Film spending slashed in half to US$4.9m

Spending on film productions in Jamaica fell by more than half in 2025 from year-earlier levels as the fallout from Hurricane Melissa disrupted filming activity, according to recently released government data.

The decline underscores the challenges facing the sector even as the Government moves ahead with a $1-billion programme to support local screen content.

Film production expenditure, which measures spending by local and overseas productions in Jamaica, declined 54 per cent to US$4.91 million (J$780 million), according to the Economic and Social Survey Jamaica (ESSJ) 2025. Temporary employment generated by productions also fell 39 per cent to 1,002 jobs from 1,637 a year earlier.

The Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) attributed much of the decline to Hurricane Melissa.

“The passage of the hurricane created a prohibitive environment, limiting travel by international producers to conduct destination filming for their projects,” the report stated.

Environmental damage also reduced the appeal of Jamaica’s natural filming locations, while limited access to electricity and amenities disrupted video shoots, particularly in western parishes, according to the survey.

The downturn came despite an increase in the number of productions facilitated during the period. JAMPRO and the Jamaica Film Commission registered and supported 77 screen-based productions, up four per cent from 2024. The slate included 60 international productions and 17 local projects spanning documentaries, television commercials, television series and music videos.

Despite the higher production count, the report said the scale of activity shrank, with fewer large-budget projects and lower overall spending.

The Financial Gleaner was unable to obtain a response from JAMPRO’s Film Division on the sector’s outlook.

Against that backdrop, 90 film and screen projects have been selected for funding under the Government’s Jamaica Screen Development Initiative (JSDI), a $1-billion programme aimed at strengthening the country’s screen-based industries.

The selected projects span five categories: development, production, completion, film festival and market attendance, and production rebates. The programme, administered by JAMPRO, received 406 applications following its 2024 call.

As of July, when the ESSJ was released, no funding had been disbursed, although contract signing had begun.

The ESSJ said access to loan financing remains a priority for industry participants and noted that a more sustainable financing mechanism is under review.

Despite the recent decline, the PIOJ said Jamaica remains “poised for growth as a global film hub”, pointing to investor interest in studio infrastructure, sound stages, local content development and crew expansion.

The survey, however, projects that the wider entertainment sector will contract in 2026 as it continues to absorb the effects of Hurricane Melissa.

carolyn.guniss@rjrgleaner.com