Jamaica's film industry is suffering from a lack of skilled practitioners and quality productions, one stakeholder has said.

Natalie Thompson, producing director of Cinecom Productions Limited, said that though the film industry has great potential, there was need for an infusion of more skilled filmmakers. However, she noted that one improvement the industry had seen in recent years was the change from a perceived elite sector, because of greater involvement of grass-roots persons in the field.

"More persons are gravitating to the field, but the quality is what is important, not the quantity," Thompson said.

Cable stations

She further stated that the sector could see progress if persons pursued higher education and developed authentic, new creations.

"Persons need to be cognisant of our culture and not copy what they see from the barrage of cable stations," Thompson said. "The main thing is to be creative and the technical aspects of the film industry would be easier."

In addition, she said persons should be hone their narrative skills to effectively tell a story through film.

"It is all about how to set a scene, rather than to push a button. The requirements are basically good creativity, which includes writing skills, a good business sense and a good organisational background, to enter the film industry," Thompson said.

Film training

She attributed the slower-than-desired development of the film industry to the absence of institutions offering full-scale professional film training. Thompson argued that while institutions such as the Caribbean Institute of Media and Communication, the Creative Production and Training Centre and Northern Caribbean University offered training in television production, lack of specialisation in filmmaking education was stymieing success.

Thompson said the film industry was just as vulner-able to a volatile economy as other creative endeavours.

"The profession is not constant. When the economy goes up, it goes up, and when it's down, it is too," she told The Gleaner.

Filmmaking teams can earn as low as $100,000-$400,000 per job. Commercials command less expensive rates, while features and music videos get top dollar, said Thompson.

nadisha.hunter@gleanerjm.com.