ADDING VALUE a report by Northern Ireland Screen NORTHERN BOOSTING CELEBRATING ENHANCING CONTENTS THE THE THE IRELAND OUR OUR OUR CHILDREN'S ECONOMIC CULTURAL EDUCATIONAL SCREEN ECONOMY CULTURE EDUCATION VALUE VALUE VALUE 08 Large-scale Production 44 Writers 84 Creative Learning Centres 18 Independent Film 46 Short Film 90 Moving Image Arts (MIA) 22 Animation 48 ILBF / CCG 92 After School FilmClub 26 Factual / Entertainment 56 USBF 30 Television Drama 64 Film Culture 34 Gaming and Mobile 74 Heritage and Archive 38 Skills Development 78 Awards 04 05 INTROduCTION As the government-backed lead Of course certain activity intersects In a similar vein, the work of the agency in Northern Ireland for the film, more than one area and the inter- Education Department, with regard to television and digital content industry, connectivity of the agency’s work will its intervention through FilmClub, has Northern Ireland Screen is committed become apparent. For example, the value in both education and culture; as to maximising the economic, cultural development and production funding for children learn through film in a pure and educational value of the screen indigenous projects made in Northern educational sense as well as gain a wider industries for the benefit of Northern Ireland by Northern Ireland film-makers appreciation of film culture and of the Ireland. This goal is pursued through our and shown at a Northern Ireland festival, culture of Northern Ireland through mission to accelerate the development will have value in all areas. An obvious watching content-relevant films. of a dynamic and sustainable screen case in point is the feature film Good industry and culture in Northern Ireland. Vibrations. The film showed economic For ease of reference and to give the value through its expenditure on Northern report a simple narrative structure, This publication is intended to give a Ireland goods and services: it shot in it is split into 3 sections: Economic, clear and concise understanding of how Northern Ireland, employed Northern Cultural and Educational. we go about achieving that goal and to Ireland crew and bought goods and show how the economic, cultural and services here; in cultural terms it is a educational value of the screen industry Northern Ireland story told by Northern is beginning to shine through across the Ireland film-makers and was the opening wide range of activities which Northern film at the 2012 Belfast Film Festival. Ireland Screen supports and encourages. 06 07 THE ECONOMIC Our latest strategy for the 4 years 2010–14, Driving Global Growth, is expected to show the following final VALUE performance at the end of March 2014: Total investment by To increase the capability and capacity Northern Ireland Screen — of the Northern Ireland screen industry, we need a consistent level of physical £27,800,000 production in Northern Ireland – productions which create jobs for the Total expenditure on goods and services mainly freelance film and television in Northern Ireland — crew-base in the region and which boost the Northern Ireland economy through local expenditure on goods and services. £120,767,000 Total value of productions made in The main lever for this activity is The Northern Ireland — Screen Fund, which is open equally to both incoming and indigenous productions. It is discretionary funding £293,749,000 offered to productions which must achieve a certain level of qualifying 1,150 direct full-time equivalent jobs expenditure in Northern Ireland years valued at — and must employ a percentage of Northern Ireland resident crew. £49,020,000 The Fall ADDING VALue — THE ECONOMIC VALUE 08 09 CASE STUDY LARGE-SCALE They offer film and GAME OF THRONES television tourism potential, showcasing PRODUCTION Northern Ireland locations on the big and small screen. We support Productions of size international and scale hire a large productions for number of crew, the benefit of offering employment opportunities Northern Ireland and helping develop careers. They accept trainees and run apprenticeship schemes, assisting us fulfil our skills They expend on development remit. Northern Ireland goods and services bringing economic benefit to help drive our economy. Large-scale international productions which have benefited Northern Ireland in this regard include feature films City of Ember (2007), Your Highness (2009), Series 1–4 of Game of Thrones (2010–13) and Dracula (2013). © HBO CARLA BARROW CIARA BOAKE TOM MARTIN HEATHER GREENLEES BRENDAN GUNN RILEY GARRETT 10 11 WARDROBE SUPERVISOR 2ND AD HEAD OF CONSTRUCTION ART DIRECTOR DIALOGUE COACH GRIP TRAINEE In 1988 an Access Fund from NI Government kick Started work in the industry the day after Started as a carpenter working on commercials in Isleworth Studios, Started in London in 2003 and returned to Belfast in 2004 Originally a Lecturer in Linguistics at the From starting as a Camera Trainee in 2003, worked as started her training for costume in theatre and graduating from Queens University in London in 