ENCORE >MALTA FILM ACADEMY
members, actors and extras, and turn breath-taking
Film director Roland Joffé directing a scene in Malta
The media industry, like most others, remains sustainable and profitable only through
growth. Growth requires forethought and innovation. For these to happen, there must
be ‘big picture thinkers’. British film producer TREVOR WALTON explains why ‘big
picture thinking’ is the most valuable asset in any collaborative venture
I have spent my professional career bringing creative
people together. That is the primary role for a
producer of television and film and if there is one
thing I’ve learnt, after all these years, is that our
imaginations are our greatest talent. I am delighted
to find this island is littered with people, both local
and transplants, who dare to think big and are
determined to plant a flag at the summit of their
dreams. Some of them hold lofty positions in places
of learning and in the Government, some work part
time as chefs in restaurants to help fund their dreams
of being a singer or actor or director. Here are just
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four examples I have encountered since I first started
working with the Malta Film Academy.
My first big thinker is the film director, Roland Joffé
who has made his home here on the island. He has
a big picture idea to make Malta a Mediterranean
centre for the arts not just for cinema but for all
things associated with cinema. A lofty ambition,
for sure, especially as the plan includes a bespoke
degree programme as well as a yearly summer
school. But when you look at Joffé’s films and
see how he is able to mobilise hundreds of crew
cinematic images into intense emotional storylines, Our imagination
is our most
no one could accuse him of not being able to follow
through on a big idea.
My second big picture thinker is Bryan Sebok, a
very smart young American academic who has
valuable talent
fallen in love with this island nation. He is currently Tears’ performed by the Malta Philharmonic
the chair of a highly successful media department Orchestra under the baton of British conductor Philip
in Portland Oregon. He is known as an innovative Walsh. It was fantastically inspiring to listen to, and
educator and someone with a global point of view. also to see the orchestra so clearly enjoying playing
In fact he currently has a Mellon Foundation Grant something new and innovative. After the concert,
for just such a reason. I told him of Joffé’s idea and when I saw the composer jump into a creative
how it needed a big thinker to create the academic conversation with our Academic Dean, Bryan Sebok,
infrastructure required. He seized on the idea with about a possible film collaboration, I knew our film
an immediate “how can I help?”. We started talking school was already starting to bear fruit.
and agreed on some basic principles. We want to
create a welcoming, collaborative environment for We are on an exciting adventure at the Malta Film
both Maltese aspirants and international students. Academy. One that is worthy of our time, focus and
To identify and implement the tools required for energy. It's going to need lots of ‘big picture thinkers’
the next generation of storytellers to get their work along the way, to make this dream a reality. And, of
seen by the audience they are hoping to reach. Our course, I end by asking the most important question
students are to be both local and global but all with for any collaborative venture, “how can we help you?
the legitimate goal of earning a living wage, 52 weeks Stay tuned.
of the year.
For more information about the Malta Film Academy
So then the Malta film Awards week commenced, visit: www.maltafilmacademy.org
as Film Commissioner, Johann Grech saw his ‘big
picture’ thinking come to life. He set out to create
something new and bold. To stream live a series of
seminars and panel discussions with representatives
from the university, the government and the media
profession. All this to culminate with a live television
awards show. That's a lot of moving parts but he
made it happen. Good for him and his dedicated,
hardworking team of young Maltese coordinators and
crew members. For all the concerns and criticisms
that swirled around them, they kept the entire event
running smoothly and on time. No mean feat! What
better training in collaboration and teamwork could
these young Maltese professionals get. And what
was the first response from the Film Commissioner,
when we told him of our plans for a film academy, an
immediate “How can we help?”.
While the Film Week spooled out, so did the annual
Valletta Baroque Festival. At the impressive Hilton
Conference Centre I met with my fourth ‘big picture
thinker’, composer Ruben Zahra. I attended the
premiere of his orchestral commission ‘Androgynous Left to right: Roland Joffé, Bryan Sebok and Trevor Walton
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