VZCZCXRO3060
RR RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHROV
DE RUEHAM #3326/01 2190622
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 070622Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY AMMAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9797
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 003326 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ELA, NEA/PPD, ECA/PE/C/CU 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON KIPR SCUL JO
SUBJECT: OPPORTUNITIES FOR JORDAN'S GROWING FILM INDUSTRY 
 
REF: AMMAN 3159 
 
¶1. (U) Summary: After several years with few major film productions, 
Jordan has been the site of eight feature films in 2007, bringing in 
approximately $10 million and creating thousands of freelance jobs. 
The Royal Film Commission (RFC) hopes to benefit from the number of 
Iraq War-themed movies and has plans to develop a film-related 
infrastructure in support of this expanding industry.  RFC markets 
Jordan as a location based on its range of desert and urban 
locations; its ability to double as Iraq; and the availability of 
the Jordanian Armed Forces' equipment and personnel for shooting. 
Despite the growth, American industry personnel say that Jordanian 
film services remain uneven.  End Summary. 
 
Feature Films 
------------- 
 
¶2. (U) In a July 25 meeting with EconOffs, George David, acting 
General Manager of the Royal Film Commission (RFC), said that 2007 
to date has been "incredible," with eight feature film productions 
in Jordan from the United States, Europe, and the Arab world, 
including the first Jordanian feature film in 50 years, "Captain Abu 
Raed."  He added that this represented a dramatic increase from the 
one feature film shot in 2006 and zero in 2005, noting that 
historically, Jordan has been used for documentaries.  David 
credited Jordan's new success as a film location to the interest in 
Iraq War movies, as three of the eight have a war theme.  Brian De 
Palma finished shooting "Redacted" in May, while "Hurt Locker," 
directed by Kathryn Bigelow and starring Ralph Fiennes and Guy 
Pearce, is currently shooting in several Jordanian cities. 
 
Creating Jobs and an Industry 
------------------------------ 
 
¶3. (U) David estimated that these eight films have brought in $10 
million of revenue to Jordan this year, $4.5 million from "Hurt 
Locker" alone.  He said each production has hired up to 250 
Jordanians - nearly half as extras and the others as crowd control, 
builders, and for transportation. (Freelance work on films can often 
pay two times the going-rate for a salaried worker.)  Many of these 
freelance positions have gone to the youth and locals at the various 
filming sites, which has created community buy-in.  David commented 
that very few Jordanians are able to work exclusively in film, but 
the movies this year have helped to create skills and build a cadre 
of recommended companies in catering and other craft services. 
David said one of Jordan's biggest barriers to recruiting other 
films is its lack of rental transportation, such as make-up trucks 
and high-end trailers.  Jordan also has neither cameras, which must 
be rented from Europe or Lebanon, nor film processing facilities. 
 
¶4. (U) On August 2, EconOff met with Fadi Sarraf, President of 
Sandbag Productions, a Jordanian company which produces films and 
supports international productions shooting in Jordan, including 
"Hurt Locker" and "Captain Abu Raed."  Sarraf agreed that the number 
of Jordanians working full-time in film was small but growing.  He 
added that no one in Jordan was qualified to serve as the head of a 
department, i.e. head of photography or sound engineer, but that the 
number and experience level of the support staff are growing. 
 
¶5. (U) To build film skills, Jordan signed a deal in September 2006 
with the University of Southern California (USC) to establish the 
Red Sea Institute of Cinematic Arts (RSICA) in Aqaba - the Middle 
East's first film school.  Construction is expected to begin soon, 
with the first students to matriculate in September 2008.  A 
film-making workshop for Jordanian film-makers with USC instructors 
is currently occurring in Amman.  The workshop includes theoretical 
as well as practical lessons on screenwriting, shooting, producing, 
editing and directing. 
 
¶6. (U) Embassy Amman's Public Affairs section is also supporting the 
growing film industry.  PA Amman is planning an International 
Visitor program for ten young Jordanian filmmakers, tentatively 
scheduled to take place in February, 2008.  The three-week program 
will give up-and-coming Jordanian filmmakers, nominated by the RFC 
and selected by PA Amman, the opportunity to learn firsthand about 
all aspects of filmmaking through observation and training with 
American film experts. 
 
Selling Jordan 
-------------- 
 
¶7. (U) David said that the RFC markets Jordan as a film location by 
describing its range of desert and urban Arab settings and its 
ability to double for other locations, including Iraq, Lebanon, and 
Afghanistan.  One of Jordan's key selling points, according to 
David, is the support of the King "to put Jordan on the film map," 
which has translated into support by the Jordanian Armed Forces. 
Army vehicles, weapons, and personnel have been used in five of the 
recent productions at a minimal cost to the production companies. 
David mentioned that casts and crews who are initially apprehensive 
 
AMMAN 00003326  002 OF 002 
 
 
about filming in the Middle East typically end up finding Jordan to 
be a pleasant and secure place to film; he recounted a tale that 
Natalie Portman only agreed to come to Jordan after being assured 
protection by the Royal Guards, but then called three days after 
arriving in country to say that such protection was not necessary. 
 
¶8. (U) The RFC does not, however, promote shooting in preservation 
sites such as Petra.  Since the shooting of "Indiana Jones and the 
Last Crusade", Petra has been protected as a UNESCO Heritage Site 
and was recently named a New World Wonder (Ref A). 
 
¶9. (U) Jordan competes most frequently with Morocco and Spain as a 
film location.  Currently, insurance companies will not back 
productions in Lebanon and are increasingly anxious about Morocco, 
according to Sarraf.  This has benefited Jordan, which has seen a 
growing interest since De Palma's work here.  In order to increase 
Jordan's visibility, the RFC participates in film festivals and 
trade shows, particularly the annual trade show sponsored by the 
Association of Film Commissioners International in Santa Monica.  It 
is also currently applying to become part of the Asian Film 
Commission Network. 
 
¶10. (U) Other efforts to encourage producers to select Jordan 
include a proposed sales tax exemption for film production 
expenditures if producers meet certain conditions, such as hiring 
more Jordanians.  David noted that the RFC is still compiling 
industry data that will be crucial for selling the draft proposal to 
the Ministry of Finance and Prime Ministry. 
 
¶11. (U) Post has observed that the RFC has made great strides in 
film scouting and shows terrific enthusiasm, but still has 
weaknesses.  According to American film industry personnel, the 
RFC's day-to-day delivery of services - such as catering and 
arranging location shoot permits - is uneven and can be frustrating. 
 Much of the work that the RFC and Jordanian crew members have done 
this year, they have done for the first time.  One location scout 
visiting Jordan said that RFC does not have a complete understanding 
of what types of sites are useful to a film crew.  He named for 
example Karak Castle which is attractive but can only be used as 
ruins.  The same scout said that Wadi Rum, a desert area with tall 
sandstone monuments, has a great deal of potential as a location. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶12. (U) Jordan is attempting to take advantage of the interest in 
Iraq-themed movies to develop its film industry, just as Thailand 
benefited from the many Vietnam War-themed movies in the 1980s. 
While the Iraq theme may fade in popularity, it could last long 
enough to enable Jordan to strengthen its infrastructure of craft 
services and film professionals.  This period is not without growing 
pains as Jordan's industry learns better what international film 
crews need, but the increased activity of American and European film 
crews seems to be helping counter misconceptions of Jordan, as they 
see for themselves the hospitality of the Jordanian people and the 
country's relative stability in a volatile region. 
 
Visit Amman's Classified Website at 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman 
 
HALE