Most of the Plenary session of the Council of Tenerife approved yesterday, with the 27 votes of PSOE, Cs, CC and PP, the Declaration of island interest of the Imagine Green Studios Cultural and Audiovisual Complex projectand which will mean the implementation in the municipality of Adeje of the largest complex of film and television sets in this entertainment industry in Europe.
The project, promoted by the company Grupo KISS Media under the name Imagine Green Studios (IGS), will allow the full filming of large national and international productions on a total of 19 sets, equipped with all the latest generation services and technologies to accommodate all filming and production needs, and that they will occupy an area of about 400,000 square meters, according to the group.
With this initiative, the Island will compete in the market with London, Prague, Rome or Berlin, cities that concentrate the majority of Hollywood blockbusters, also attracting large European projects. In addition, IGS will generate more than 15,000 direct and indirect jobs in its different phases of implementation, construction and subsequent development of permanent activity.
The KISS Media Group celebrated yesterday the plenary resolution ensuring that the implementation of IGS in the Archipelago will complete the attractive natural characteristics of the Islands for the audiovisual world. Something that it will do with a competitive platform of specialized technical and human resources capable of covering the entire shooting and post-production process, with the excellence demanded by both international and national audiovisual creations. They highlighted that the Canary Islands is one of the regions with the greatest possibilities and attractions in the world for any business in general and for the film and series sector, in particular. Thus, its landscape variety is combined with its status as the outermost region of Europe.
In the words of Blas Herrero, president of the KISS Media Group, “Imagine Green Studios represents the culmination of our permanent commitment to the Canary Islands and the Spanish audiovisual sector. The Canary Islands have become a strategic territory for us with innumerable possibilities for expansion. The development of this audiovisual hub aims to return to the canaries all the success they have given us with their follow-up and support. IGS will place the Canary Islands and Spain at the top of the world audiovisual map”.
In addition to the 19 sets, creators and professionals will have in this hub more than 20 post-production rooms for image and sound armed with the latest editing technology. The facilities include two spectacular special venues for aquatic and underwater filming.
The group defends that the project will comply with all the standards of sustainability and environmental integration with the environment, with a construction that has respect for the environment as its main commitment, supplying 100% of renewable energy sources. The design of the studios has been prepared by the American company Stone Creek, based in Los Angeles, one of the world’s most qualified companies in projecting film sets and in compliance with environmental and quality standards, point out from IGS.
The hub will also have a professional training center and university postgraduate training for future technicians and professionals, such as lighting designers, art directors, directors, post-producers, designers, carpenters, craftsmen, make-up artists, etc. These professions will join directors, scriptwriters, editors, cameras and management and administration managers, also having the opportunity to complete their training. IGS will be a cluster to house companies with an offer of audiovisual production, post-production and training services. The goal of the promoters is for the project to be operational from the year 2025.
council
Meanwhile, from the Cabildo de Tenerife, after the approval in plenary session of the project of island interest, it was reported that it is considered to be a strategic project, adequate and aligned with the line of economic and social development of Tenerife. Likewise, the capacity of the Imagine Green Studios proposal to generate qualified employment opportunities was highlighted, with an offer of comprehensive audiovisual production, post-production and training services.
In this line, the Cabildo stressed that its implementation contributes to diversify the economy, through the promotion of new productive sectors, such as the audiovisual sector, declared strategic by both the Parliament of the Canary Islands and the Cabildo, due to its capacity to generate qualified employment and its positive impact on the economic and social development of Tenerife and the Canary Islands.
They also reported that, after its declaration as a project of island interest, this cultural and audiovisual complex will be transferred to the Tenerife Environmental Assessment Commission (CEAT), which will determine the type of environmental assessment to which it must undergo. In parallel, the process will begin to verify that the project complies with the legal and technical requirements determined by both the Cabildo and the rest of the public administrations involved.
The declaration of interest in the island was approved with 27 votes in favor of PSOE, Cs, Partido Popular and Coalición Canaria, while the non-attached councilor María José Belda and the two councilors of Sí Podemos Canarias voted against the project and requested its annulment. of your statement.
From the Cabildo it was recalled that the audiovisual activity in Tenerife is increasingly relevant. Thus, according to the results presented by the Tenerife Film Commission, between 2019 and 2022 audiovisual filming left more than 194 million euros on the Island.
