The South African industry has generally welcomed the Department of Trade & Industry's (DTI) new film production incentives (effective 1 February), which have set the threshold for local productions at R2.5m and foreign-owned productions at R12m. An amount of R660m spread over the next three years has been allocated to the new incentives.

Thus far the DTI has received five applications for the South African Film and TV Production incentive (aimed at local productions and treaty co-productions) and three for the Location Film and TV Production incentive (targeted at foreign-owned productions shooting in South Africa). The latter replaces the DTI's Large Budget Film and TV Production Rebate introduced in 2004.

"We have had a positive response from the industry, especially regarding the South African Film and TV Production incentive, which is designed to provide much needed financial support for local productions," says Moeketsi Marumo of The Enterprise Organisation, the DTI division responsible for the formulation and implementation of incentives.

Speaking on behalf of the industry body, the South African Screen Federation (SASFED), Rehad Desai comments: "We're generally happy with the new DTI schemes and it is significant that the DTI has introduced a clearly defined incentive which is supportive of local content. There are always kinks in any new system and it's up to us to identify them, but we're hopeful that the DTI will address them as they arise. One such kink is the stipulation that made for TV feature films have to be 90 minutes in length to qualify. Films must be allowed to be their natural length."

Read more in the March 2008 issue of Screen Africa