires of qualified personnel and 5,057 extras, compared to the 1,187 and 320 required the previous year, and in Martín’s opinion, the objective is to increase production because this implies more services for companies and more continuously in time.
Looking to the future, he has said that the Cabildo pursues the objective of getting “more performance” from filming with the creation of guided routes through filming locations, although he admitted that “it is not easy” because rights must be negotiated with companies.
Likewise, he has said that “it seems that a step is missing” on the island so that it is not just a natural set and for this reason he has announced that he is “working intensely” on the possibility that there are studios or some permanent production center in Tenerife, thus following the model of Gran Canaria.
David Pérez has placed special emphasis on the German series ‘Balko Tenerife’ because it is not only shot on the island but also the plot revolves around Tenerife, which opens an “interrelation” with the tourist market to the point that it is considered that the protagonists become “ambassadors”.
Castro has highlighted the increase in the budget of the Tenerife Film Commission, which rises to 400,000 euros (+20%) and “the good indicators” with which 2022 starts.
