According to the recent film industry sector plan compiled for the Eastern Cape, the province has vast potential for the development of the film industry in the province.  Its vision is to harness and develop the film sector as a significant contributor to the economic prosperity of the region.  Figures indicate that, at present, the turnover of this industry in the Eastern Cape is around R40 million per year.

Recent international films that made use of Eastern Cape locations included Red Dust with Hillary Swank, Blood Diamond with Leonardo de Caprio and Son of Man with Mark Dornford-May.  In addition to this a couple of scenes from Amelia Earhart were shot in the Eastern Cape in 2008.  Local productions shot in the province included White Wedding and Intonga.

In terms of the potential for investment in the film industry, the province offers:

• A wide variety of fresh and untapped filming locations;
• A vast amount of indigenous stories that are unique and interesting and bedded in deep culture, heritage and tradition;
• A number of national incentives for film and associated media production that can be accessed through DTI; and
• A National Film and Video Foundation that underwrites all international marketing activities for locally produced films.

Opportunities for investors include:

• A recognised demand for locally produced films provides an opportunity to tap into the rich cultural and historical diversity of the Eastern Cape by capturing these stories for local South African audiences;
• Opportunities exist for entrepreneurs to market the province as a film location for media production in the areas of television commercials, stills production and feature films;;
• Opportunities exist to support the fledgling film industry in the province by investing in infrastructure such as equipment hire, editing and sound studio's and associated services;
• The opportunity to create a crew agency specifically targeted towards the film and media industry in the province;
• A number of opportunities exist for filming in fresh and untapped locations that provide a vast array of cinematic backdrops for regional and international productions;

ECDC remains committed to assisting in leveraging the strengths of the film industry in the province to assist in growing economic and job creation opportunities through investment.