Film Location Switzerland on the move
08.08.2004
On June 1, 2004, the “Film Location Switzerland” association officially became a member of SWISS FILMS and established its branch office in Vevey. This new affiliation between the two organizations allows for better coordination of promotional activities abroad. As the national Swiss film commission, Film Location Switzerland advertises for the country’s diverse and multifaceted filming locations and for the services and advantages Switzerland has to offer for film productions. The association also supports the formation of local film commissions such as Film Location Geneva, founded in 2004.
SWISS FILMS membership and new branch office of Film Location Switzerland:
The inclusion of Film Location Switzerland into SWISS FILMS, which is already comprised of the Swiss Film Center, the Swiss Short Film Agency, and the film services of the Pro Helvetia foundation, allows for an improved coordination of promotional activities at international film festivals. In addition, SWISS FILMS assists Film Location Switzerland in its fundraising activities. However, the board of Film Location Switzerland retains its decision-making right over promotional strategies and the association’s budget.
The new branch office has been made available by the city of Vevey at no cost. Vevey has been focusing its cultural and economic promotion strongly onto the visual arts and related audio-visual areas. The establishment of the office follows the termination of the mandate between Film Location Switzerland and CAB Productions, Lausanne, a few months ago. Since its foundation in 2000, the film production company CAB Productions successfully implemented Film Location Switzerland until 2003.
Promotional activities in 2004:
In addition to its services as a location office – with approximately 150 inquiries from abroad per year – Film Location Switzerland pursues its agenda of promoting the advantages of Switzerland as a shooting location. Among them is the diversity of sites within a limited territory, labor costs competitive to those in neighboring European countries, and easily attainable film permits. Together with “Switzerland Tourism”, Film Location Switzerland was part of the Swiss Pavilion at the Cannes International Film Festival in May of 2004. Next, they were present at the Locations World 2004 in Bombay, India, a meeting between Indian film producers and film commissions from around the globe. Specifically, two members of Film Location Switzerland, Tritten Film and Allabout Production Service, participated in the event, which brings together a majority of the Bollywood producers. A third engagement, in cooperation with Greater Zurich Area (a multi-state marketing organization for the Zurich economic area) will bring them to New York City in November as part of the Swiss American Film Festival, with the goal of promoting Switzerland to the US film scene.
Establishment of Film Location Geneva
Film Location Switzerland supports the establishment of regional film commissions. After the foundation of a local office in Vevey in 2003, the city of Geneva followed in 2004 with Film Location Geneva, managed by the film association Fonction: Cinéma and with its own internet presence (www.filmlocationgeneva.ch). One of the major goals of Film Location Switzerland is to build a network of regional film commissions throughout the country and thus establishing an overall attractive location for foreign producers.
General information:
Film Location Switzerland is comprised of Swiss production companies and service providers within the film industry. Membership has risen from 50 to 57 since the beginning of the year, and the organization’s budget is CHF 150,000. Currently, negotiations are under way with “Praesenz Schweiz” (Presence Switzerland), one of its most important sponsors, and with other federal agencies as well as tourist and economic promotional institutions, in order to secure the association’s long term financing. Additional financing comes from regional and private sponsors as well as membership fees.
Locarno, August 8, 2004
The inclusion of Film Location Switzerland into SWISS FILMS, which is already comprised of the Swiss Film Center, the Swiss Short Film Agency, and the film services of the Pro Helvetia foundation, allows for an improved coordination of promotional activities at international film festivals. In addition, SWISS FILMS assists Film Location Switzerland in its fundraising activities. However, the board of Film Location Switzerland retains its decision-making right over promotional strategies and the association’s budget.
The new branch office has been made available by the city of Vevey at no cost. Vevey has been focusing its cultural and economic promotion strongly onto the visual arts and related audio-visual areas. The establishment of the office follows the termination of the mandate between Film Location Switzerland and CAB Productions, Lausanne, a few months ago. Since its foundation in 2000, the film production company CAB Productions successfully implemented Film Location Switzerland until 2003.
Promotional activities in 2004:
In addition to its services as a location office – with approximately 150 inquiries from abroad per year – Film Location Switzerland pursues its agenda of promoting the advantages of Switzerland as a shooting location. Among them is the diversity of sites within a limited territory, labor costs competitive to those in neighboring European countries, and easily attainable film permits. Together with “Switzerland Tourism”, Film Location Switzerland was part of the Swiss Pavilion at the Cannes International Film Festival in May of 2004. Next, they were present at the Locations World 2004 in Bombay, India, a meeting between Indian film producers and film commissions from around the globe. Specifically, two members of Film Location Switzerland, Tritten Film and Allabout Production Service, participated in the event, which brings together a majority of the Bollywood producers. A third engagement, in cooperation with Greater Zurich Area (a multi-state marketing organization for the Zurich economic area) will bring them to New York City in November as part of the Swiss American Film Festival, with the goal of promoting Switzerland to the US film scene.
Establishment of Film Location Geneva
Film Location Switzerland supports the establishment of regional film commissions. After the foundation of a local office in Vevey in 2003, the city of Geneva followed in 2004 with Film Location Geneva, managed by the film association Fonction: Cinéma and with its own internet presence (www.filmlocationgeneva.ch). One of the major goals of Film Location Switzerland is to build a network of regional film commissions throughout the country and thus establishing an overall attractive location for foreign producers.
General information:
Film Location Switzerland is comprised of Swiss production companies and service providers within the film industry. Membership has risen from 50 to 57 since the beginning of the year, and the organization’s budget is CHF 150,000. Currently, negotiations are under way with “Praesenz Schweiz” (Presence Switzerland), one of its most important sponsors, and with other federal agencies as well as tourist and economic promotional institutions, in order to secure the association’s long term financing. Additional financing comes from regional and private sponsors as well as membership fees.
Locarno, August 8, 2004