The Malta Producers’ Association (MPA) is launching its professional development training event, Future Visions, from the Tuesday 23rd to Saturday 27th April.

The event will cater to audio-visual stakeholders, lawyers, and business professionals working in, or adjacent to, the sector.

Future Visions launches on Tuesday with a keynote speech by John Yorke, former Head of Drama at the BBC and Channel4, followed by a networking event.

On Thursday 25th April, a one-day set of workshops on film & TV law will aim to provide an overview on co-production law, within the European audiovisual context.

Led by Avv. Annalisa Putorti from Rulli Putortì & Partners Law Firm, this workshop will outline ways of structuring a co-production, and engage with the treaties and conventions which apply, including the European Convention on Cinematographic Co-Production Strasbourg (1992), the revised Council of Europe Convention on Cinematographic Co-production (2017), as well as other bi-lateral co-production treaties.

On Thursday afternoon, Avv Purtorti, with the participation of Jeanine Rizzo, will outline the legal tools in the realisation of audiovisual projects.

It will provide participants with information on the chain of rights, copyright and related authors' contracts (including options and assignment of rights), required during the development phase of a production.

It will then move onto pre-production and production legal necessities, to provide an overview on co-production and co-participation agreement, funds, clearance and releases, insurances (particularly errors and omissions insurance), as well as fair use principles.

Finally, it will discuss the foundations of distribution and international sales agreements concomitant with the exploitation phase of a project.

The event will also include guidance on ‘Creative Europe’ funding provided by Martina Petrovic, the Creative Europe MEDIA desk representative for Croatia, and Daniela Said, the Maltese MEDIA desk representative.

The programme will close on Saturday with a screening of the Palestinian film: House in Jerusalem, by Muayad Alayan. It will be accompanied by an introduction by the film’s sales agent, Heretic, who will discuss modes of distribution and exhibition for small countries, as well as a Q&A with the writer-director who will outline the strategies he used to internationalise and export the film.

Future Visions is the first initiative being launched by the new board of the MPA made up of: Charlie Cauchi – Interdisciplinary Artist and Filmmaker, Rebecca Anastasi – Producer of Luzzu, Rebecca Cremona – Producer of Simshar, Ben Borg Cardona – Cinematographer and Ryan Gatt – filmmaker.

The MPA was established in 2019 to contribute towards the development, promotion and improvement of the audiovisual industry and its resources in Malta.

The association aims to safeguard and represent the interests and rights of Malta’s audiovisual producers and service providers, ensuring professionals in the sector enjoy a competitive and advantageous environment.

Future Visions is being supported by the Arts Council Malta through its Programme Support Scheme.

For more information about Future Visions one can visit the MPA website here or send an email to [email protected].