1990. Worked on many large productions at Pinewood to work on feature film Breakfast on Pluto. Started out as University of Ulster, Brendan began working Assistant Camera and Focus Puller until 2012. Through film. Having worked for 7 years in Cardiff and the summer of 2005. First role was as and after 22 years in London, Tom was asked by a producer he knew an Art Department Assistant and worked up through the in the industry in 1986 as a Dialect Coach to training provided by Northern Ireland Screen, in 2013 London, returned home in 2004 to the burgeoning Director's Assistant on a feature film shot to return to Northern Ireland to work on Your Highness and the grades. Has been on 3 series. Has been funded by Northern Mickey Rourke in A Prayer for the Dying. Since Riley was able to change from the camera department industry here. Her first job was on Hunger before in Belfast called Johnny Was. Has worked Game of Thrones pilot. Tom has worked on every series since as HoD Ireland Screen to attend the FDI Draughting Course at then has worked across vast range of work in to being a grip, ending up behind the rig on some of the becoming Wardrobe Supervisor on Game of Thrones. on all Game of Thrones series since 2009. and has relocated home to County Fermanagh. Pinewood which has been crucial to Heather’s progression. international film, television and theatre. show’s most complicated shots. Much has been written about the Game of Thrones effect: Aside from the direct economic benefit, Game of Thrones is ■ This type of project is the most effective as a catalyst ■ Post-production house Yellow Moon, in Holywood, Co. a showcase for the region’s locations and skills; it has given or hub for the development of a centre of expertise Down, has employed more permanent staff due to the ■ Variety reported on the launch of Season One: “Not since Northern Ireland crews the chance to prove their mettle or skills. vastly increased workload, leased a third building for the the Titanic slipped out of the Harland & Wolff shipyard and there is no doubt that our skills base has provided HBO team and installed new kit including a Dolby room in 1912 has something manufactured in Belfast launched evidence of its flexibility in adapting to the demands of a Just as it has had an impact on skills development, so too for dubbing and several new Avid DS Nitris suites. While to such fanfare. The acclaim for the new HBO fantasy big-budget returning series. has the show sparked fresh investment in infrastructure many productions, which shoot outside of their region, series is sparking hopes that it will do for the province development and has shown that the potential for a long-term return home or even to London for post, Yellow Moon what Peter Jackson’s epic did for New Zealand.”; Game of Thrones has so far proved to be unrivalled in its has helped to keep the entire process local; ■ Local press claims “Thrones boosts Belfast” and “Game impact on skills development: ■ Local Belfast facilities company, Acorn Film and Video, on for indies in Northern Ireland” and “Game of Thrones is also reaping the benefits. Commissioned to produce returns and our economy is set to make a killing”. ■ A single season can be sufficient for a talented individual the making-of packages for the show’s own website to advance one step up the career ladder with many of and DVD releases, Acorn has had several crews working The monetary value of a production of such vast size and the trainees from Season One employed subsequently across Northern Ireland and other international filming scale as Game of Thrones is undisputed: on full-time contracts; £65.5 territories, to capture all the action; ■ Returning projects allow for this career advancement ■ Acapple, the film and television construction company, Game of Thrones Pilot (2009) in a way that individual film or television projects do million has relocated from Pinewood to Belfast; Investment: £1.6m Expenditure: £3.2m not; bringing about a gradual professionalisation to the amount spent on goods ■ Drumfern, the local construction subcontractor, has also Northern Ireland industry and creating sustainability. and services in Northern greatly expanded; Game of Thrones Series 1 (2010) Ireland during production ■ Facilities company, G & H, has invested considerably in of pilot and series 1–3 Investment: £1.6m Expenditure: £18m The scale of this cinematic television project is such that © HBO new vehicles and trailers; Game of Thrones Series 2 (2011) multiple teams run simultaneously to an extent rare on any ■ Ka-Boom has expanded and invested on the back of ADR Investment: £2.85m Expenditure: £21.8m other project: work; and work flow attracts expenditure that could not be galvanised multi-million pound sound stages could only have been ■ Extras NI has turned the provision of extras into a viable Game of Thrones Series 3 (2012) ■ Parallel design teams, construction teams and camera for a single project: achieved through such a cinematic television project as business.