by Abhi Parasher
If there is anything that is more fragile than the actual creation of a film or television series, it is the creative symbiosis that sparks the process in the first place. Managing the cohesive vision for a story is hard enough in person, but what happens when that partnership is executed across borders?
“I like the term organic co-productions,” says Agnieszka Moody who recently spoke at Screen Forever on the Gold Coast. “An organic co-production means your starting point is not the money. Your starting point is in the story and the talent you attract to the project. With some projects, it just makes sense to work across borders.”
Moody is the Head of International and Industry Policy at the British Film Institute [BFI]. She looks after international and industrial policy, strategy and engagement, developing and nurturing international relationships and opening opportunities for UK-based screen professionals in the international marketplace.
Having had extensive experience in the co-production arena, Moody has an intricate understanding of what makes a multi-national production work. “An international co-production requires certain jigsaw puzzle pieces to come together. From each partner, there is a requirement to contribute equally to the creativity and to the technical aspects of a production,” she says.
It is an intricate balance, managing the shared workload that incorporates the tedious paperwork of production protocols and finances to the shaky ground of creative disagreements.
“There is a particular type of producer that embraces this model and knows how to work in this shared approach because when you co-produce, it is not only you who makes the decision. Sometimes that can go bad, like all films. However, when it goes well, your job as a producer is enhanced by your production partner because you know somebody has my back,” explains Moody.
As Moody mentions, film productions do go bad every now and then. These are the stories that come to the forefront of audience attention, whether it is the cancellation of films like Batgirl or the numerous stories of out-of-control production budgets.
“There must be a point where the buck stops,” says Moody. “If that is not established and agreed upon at the outset, then you’d get a production that goes into some troubled territories. You need to know where the final decision lies, which means each producer plays a different role. One producer leads, and the other enhances and contributes to that project.”
One key component of an international co-production is the merger of two or more cultures, which in and of itself is a delicate procedure. Two different cultures may organise and communicate in unique ways that will inevitably impact the running of a production.
“I think there is a risk when you’re blending two cultures together, where you can end up with a final product that lies in a cultural nomad land, with no one claiming it as authentically theirs,” says Moody. “A co-production is about being generous. It is about sharing, being open-minded and coming at a story from different perspectives. So, it doesn’t have to be a blend. It can be about coming together to tell a story that champions one of the countries.”
Moody goes on to elaborate on the success of these types of productions, referencing I Am Not a Witch (Rungano Nyoni), a Zambian film. The filmmaking team may not have been able to carry the logistical and financial load by themselves, which meant looking overseas for funding. The success of the international collaboration comes from their partners not imposing on the creative elements of the film, but rather, championing the creative talent behind the work.
This mutual understanding and creative advocating between countries seems the be the ultimate benefit of international co-productions.
