The reel Cape Town emerges

ALTHOUGH a number of tourism establishments complain of a quieter millennium season than they hoped for, the Cape's food, beverage and accommodation operators catering to visiting and local movie, fashion and advertisement producers report unprecedented 'boom' times. Every weekend - and many weekdays and evenings - downtown, suburban and beach-side streets are cut off by traffic authorities to allow camera crews from the US, Europe and Japan to temporarily turn parts of the Cape into mini-New Yorks, 'little Italys' and unspecified 'exotic' locations, says Clifford Delcie of the municipality's 'Film Office'. Open 24-hours, seven days a week since October when it opened on the Civic Centre's 17th floor, the office has raked in some R500 000 in fees for shoots in public places. The profit goes back to the locations such as parks and city buildings for maintenance, as well as to police and security guards, and to disadvantaged communities. Spin-offs - including payment to local models, actors, hotels, restaurants, airlines and tour operators - would this year reach a spectacular R6bn, he predicted. The "ad season" ends in March when the weather changes, and is replaced by movie shoots - two are confirmed already. Cape Town is promoted abroad as 'The Film-Friendly City. Where the Action is'. The skyline, beaches, winelands and Waterfront provide lucrative spin-offs for the city including the immediate economic impact of hosting big-spending film crews, and the long-term benefits of added global exposure to the province, he said. Many hard- currency-rich crews take tours and visit restaurants during and after shoots, often spending large amounts of cash on and off location. Many return with families later on private holidays, said Delcie. The Film Office issues all permits for television and stills photography. Before, applicants had to visit several council offices - a major complaint of movie-makers who have flocked to the province since 1995. The standardised tariff is "internationally competitive", he said. (Simon Farrell)