Guernsey and UK industry experts will be presenting in London during September to showcase the Island's 'one-stop shop' solution for tackling the financial aspects of film making.
The seminar is being held in the screening rooms at the Charlotte Street Hotel on Thursday 30 September and will feature Stephen Margolis, CEO of Future Films.
It is being hosted by Guernsey Finance – the joint government and industry body responsible for promoting the Island's finance industry internationally, in conjunction with Guernsey Film.
Guernsey Film was formed earlier this year by a group of finance industry professionals and the Guernsey government to act as a centre of excellence for the collective infrastructure and expertise available on the Island specifically within the film field. It includes experts in law, banking, insurance, tax structuring, fund management, investment funds, intellectual property and information technology.
Co-Chair of Guernsey Film is Richard Garrod, former head of the film tax team at Mazars in Manchester and now a Director at Confiance in Guernsey.
Mr Garrod said: "Having moved to the Island, I was impressed by the variety of providers within the local finance industry with experience of film transactions.
Guernsey Film was launched as a way to draw this expertise together and therefore create a 'one-stop shop' offering a full financial service to film makers. We are now taking this message to film professionals in London through this seminar and networking reception."
The seminar includes a look at Guernsey's one-stop offering, an overview of marketplace opportunities, case studies and success stories from the Island, structuring and legal issues, technological innovation, the intellectual property environment and insurance capabilities.
It will be introduced by Peter Niven, Chief Executive of Guernsey Finance.
He said: "Over the last 50 years Guernsey has built a strong reputation as a leading international finance centre. One of our great strengths is that we have developed experience and expertise in providing a wide range of financial products and services. This means that we have an extremely broad offering to cater for even the most diverse needs of film professionals.
"This will be showcased to our London audience through the seminar. It will make use of the high quality audio-visual equipment available at the screening rooms and include case studies and success stories to demonstrate what the Island can offer in practical terms. I think we've got a great story and the right people in place to tell it."
Speakers include Mr Margolis; Jacqueline Hurt, Partner in the Communications Group at Olswang LLP; Mr Garrod; and Ben Tustin, Director of Tax Strategies at Marlborough Trust Company and Co-Chairman of Guernsey Film.
Mr Tustin added: "We're delighted that Stephen has agreed to speak at the seminar. He's a lawyer with more than 20 years' experience in the film industry and has raised in excess of £2 billion for film production since founding Future Films in 2000. Stephen also knows Guernsey well so his presence at the event is not just a ringing endorsement for us but will also allow attendees to have their questions answered by someone who has firsthand experience of the Island."
The seminar takes place on Thursday 30 September in the screening rooms at the Charlotte Street Hotel, 15-17 Charlotte Street, London, W1T 1RJ. It starts from 4pm and is followed by a networking reception sponsored by telecommunications company Sure.
For further information or to book a place, contact Jennifer Baudains by email j.baudains@guernseyfinance.com, telephone +44 (0) 1481 709763 or fax +44 (0) 1481 720091.
For more information about Guernsey's finance industry please visit www.guernseyfinance.com.
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