Audiovisual shootings broke records in Tenerife last year by generating an expense of 58.3 million and more than 8,500 jobspractically doubling the pre-pandemic figures of 2010when spending stood at 28.8 million.
This was stated this Monday at a press conference by the president of the Cabildo, Peter Martin; the Island Director of Tourism, Laura Castroand the CEO of Tenerife Tourism, David Perezduring the annual activity balance of Tenerife Film Commission.
As a whole, the productions added 1,207 shooting days, 60% more than in 2019 Y the main country of origin was Spainwith 70, followed by Germany, with 48, and the rest of the European Union, also with 48 productions.
Most of the shootings correspond to commercials and photography sessionscase of the last announcement 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 like ‘Amor de madre’, ‘Space Jam’ or ‘Everybody does it’ 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 85 companies affiliated with the Tenerife Film Commission, 12% moreand the strong economic impact of the animation industry, with a volume of spending of 15.1 million and the company on the island of 8 companies with more than 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.
More than 5,000 extras
Only last year there were 3,511 hirings of qualified personnel and 5,057 extrascompared to the 1,187 and 320 required the previous year, and according to Martín, the objective is to increase production because this implies more services for companies and more continuously over 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.
