03/10/2014 - The Netherlands Film Commission is setting up a nationwide network and a database for film professionals

Bas van der Ree

As the head of the Netherlands Film Commission, which was launched as a new division of the Netherlands Film Fund in July 2014, Bas van der Ree provides foreign film producers with information on all Dutch film professionals, businesses and locations. “My aim is to attract foreign productions to come to the Netherlands,” says van der Ree. “Besides great locations and professionals, since May 2014, we have had a cash rebate system that makes it more attractive for foreign productions to come and shoot their movies or do their post-production here. The post-production is also included in the cash rebate.”

As a former location scout, production manager and line producer on films such as Black Tulip, Francofonia [+see also:
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film profile], van der Ree is more than familiar with productions’ needs. “If a foreign production shoots in different places, it needs to be organised. We must have a protocol that includes the regulations and requirements for permits in the various regions.” Therefore, he works closely with the existing local film commissions in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, Leeuwarden, Zeeland, Eindhoven and Maastricht.

An essential issue is the number of film professionals in the Netherlands. The Netherlands Film Commissioner will check whether there are enough crews if more than 20 productions are planning to shoot in the Netherlands in the next six months. “Post-production can absorb more than that,” underlines van der Ree, “but this might not be the case when it comes to location managers, location scouts or line producers.” For this reason, he plans to set up a database that includes information on film professionals in the Netherlands, such as directors, production designers and line producers. “That is a huge effort to make it all active,” concludes van der Ree. “I’m trying to make it accessible to anybody.”