The Valencian audiovisual sector took center stage in the panel “Un favorcito: Rodemos en Valencia” to discuss the current state of audiovisual production in the region, with a special focus on the recent catastrophe.
The panel featured Arturo Fons, Executive Producer at Fontkwon; Jorge Acosta, Director of Pasarela; Nacho Merita, Location Manager; Alejandra Mora, Vice President of the Valencian Audiovisual Academy; and was moderated by Armando Romero, representative of the Valencia Film Office.
Romero discussed the work of the Valencia Film Office and stated that there is a significant business opportunity in the city for production across the Valencia province, emphasizing the resources, infrastructure, and potential that the Community of Valencia offers for advertising film production and other audiovisual content.
Alejandra Mora focused on evaluating the damages caused by the recent DANA storm, commenting that there are direct impacts, such as those on the Pasarela group (present at the table), with canceled or paused shoots. However, she stated that the biggest impact has been “the cancellation of six million in aid from the Ministry of Industry and Innovation,” a funding program that had not been called by October 29. Nevertheless, she does not blame them because she understands that the ministry’s resources are being focused on helping the recovery process. “The goal is to attract shoots both nationally and internationally,” she said, but first, she noted, “they need to come to an agreement with the Ministry of Culture to grant the necessary aids.”
On the other hand, Arturo Fons stated that, in terms of advertising, Valencia is a “perfect” location for shoots. His production company, based in Valencia, mainly serves international clients who come here to film, and he considers the advantages of the city to be excellent for offering to those coming to shoot. For Fons, there are two fundamental pillars when choosing a city: the first is the budget, and the second is the locations.
Nacho Merita, a professional in locations, commented that the climate is one of the attractive factors, along with the ease of logistics offered by the city of Valencia, thanks to its freedom of movement and the proximity of the locations. Transport is a key factor that differentiates the city from other provincial capitals like Madrid or Barcelona. In terms of administration, Nacho mentioned that there is an ease in managing all the permits.
The last speaker of this panel was Jorge Acosta, founder of the company Pasarela in Valencia. Jorge stated that they do not have any well-defined clients in either advertising or fiction, and that their goal for the coming years is to optimize the resources and demands of the different clients who use Pasarela’s facilities throughout the year. In addition to soundstages, Pasarela also provides production equipment.
