South Korea’s government has given the greenlight for a new tax-break scheme for local film and television companies to help boost the country’s industry. The country’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced that a revised law came into effect last Friday which will see a 10% tax-break against corporate tax bills for small companies, a 7% break for medium-sized companies and a 3% break for bigger corporations. The move comes after South Korea’s business has suffered at the hands of a Chinese ban on Korean imports. The Ministry says the tax credits will result in an increase of $417M in investment as well as nearly 6,433 new jobs across the next five years. It’s the first time that the cultural sector will benefit from a state tax incentive – previously this was more focussed towards the manufacturing industry.
L-R Dee (Andrea Riseborough), Paul (Robbie Coltrane) and Marie (Julie Walters)
Channel 4
Channel 4’s National Treasure, starring Robbie Coltrane, Julie Walters and Andrea Riseborough, has been sold to a number of international territories. The four-part Brit Drama has been acquired by Super Channel for Canada; ABC in Australia; TVNZ for New Zealand; Comunidad Filmin in Spain; HRT in Croatia; NRK in Norway; RUV in Iceland; and YLE in Finland. A UK inflight deal was inked with Spafax and DVD/Video deals have been signed by Just Licensing in the Netherland and Flemish speaking Belgium and Luxembourg as well as RLJE International for the UK. National Treasure debuted on Channel 4 last year, doubling the broadcaster’s slot average. It showcased as a Hulu original in the U.S. this month. Story follows an ageing, beloved comedian who is arrested following an allegation of rape dating back to the 1990s. It’s produced by The Forge and exec produed by George Faber and George Ormond. Jack Thorn pens the script. All3Media International handles sales for the project.
Britain’s Casting Directors Association’s inaugural Casting Awards, Europe’s first ceremony geared towards honoring the work of the casting director, took place on Friday. Winners included Brendan McNamara who won Best Casting of a Feature Film and Best Casting of a Commercial for The Fitzroy and Boots’ Gift of Beauty respectively while Kate Evans won for Best Casting Stills (Tesco’s Bring it On) and Best Casting of an Int’l Commercial (IKEA). Amanda Tabak won for Best Casting of a Short Film for Balcony while UK Commercial and Online Commercial went to Ali Fearnley (The Green Party’s Grown Up Politics) and Hanna Birkett (Scope End the Awkward) respectively. Heather March picked up the Casting Network Diversity Award for her work on Dove’s Love Your Hair. Sally Phillips, whose credits include Smack the Pony and Bridget Jones’s Diary, hosted the ceremony.
