Tag Archives: Martin Cuff

On Location: LA Times Interview

So (“blush”), I was interviewed for a profile piece in the LA Times that came out yesterday:

Film commissions are set up by governments to be the custodian of economic activity. That involves attracting international production to the destination, because it obviously creates jobs and stimulates small business growth. But the job of film commissioners also is to support film festivals to make sure that money circulates in the local economy, develop film audiences, support local filmmakers and connect with film schools – in short solidifying all aspects of the industry and creating platforms on which the global film industry can continue to grow and be sustainable.

Nice pic though (thanks Di & Francois)

 

Read the article in full here: AFCI’s Martin Cuff touts the role of Film Commissioners

AFCI announces new Leadership

Needless to say, I’m quite pleased to quote directly from the Association of Film Commissioners’ International website as follows:

Larry Brownell, who has served as the AFCI Executive Director since February 2010, stepped down from his post Wednesday, March 15th. The Board of the AFCI is pleased to announce that Martin Cuff Consulting will provide management services to the association until a permanent Executive Director is hired.

Larry commented on his work with the AFCI: “Film Commissions are the unsung heroes of the film business and provide an untold amount of assistance, both in services and financial benefits. I was proud to be able to assist the AFCI in supporting their work on behalf of media production.”

Martin Cuff Consulting is headed by Martin Cuff who has a long-standing relationship with the AFCI, having served four years on the Board. In addition, the firm brings with it an invaluable global perspective including the establishment, development, implementation and management of film commission offices on three continents, marketing and large-scale trade show experience and non-profit management expertise.

On his company being retained to assist in the interim, Martin Cuff commented, “I and the firm are honored to be able to work with the AFCI during this transition period, and are particularly excited to be a part of the new Locations Trade Show partnership with the Produced By Conference. I look forward to seeing everyone in Los Angeles in June!”

The board and staff are forecasting a smooth transition and look forward to working with Martin Cuff Consulting on upcoming events.

Cinelink, Sarajevo

CineLink is the industry development section of the Sarajevo Film Festival and it’s designed to reshape and meet the needs and expectations of Southeast Europe’s film industry. Activities take place throughout the year, including Project Development Workshops, Industry Screenings and a Coproduction Market.

It all culminates in the Regional Forum that runs for the next few days at the Hotel Europe here in the city, concentrating on key issues in the audio-visual sector of today – sustainable financing, digitalization, funding schemes, regionalization, sales etc. I’m up this morning, presenting on Film Commissions and Film Incentive Programmes and their applicability in Eastern Europe.

He’s Just Not That Into You

I’ll start right out by saying that He’s Just Not That Into You is set in Baltimore, and that’s perhaps the most interesting thing about it. A wry-ish look at the pitfalls and pratfalls of dating amongst an extended Chinese Whisper of friends and acquaintances, He’s Just was clearly conceived as some modern When Harry Met Sally – complete with mockumentary vignettes from completely unrelated people. Unfortunately it fails.

He’s Just Not Into You stars just about everybody except Cameron Diaz, but only Jennifer Aniston and that spunky little Irish-looking guy from Entourage come across as even vaguely authentic. I remember there was a lot said in the blogosphere about the heinous portrayal of the male gay best friends in the film but I didn’t find it at all troubling given that EVERYONE is a Twitter Update rather than a fully formed character. I’m not saying it’s not amusing. It’s just that there’s really nothing to work with, and nothing to hang the humour on except some really rather sorry social pathologies. I guess, I really just wasn’t into it.

And again smokin’ Bradley Cooper as an adulterer; I shall clearly have to have words.

The Day the Earth Stood Still

There were titters and guffaws in the Capetonian audience watching The Day the Earth Stood Still when it realised that an interstellar body with enough speed and size to anihilate the entire planet was heading for a direct impact with Manhattan Island. All 23 square miles of it. So here’s another little tip for Hollywood’s cognoscienti; out here in the Rest of the World plc – where, incidentally, we make up more than a fraction of the revenues your product will score over the course its lifetime – we’re actually a little bored of seeing New York or Los Angeles getting blasted. It’s been done. To death.

Anyway. Fortunately – and without giving away too much of the plot – this particular incident is not at all happenstance. Aliens are coming, and they have a specific purpose; they want to save the dying Earth. Continue reading →

Mamma Mia!

Yes, Mamma Mia! is cheezy. Yes, it’s uneven and it’s unlikely and, if you look at it dispassionately, it’s all ridiculously silly. But the thing is, you simply cannot watch it dispassionately……

Blame those damn catchy tunes. Blame the fact that absolutely everyone seems to be having an absolute blast (you know it’s daft when career vamp Christine Baranski plays one of the more subdued characters). Blame Meryl Streep for completely stealing the show (how can you not just grin when you watch her sixty-something frame joyously bouncing on her big old bed, singing Dancing Queen at the top of her lungs?) Julie Walters is just dotty. Pierce Brosnan sings! And Greece has itself another glorious destination marketing product that’ll have the tourists clamouring.

 

A lot of the action was shot on the island of Skopelos – including the remarkable Agios Ioannis Prodromos Monastery that served as the wedding chapel (I thought for a while it had to be a set; I just hoped it really was an actual place). The beach at Kastani, a tiny bay on the west coast bay served as the film’s main external location site. Says the UK Telegraph

The producers built a beach bar and jetty but removed them when they left. Swimming offshore, you look back on a bay so symmetrical it might be an amphitheatre, and so extravagantly green that it might have been painted by a set hand.

The whole production may have been a breathy, high-paced shambles, but who cares? I’m packing as I type.