Mahinda Rajapaksa Tele-cinema village a boon for film industry

By Ananda KANNANGARA

The plaque being unveiled by President Mahinda Rajapaksa

Waterfalls, lakes, rivers, mountain ranges and the most important bio-diversity such as thick jungles with wild animals and birds, tea estates and unending paddy fields provide natural beauty to a country. There are only a few rural areas in the country that have these resources.

The 235-acre picturesque Ranmihitenne tele-cinema village in the Southern Province has all the attributes of natural beauty.

The Ranmihitenne village, between Kataragama and Tissamaharama in the Hambantota district was at one time, an unknown area and only a few villagers engaged in day-to-day agricultural activities.President Mahinda Rajapaksa having realised the importance of this village, took prompt action to convert it into a tele-cinema village which was a long-felt need.

The President opened the tele-cinema village on March 30 with the participation of over 500 cinema and tele artistes. Subsequently it was named 'Mahinda Rajapaksa Tele-Cinema Village.'

Mass Media and Information, Secretary, W.B. Ganegala, who extended his fullest co-operation to the President to complete the project said that the park has facilities, such as a studio with a giant screen to view films and teledramas, a stage to shoot films old buildings for film locations and a high-tech studio to edit films.

Mass Media and Information Secretary W.B. Ganegala

Most of the buildings have been constructed with wooden planks which are similar to the original buildings, in Colombo, Galle or Kandy.

He said wooden planks could be removed and replaced with any other items to suit the needs of film producers. Natural ponds, lakes, jungles and wild animals, creations similar to paddy fields are other attractive features for film locations.

There would be more locations when necessary, the secretary said.

"We have also allocated 50 acres for internal landscaping and invited the Agricultural Department to launch the project. The management of the Tele-Cinema Village will reserve nearly 100 acres within the park as an uncleared area to let wild animals and birds roam in their original habitats.

Asked whether structures similar to bunkers in the North used by Sri Lanka's Armed Forces would be constructed to be used as film locations, Ganegala said that such needs will be fulfilled depending on the request of film directors in future.

Project Manager, Neil Weeratunga said after the Tele-Cinema village was launched on March 30 over 100,000 persons visited the park and Rs. 2.1 million had been raised.

"During August school vacation and the water-filling ceremony of the new Hambantota Port over 20,000 people visited and Rs. 1.2 million was earned as gate collections."

The President and First Lady touring the tele village

He said the first phase of the Park was constructed at a cost of Rs. 700 million and all expenses were borne by tax collected from screening foreign films and advertisements on Sri Lanka's television channels.

"The second and third stages of the project will be completed before the end of next year. New film locations and additional room facilities would be added," he said.

"The present Tele-Cinema park has about 100 film crew and 10 twin houses `Villa type' to accommodate 20 persons,".

Weeratunga said a new tele drama 'SLS-', directed by Mahendra Perera is being shot in the tele-village and moreover a number of inquiries has been received from film and teledrama directors as well as from advertising agencies for commercial advertisements.

The final episodes of the Sinhala tele-drama 'Swayan Jathaka', directed by Sudath Rohana and filmed in the tele- village last month are telecast over ITN on Sundays," he said. He said a few commercial advertisements which were shot in the tele-village have been completed.

A German film maker who visited the tele-village recently commended the film locations and was keen to shoot a war film in the village shortly.

A film location

Meanwhile, a member of the Worldwide Film Production (WFP) in USA, William Bowling, on a brief visit to the country last week told the Sunday Observer that he visited the Ranmihitenna Tele- Cinema Village and was amazed at the advanced facilities available to films-making. Bowling said he would explore the possibility of shooting his films in Sri Lanka in the near future.

Weeratunga said tele-cinema parks are not a new concept and they are also available in other countries such as India, Pakistan, Uk, USA, Japan, Malaysia and several other countries in Europe.

The tele-cinema park will also provide skills practices in cinematography.

"While providing an ultra-modern hall, lecture hall, library, and practical training facilities, the park will also organise lectures and workshops, to be conducted by veterans in the trade," he said.

Film producers Directors could use the Yala and the Kumana Bird sanctuary, salterns, the new airport Hambantota harbour, jungles and lakes which are in close proximity to the Tele-Cinema park for their films and teledramas.