Film Production in Malta (gapple-36825)

A new film about ancient Egypt is due to start filming in 2008, following hard on the hels of well known blockbusters such as Troy, Gladiator and the da Vinci Code.

Malta is a beautiful island that is known to attract big budget film makers. Over 50 filmmakers have used Malta as a backdrop for their movies. Malta became a film-makers dream in 1964 when the Mediterranean Film Studios opened and its water tanks became commercial property. The water tanks had previously been owned by the government and were restricted. The shallow and deep water tanks available in Malta provide a unique situation for filmmakers to use in their movies.

More:
FAQ - Which Tintin Album Will Be the First Tintin Movie - The are 23 Tintin albums to choose from written by Tintin creator Herge. The amount of material for the Tintin movie that Peter Jackson and Spielberg have to work with is huge. The debate over which will be the first Tintin album turned into a Tintin movie rages...

Along with filmmakers; TV series, commercials and advertisers have also used the water tanks in Malta during filming. The area of Malta is both historic and scenic. Malta has open seas and a picturesque shoreline. It is 58 miles south of Sicily and has a population of 385,000. It is the unique combination of architectural history and sunny shorelines that create the 'Hollywood of the Mediterranean' as some people now refer to Malta as.

More:
The Tintin Movie - Kirsten Myburgh To Play Tintin - With the secrecy surrounding the Tintin movie trilogy that is scheduled to be completed by 2009 speculation is rife. The main gossip is around who will play Tintin with several young actors mentioned. Kristen Myburgh is a young unknown that is getting a lot of...

A new multi-million budget film is being made in Malta. The new film will be based on ancient Egypt and is expected to draw a lot of attention. It comes as no surprise that the director has chosen Malta as the backdrop for this movie. It is not the first big budget film made in the Mediterranean and likely won't be the last. Production of the new movie is expected to begin in early 2008.

More:
Entertainment On The Go - iPod Videos - Apple has been continuously innovating on its iPods. Initial iPods were meant to be a storage and playback device for songs on the go. Then came the feature of storing photos, soon followed with podcast facility.

It is inexpensive to produce a movie in Malta. It takes less than a half an hour to drive to different locations within Malta. Direct flights are available from most European countries, making travel to and from the set easier. Malta is a culture based on 6,000 years of civilization. The shallow and deep water tanks allow filmmakers to create water scenes in a controlled fashion. Malta is often used in filmmaking because of the historic nature that the island is able to add to the setting. The nature of Malta also lends itself to the needs of certain flashback scenes. The climate of Malta is ideal because it is sunny and warm year-round. Since the entire movie does not need to be filmed in Malta, many filmmakers have chosen to use Malta to only film parts within a movie.

More:
More Than Meets The Eye: The Future of Transformers - As any true child of the 80s can tell you, Transformers were created by the toy company Hasbro after meeting Takara (a Japanese toy company) at the Tokyo Toy Show in 1983. By combining Takara's toy lines Diaclone and Micro Change, Hasbro created a product line...

The film making industry has made a big impact on Malta and her residents. The Maltese now depend on tourism to a certain extent and they are known for their connection with blockbuster movies. One popular Malta attraction is Popeye Village. Popeye Village is the expansive set left in tact from the filming of the movie, Popeye that began in 1980. Today the set attracts families with rides, shows, tours and museums. Popeye Village is a tourist attraction that reminds us of the impact the film industry has on Malta.

More:
Rent Movie Soundtrack Review - The multiple award-winning musical Rent is based on opera of Puccini, La Boheme. It has been playing on Broadway since 1996 and is one of the longest running shows.

Other films made in Malta include: Midnight Express (1978) Cutthroat Island (1995) Gladiator (2000) Troy (2004) Munich (2006) The da Vinci Code (2006) A Different Loyalty (2004) Alexander (2004) League the of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003) The Counts of Monte Christo (2002) Pinocchio (2002) Swept Away (2002) U-571 (2000) White Squall (1996) Popeye (1980) Orca: Killer Whale (1976)

About the author: For more holiday information about Malta including Malta flight deals visit Your Malta.com

The travel and holidays guide is a good resource for flights to Malta, and includes cheap flight to Malta news, a Malta weather forecast and the weather Rome plus a map of the island.