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The Film Industry
Background
Trinidad and Tobago’s film sector began
emerging in the late fifties to early
sixties and by the late seventies, there
were a handful of local productions, both
feature film and television. Along with an
outstanding geographic location, the country
has substantial resources for the production
of feature films, with a well developed
theatrical community, playwrights,
experienced production crews, etc.
Sector Profile
As of January 2007, Trinidad and Tobago film
industry consisted of twelve (12) production
companies; (33) companies offering
production support services; nine (9)
television stations. Altogether, the
production companies employ a core staff of
approximately 200 full-time employees, while
the television stations employ over 700
persons. Expertise abounds in the production
of commercials and corporate videos.
Roughly, 136 foreign film crews came through
T&T in 2005-2006, generating revenues of
US$1.4 million. The components of the local
film industry include:
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Creative – screenwriters, film
directors, art directors, actors,
directors of photography, animators,
music composers, editors;
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Production – producers acquire the
rights for a property, assemble the
creative team, secure financing, develop
the property and arrange distribution.
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Distribution – local, regional and
international;
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Exhibition – theatrical (cinemas,
DVD/video outlets) and non theatrical
(schools, Government and other
institutions);
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Broadcasting – television, direct
television, cable, pay per-view,
specialty and conventional channels.
For the prospective film producer, Trinidad
and Tobago can boast of a unique advantage,
with its concentrated variety of contrasting
location sites all within the close
proximity to each other. Products of the
local film sector includes feature films,
documentaries, music videos, television
dramas and sit-coms, entertainment programs,
commercials, corporate productions,
educational programs, etc.
Over the last 50 years a number of
international feature films have been shot
on location in Trinidad and Tobago
including:
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“Heaven Knows Mr. Alison” with Robert
Mitchum
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“Fire Down Below” with Rita Hayworth
(1957)
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“Disney’s “The Swiss Family Robinson”
(1960)
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“The Mystic Masseur” (a Merchant/Ivory
production, 2000), and
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“Calypso Dreams” (2002).
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Calypso @Dirty Jim (2004)
Internationally acclaimed documentaries:
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“The Trial of Life”
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“Vampires, Devilbirds and Spirits”
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“Little Creatures who Run the World”
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Soca Power (2008)
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