MaltaToday previous editions

MT 29 June 2014

Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/337883

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 55 of 55

JAMES DEBONO THE Malta Environment and Plan- ning Authority (MEPA) seems to be making sure against getting more egg on its face as far as filming is concerned: it is imposing condi- tions which ensure the complete removal of structures built for the planned Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie film, once shooting is com- pleted. It has, for instance, excluded the dispersal of quarry sand which left environmental damage in the wake of the filming of the first season of Game of Thrones: the 2010 fiasco that sent the HBO fantasy produc- tion packing, never to return to Malta. Now MEPA has already received an application for the building of a film set in various areas of Mgarr ix-Xini, in Ta' Cenc, an ecologically sensitive location, part of which is designated as a Special Area of Conservation. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie will be shooting a film in Malta, the reason for a recent two-day visit during which they scouted loca- tions in Gozo. According to MEPA the building of the set "is mainly concentrated around concreted areas" at the bottom of the bay area, and in the eastern fields overlooking Mgarr ix-Xini creek. In agreement with the film pro- ducers, it was decided at a very early stage that the production would avoid any intervention in the Western section, which forms part of the Ta' Cenc Special Conserva- tion Area. The film set is to consist mainly of free-standing scaffolding and timber structures, and the details currently being assessed by MEPA indicate a non-invasive technique for the placing of these structures on site. "The complete reversibility of all interventions, and the complete removal of all props and sets at the end of the filming period, shall be a condition of any permit issued by MEPA against hefty bank guaran- tees. "MEPA shall also impose a strict monitoring regime over the pro- duction to ensure adherence with all conditions imposed in eventual permissions. "For the time being, the produc- tion has been granted a preliminary permit for the placing of 'unit base tents' in the fields adjacent to the Sewage Treatment Plant at Ras il- Hobz," a MEPA spokesperson said. The use of materials, such as the large amounts of quarry sand used to alter the landscape at Dwe- jra to suit the filming of Game of Thrones, is not envisaged, and does not form part of the proposal sub- mitted by the film producers. "In any case, this would not be al- lowed due to environmental risks, including the risk of dispersal into a protected marine environment," the spokesperson for MEPA told MaltaToday. During the filming of Game of Thrones in 2010 the production company failed to abide by condi- tions imposed by MEPA when it spread the sand in Dwejra. The company had simply laid down permeable green netting and the rain that fell hardened the sand. MEPA's former auditor, Joe Fal- zon, had accused the Environ- ment Directorate of abdicating its responsibilities when the permit decision was taken by the Planning Directorate. Falzon "strongly recommended" that, in any future application in- volving a special area of conser- vation, a proper screening of the site should be carried out and the results fully recorded. He also pro- posed full monitoring of the site during operations. The auditor advised MEPA to pre- pare a guidance document for use by people who would like to use protected sites for filming. Such a document would outline the procedure to be followed and should also make it clear with ap- plicants that delays could be pos- sible in evaluating their application if they provided incomplete details or changed their proposal half-way along the process. maltatoday, SUNDAY, 29 JUNE 2014 MEPA wary about Brangelina filming News 25, Air Cargo House, Triq Ìanni Vassallo, Luqa T: +356 2558 4888 E: trucking@cassar-cooper.com Cassar & Cooper have always put their effort into communicating with every customer creating a tailor-made trucking service to meet the ever increasing demand. COMPETITIVE RATES - EFFICIENT - RELIABLE A tailor-made trucking service to meet all demands. The set is "mainly concentrated around concreted areas," according to MEPA Dothraki by the Azure Window: an environmental fiasco had sent Game of Thrones away from Malta in 2010, its corresponding locations swapped with Croatia for subsequent seasons of the HBO show

Articles in this issue

Archives of this issue

view archives of MaltaToday previous editions - MT 29 June 2014