How to Film in Malta
Every production that comes to Malta follows roughly the same path. The difference is how many people you need to coordinate along the way, and how many things you have to chase yourself.
Here is how it works with MovieOne.
The Producer's Journey. Step by Step
Initial Enquiry and Feasibility
You have a project. You think Malta could work. We talk it through. What does the script need? What is the budget range? Is the rebate realistic for your spend level? Are the locations here? Sometimes Malta is the right answer. Sometimes it isn't. That conversation costs nothing and it saves everyone time.
Entity Setup and Banking
Your production needs a dedicated vehicle company registered in Malta. We set it up. We handle the company registration, the documentation, and the opening of a local bank account. This runs alongside early pre-production so it is ready when the money needs to start moving, not three weeks after.
MFC Application and Approval
The Malta Film Commission application needs to be submitted at least 30 working days before principal photography. We prepare and submit it. The application includes your budget, your shooting schedule, your script, and the evidence that your spend meets the qualifying criteria. We know what the MFC looks for because we have done this before.
Pre-Production
Crew. Equipment. Locations. Permits. Accommodation. Transport. Scheduling. This is line production, and it is what we do every day. Your production is built on the ground in Malta while the paperwork from the previous steps is already in motion.
Production
We are on the ground with you. Day to day budget management, logistics, coordination with local authorities, problem solving. The corporate side continues in the background. Every transaction is being tracked to MFC standards in real time. When you wrap a shooting day, the accounting for that day is already underway.
Wrap, Accounting and Audit
Production wraps. The accounting doesn't. Final reconciliation, supplier payments, tax filings, preparation of the audit file. Because we have been tracking to MFC standards from day one, this is not a scramble at the end. It is a clean handover to the auditors.
Rebate Submission and Collection
The rebate application goes to the MFC with a complete, audited file behind it. Clean vehicle company, clean accounting, clean audit. We manage the submission and follow through to collection.
What You Handle, What We Handle
You bring the project, the creative vision, and the financing. You make the decisions that shape the film.
We handle everything else on the ground. The entity. The bank. The MFC. The crew. The equipment. The locations. The permits. The budget. The accounting. The audit. The rebate.
One phone call. One email thread. One team that sees the whole picture from the first conversation to the final payment.
Considering Malta?
Tell us about your project. We will give you an honest assessment of what Malta can offer and how MovieOne can help.