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The recently launched Jamaica Screen Development Initiative (JSDI) with a budget of J$1 billion, aims to bolster the production of high quality, commercially viable, Jamaican content for both local and international audiences.

Shullette Cox, President of the Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO) said the JSDI will provide financial support throughout various stages of the production process.

“Ultimately, we want to inject expenditure in the economy, we want to grow Jamaican jobs and we want to increase the technical capacity of Jamaicans to produce on commercial opportunities in film and entertainment,” said President Cox.

Eligible projects include feature films (at least 60 minutes), short films (7 to 20 minutes), animated shorts (2 to 11 minutes), web series, episodics, mini-series, or reality and unscripted content.

Excluded are music videos, advertisements, news, sports, or daily content, as well as work primarily aimed at capturing other art form, such as filmed theatre, sporting, music events, podcasts, livestreams, or influencer content.

The JSDI serves to diversify the economy and attract inward investments by facilitating local involvement in co-production ventures, thereby positioning Jamaica competitively on the global filmmaking stage.

Max Jardim, Chairman of the JSDI Oversight Committee and JAMPRO Board Director lauded the initiative as a crucial step toward “supporting and investing in local content creation that depicts our incredible landscape, vibrant culture and brings our stories to the world.”

“Our board at JAMPRO is also acutely aware that destination filming, attracting large production and distribution houses to film here in Jamaica, has the potential to unlock tremendous value and economic impact,” he stated.

The established public-private Oversight Committee, according to Mr. Jardim, will provide guidance and leadership that “ensures the effective implementation of the JSDI.”

“The Oversight Committee will go one step further to establish an independent Expert Evaluation Committee. This committee will ensure transparency in the evaluation of applications that are established for JSDI funding,” he further stated.

For her part, Jackie Jackson, Film Commissioner lauded the initiative as a “pivotal moment in the history of our industry.”

“Today, our collective voices have been heard and our government has not only listened but has also embraced the big picture that we have passionately advocated for. This is not merely just an initiative. It is the manifestation of our dreams. A realization of collective aspirations for growth, development and sustainability of our creative industries,” she stated.

Applications for the initiative will be open from March 18 to April 28, with interested parties encouraged to participate in JAMPRO’s sensitization sessions on February 28 and March 2 for clarifications.

For more information, persons may visit www.dobusinessjamaica.com or contact jsdi@dobusinessjamaica.com.