The role of food in the creative economy has been posted a number of times in this blog. Over the past year I have been observing the creative food events from Scandinavian countries and have enjoyed observing the mix between food and other creative sectors.
Nordic Food introduced "The Nordic Sound Bite" at the Ja Ja Ja Festival in London, UK, November 2013 -- a two day celebration of Nordic music, film and food.
The Nordic Sound Bite is a mix of music and food; a collaboration between food artists and musicians. Food artists designed, prepared and delivered special "sound-bites" representing "20 seconds of the DNA sound" from five of the music bands playing at the Ja Ja Ja festival (Mew, NONONO, Sin Fang, Sakaris and Astra Kid). The "Morning Sound Bite", for example, were Nordic sweets stuck to a balloon. Organizers see a future in providing sound bites at events either as a warm up or as an extra level of consciousness when you listen to the music.
In 2012 the New Nordic Food II Scandinavian programme started an unlikely project to mix food and museums. Anyone for Swedish meatballs with a cream sauce and lingonberries, and "Nobel" ice cream, served at the Nobel Museum's Bistro Nobel (locally produced, organic and "fairtrade" food)?
What these Nordic experiments can teach us is that new forms of cultural expression and identity can emerge when we combine unlikely partners. We have something special to express about our corner of the world. We need to discover, celebrate and support other forms of local, cultural cross-collaboration -- such as between poet Steve Skafte and painter Wally Shishkov of the Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia.
According to Wikipedia, Outlander, Titanic and Dev-Con 4 are among eighty-two big screen films with shots on location in Nova Scotia. Who knew? We have geography that appeals to the film industry.
The film industry in Nova Scotia can play a significant role in kickstarting a revitalized Nova Scotia rural economy. I see two thrusts. First, rural areas can find and promote film shoot locations, to attract location scouts and film crews from around the world. Second, rural areas can develop tourism products based on film.
FILM SHOOT LOCATIONS
Location Managers and Scouts find locations that set the stage for film, television, commercials, music videos and advertising. They work with the directors and producers. To promote rural film-shoot locations and attract film crews and investors, you need to do more than simply re-paint your white picket fences and hope that passers-by take notice. You need to be proactive. Film shoots require support -- people, facilities, utilities and resources. One needs to easily locate and secure this support. Also, considerable energy is required to research and catalogue each potential location.
MovieMaps.org is a global directory and Google map of movie and TV show filming locations. On this site you lookup where your favorite TV show was shot or discover movies that were filmed near you.
While the above examples point in the right direction, they are sparse. My research shows that there exists untapped potential in creating valuable online and interactive film-shoot location maps and databases.
FILM-INDUCED TOURISM
Film-tourism works. Claudio-Elena Tuclea and Puiu Nistoreanu (2011) relate the impact of film to film-induced tourism and recommend ways to maximize this relationship for economic and cultural development.
I have previously posted related items in this and other blogs (Storytelling; War of 1812) . How many people have visited the graves of those who perished with the sinking of the Titanic then toured Halifax? Who has browsed the shoot location and the Nova Scotia town of Shelburne where the 1994 film The Scarlet Letter was created?
We can learn something from the Welsh Tourism Movie Map in North Wales and consider creating something similar here.
This map gives you a sample of the variety of films and television programs shot in North Wales, and will tempt you to come and visit the location settings for yourself such as: Casanova (BBC 2005); Backbeat (Beatles 1994); From Russia With Love (1963); Chronicles of Narnia (2008); Clash of the Titans (2010).
Hemispheresmagazine.com predicted in 2012 that the American remake of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo would boost tourism in Stockholm, Sweden, by 3 to 4 percent, translating into hundreds of millions of euros. In the 2006 article "Promoting Destination via Film Tourism", Hudson and Ritchie (Journal of Travel Research, 44,387-396) note that the film Field of Dreams increased tourism numbers in Iowa, USA, by 35,000 visits in 1991.
New Zealand is now affectionately known as "Home of Middle-Earth" after the wildly popular film The Lord of the Rings helped boost visitor counts by 40% between 2000-2006, according to Hemisphere Magazine.
Tourism Magazine (2010) states that 3-6% of visitors to the UK visit film locations during their stay. CNN Travel reports that India's Ministry of Tourism has built "an entire Land of Pi" tourism campaign. In a study in Italy, New Zealand and Sweden, Sue Beeton, CNN Travel author and professor at LaTrobe University, Australia, found people often change travel plans in an area when they are aware of activities related to film.
Beeton points out that, however, "there is a lack of integration between most tourism commissions and film commissions". In an interview between Switzerland's Anthony Lack and Dr Peter Bolan (University of Ulster, Ireland) Bolan endorses a need for greater collaboration between tourism and film officials.
CONCLUSION
A well presented geography, people and resources (in map form on a website, for example) can attract film-location scouts, film production crews and investors from around the world. Successful film tourism can boost destination tourism and visitor numbers. This, however, calls for collaboration between film and tourism stakeholders and visionary leaders with some influence. The right players need to play together in the same sandbox.
With developments in new media and communication technology this task should be made easier today.
Nordic Food introduced "The Nordic Sound Bite" at the Ja Ja Ja Festival in London, UK, November 2013 -- a two day celebration of Nordic music, film and food.
What these Nordic experiments can teach us is that new forms of cultural expression and identity can emerge when we combine unlikely partners. We have something special to express about our corner of the world. We need to discover, celebrate and support other forms of local, cultural cross-collaboration -- such as between poet Steve Skafte and painter Wally Shishkov of the Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia.
