By Jenny Grainer
– Begin with a lot of guts and determination
– A group of experienced experts in their field
– Choose actors prepared to take a chance because they love to act and are good
– Find a writer who loves the Algarve and knows how to tell a good story
– Put them all together in a room and let them pop and bubble with ideas
– Give your film a catchy name
– Then get the public involved
At least that’s how BJ Boulter started things rolling with The Right Juice, the first full length English language feature to be filmed exclusively in the Algarve.
On December 13 at the Portimão Museum auditorium, a small group of invited guests were treated to a presentation of The Right Juice and met and mingled with producer BJ Boulter, director Kristjan Knigge, the writer David Butler-Cole and Chris Parker, co-producer.
Throughout the evening, they not only saw a teaser about the film but got to know the main motivators seeing samples of their previous work.
One commercial by BJ Boulter for Coca Cola took the viewer to six very different countries and the audience was amazed to discover that all six countries were actually shot in the Algarve with Algarve performers.
The Algarve Film Commission present at the showing didn’t even know that years ago this incredible commercial had been made here.
The excitement these few people managed to generate was absorbed by the audience in a visible manner and nobody left the auditorium with anything but enthusiasm for the project and determination to raise the funds necessary to get the cameras rolling in the spring.
The team behind the project sees this is as an important chance for the Algarve to upgrade its image.
One of the speakers there, Marisa Serrenho, an expert in the field of film tourism, explained in detail the increase in ratings for tourism when a film has been located there, examples given were the number of visitors who now put Kings Cross on their ‘must see’ list when visiting London because of Harry Potter or travel the distance to New Zealand because The Lord of the Rings was made there. The facts presented were all quite astonishing.
”Imagine what a film showing all the wonderful quirkiness of the Algarve alongside its beauty and architecture could do for the Algarve? How many more visitors, how many more films to be shot here, how much employment would it all provide? What benefit to your own business?” are some of the questions posed by The Right Juice team.
Those wishing to become involved in the film project should visit www.therightjuice.net.
Find ‘The Right Juice’ on Facebook. A list of the next film previews will be announced soon.
