Revisiting film cities and film services: Methodology, theory and applications

Abstract

Film cities and film services perspectives have become an important part of policy thinking about film and television production. It is now routine for a variety of governmental and industry agencies to assist in supporting, marketing and developing local capabilities, infrastructures and resources. The aim is usually to extend the local footprint of the film and television industries by attracting foot loose globally dispersed productions. This article revisits and expands earlier perspectives on film cities and film services developed by the author and his collaborators. It does this in order to compare Australian and South African cities' participation in national and global film production and to consider how such approaches may be usefully redisposed for policy thinking and opportunities for South Africa's large informal market settings.