Filmmakers and TV crew who shoot in the nation’s capital could receive discounts on lodging, food, drink and transportation of as much as 60 percent amid efforts by the Taipei City Government to attract more film crews as a way of promoting the city.
Joined by movie stars, filmmakers and business representatives, Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) announced yesterday that the Taipei Film Commission would offer a “production concessionary card” to crews that shoot most of their scenes in Taipei.
Filmmakers can apply to the commission for the card and use it at 60 participating businesses, including hotels, laundries, restaurants, cafes and rental car services, during the period of production.
PHOTO: CHEN CHING-MIN, TAIPEI TIMES
The discounts range from 30 percent to 60 percent.
“We want to provide practical assistance to the film industry so that more filmmakers will be willing to shoot in Taipei,” Hau said at Taipei City Hall.
Lee Yu-ning (李佑寧), a well-known director and a member of the commission, said the idea came from a move by New York City, which provides a “Made in NY” discount card to filmmakers.
The large number of film crews shooting in the US city also brought more business for local hotels, eateries and related industries, he said.
“Our ultimate goal is to create a win-win situation for Taipei City and the film industry,” he said.
New York City processes about 1,000 applications to shoot in the city every week, which has created more than 100,000 jobs, statistics from the commission showed.
The commission was formed in 2008 by Taipei City’s Department of Cultural Affairs to provide assistance and financial support to local and foreign filmmakers.
However, the city only began to take more assertive steps to create a “movie friendly” environment after it missed out on the hit TV drama Black & White (痞子英雄), which was shot in Kaohsiung and highlighted many of the city’s landmarks.
The commission provided substantial financial and administrative support for the Taiwanese movie Monga (艋舺) last year. The movie, which was filmed exclusively in Taipei, received a NT$4 million (US$120,000) subsidy from the commission.
The commission budgeted NT$30 million to finance films this year and has appropriated NT$10 million for seven local films selected for sponsorship for the first half of the year.
The commission was also involved in coproductions with 18 countries, including the US, Japan, South Korea and India, she said.
Hau said the city government would attempt to encourage more local businesses to offer discounts to filmmakers.
AGING: While Japan has 22 submarines, Taiwan only operates four, two of which were commissioned by the US in 1945 and 1946, and transferred to Taiwan in 1973 Taiwan would need at least 12 submarines to reach modern fleet capabilities, CSBC Corp, Taiwan chairman Chen Cheng-hung (陳政宏) said in an interview broadcast on Friday, citing a US assessment. CSBC is testing the nation’s first indigenous defense submarine, the Hai Kun (海鯤, Narwhal), which is scheduled to be delivered to the navy next month or in July. The Hai Kun has completed torpedo-firing tests and is scheduled to undergo overnight sea trials, Chen said on an SET TV military affairs program. Taiwan would require at least 12 submarines to establish a modern submarine force after assessing the nation’s operational environment and defense
Yangmingshan National Park authorities yesterday urged visitors to respect public spaces and obey the law after a couple was caught on a camera livestream having sex at the park’s Qingtiangang (擎天崗) earlier in the day. The Shilin Police Precinct in Taipei said it has identified a suspect and his vehicle registration number, and would summon him for questioning. The case would be handled in accordance with public indecency charges, it added. The couple entered the park at about 11pm on Thursday and began fooling around by 1am yesterday, the police said, adding that the two were unaware of the park’s all-day live
The coast guard today said that it had disrupted "illegal" operations by a Chinese research ship in waters close to the nation and driven it away, part of what Taipei sees a provocative pattern of China's stepped up maritime activities. The coast guard said that it on Thursday last week detected the Chinese ship Tongji (同濟號), which was commissioned only last year, 29 nautical miles (54km) southeast of the southern tip of Taiwan, although just outside restricted waters. The ship was observed lowering ropes into the water, suspected to be the deployment of scientific instruments for "illegal" survey operations, and the coast
A former soldier and an active-duty army officer were yesterday indicted for allegedly selling classified military training materials to a Chinese intelligence operative for a total of NT$79,440. The Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office indicted Chen Tai-yin (陳泰尹) and Lee Chun-ta (李俊達) for contravening the National Security Act (國家安全法) and the Anti-Corruption Act (貪污治罪條例). Chen left the military in September 2013 after serving alongside then-staff sergeant Lee, now an army lieutenant, at the 21st Artillery Command of the army’s Sixth Corps from 2011 to 2013, according to the indictment. Chen met a Chinese intelligence operative identified as “Wang” (王) through a friend in November
RSS