20
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LMGI COMPASS
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Spring 2021
IN MY CITY: MALLORCA
type of advertising spot. Reality shows have been
very successful and little by little, film projects
have become more frequent, thanks to the impact
of large productions such as The Night Manager
and Netflix's series White Lines.
Stevie: WHAT CHALLENGES DO YOU FACE IN YOUR JOB?
DP:
Each shoot is a different challenge, but surely
our biggest challenge is not to interfere with
tourism, which is the largest source of income on
the island. In the summer season, the beaches
and the city are full of tourists. The people who
live here also complain when we close streets and
take away parking.
We work hard to resolve these issues in a positive
way, year after year, as more filming comes to the
island and the people get more used to our presence.
I have to say that with the help of the Palma Film
Office and the Mallorca Film Commission, we are
making the process much smoother.
Stevie: WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES TO FILMING
SPECIFICALLY IN PALMA OR IN YOUR GENERAL FILMING
TERRITORY?
DP:
Having more large productions on the island
consumes more professional resources, but at
the moment, we have no shortage of vendors.
The companies that are dedicated to supporting
production are not many, but they manage it very
well. Here also, the Location Department takes
care of security, portable toilets, tents, traffic,
cleaning, etc.
One thing we don't have is enough experienced
location crew that's available to work when three
or more large projects come together at once.
We solve it by bringing crew from the mainland,
although that may cost more.
Filming big action scenes in urban or natural
areas is also a challenge. Although city councils
are becoming more accustomed to filming, some
administrations do not yet recognize filming as
both an economic and cultural attraction.
We cannot always count on the support of large
institutions to make large films, especially with the
environmental authorities. While getting permits
for working in the city and on the roads does not
entail many problems, authorization to film in
environmental areas which are highly protected is
not easy.
Many times, we find ourselves in a situation
where, even after having requested permission
in advance, there is still no formal answer to a
request days before filming! We often have to have
a "plan B"—just in case.
We are working together with the Mallorca
Film Commission to try to improve the system
and create a standard permit that will allow us to
Bellver Castle
Photo
by
Daniel
Palerm/LMGI
