The Department of the Environment of the Municipality of La Oliva wished to share with residents a suggestion box regarding the proposed regulations for audiovisual productions. This ordinance is undoubtedly necessary for a sector that generates business opportunities and employment, with the aim of organising the activity while respecting the local environment and adapting to the needs of industry professionals.
Last week, La Oliva Town Council launched a public consultation on the preliminary framework for the development of the ‘Regulation Governing Audiovisual Productions in the Municipality of La Oliva’, allowing any interested party to submit suggestions and comments to the local authority.
The Department of the Environment is leading the development of this much-needed regulation, recognising that La Oliva has become a regular location for a wide range of productions in recent years, including feature films, advertising shoots and television series, both national and international, as well as smaller local productions.
According to the Councillor for Tourism and the Environment, David Fajardo Junckersdorf: “This ordinance aims to establish criteria that differentiate between the scale of each production. A photographic shoot carried out by a self-employed professional from Fuerteventura is not the same as an international film production. Until now, there has been no distinction in the applicable fees, and it is essential to address this issue because it is simply not fair.”
The Mayor of La Oliva, Isaí Blanco, also highlighted other measures being considered for inclusion in the ordinance, such as “the creation of fee reductions based on the cultural, tourism or public interest value of each project, as well as establishing that productions filmed in La Oliva should acknowledge the municipality in their credits”.
However, the councillor emphasised that “the most important thing right now is to encourage public participation and invite residents to submit suggestions that will help enrich this future regulation. We want a sector that generates significant economic activity to continue growing efficiently, while always ensuring that audiovisual productions are carried out with the utmost respect for the environment and the conservation of our natural surroundings.”
Deadlines and Objectives
The preliminary public consultation regarding the “Regulation Governing Audiovisual Productions in the Municipality of La Oliva” was published by La Oliva Town Council in the Notices section of its official notice board. It is available at the following link:
https://laoliva.sedelectronica.es/board
Interested parties have until Friday, 12 January 2024 to submit their suggestions to the local authority.
The draft document that has been published highlights the importance of the audiovisual sector, stating that “film and audiovisual production activities have a significant economic impact on our municipality; they generate direct and indirect employment, promote local service providers, stimulate the hospitality and catering sectors, and position us within the wider world of the seventh art.”
It also recognises the municipality’s value “as a natural setting for feature films, documentaries, advertising campaigns, television series and other audiovisual productions”, considering it necessary “to regulate the various circumstances surrounding filming activities in order to facilitate this source of economic growth and an effective means of promoting the municipality both nationally and internationally.”
The spirit of this forthcoming ordinance highlights La Oliva’s “favourable climate, exceptional natural light, contrasting landscapes and diverse topography, which make it possible to recreate a wide variety of settings within a relatively small geographical area, as well as its modern infrastructure and extensive range of professional services that facilitate the development of audiovisual productions.”
La Oliva Town Council, fully aware of the importance of protecting its natural environment while also supporting audiovisual projects of all kinds, considers it necessary to regulate the different circumstances surrounding filming activities in order to safeguard the area and ensure that such productions can coexist harmoniously with the daily lives of residents and visitors alike.
Likewise, the institution seeks to establish conditions that will enable “all parties involved in audiovisual production activities to clearly understand, in advance, their rights and obligations, any applicable requirements, and the procedures for obtaining permits and complying with any conditions that may be imposed.”