The British TV producers, Free Form, had a film crew in Nerja on Wednesday, filming an episode of the series A Place in The Sun, aired on Channel 4.
The show, besides showing properites to a couple with a budget and interest in buying in the area, also takes in the places of interest on location, it’s climate, cuisine and the people.
The Nerja Councillor for Tourism, Gema García (PP), explained that it was not the first time that this particular TV programme had visited Nerja, as well as Cómpeta, Alcaucin, Frigliana, Canillas de Aceituno, Canillas de Albaida, Sayalonga, Sedella and Arenas.
(News: Nerja, Axarquía, Costa del Sol, Malaga, Andalucia – Photo: E Cabezas)
Colin: You’ve got me there – I arrived in 1981, sorry!
It was mentioned that it was not the first time that Nerja had appeared in this programme. There was a similar programme in which one of my friends appeared for UK TV in 1980, was it the same one ? What was it called ?
Angus: Thank you, Angus, and forgive my “recently-risen-from-the-sleeping-chariot” grumpiness. As I said, you raised a good point that we should have picked up on, and one that I shall take up with the Town Hall.
I will also try to get some sort of comment from the production company, but even threatened with a salvo from the mighty guns of the Gazette, the impact is hardly likely to rival even that of a spud gun at the standard dueling distance for dawn confrontation.
Will keep you up-to-date with their responses 😉
Cheers
Martin
Martin,
I wish some of your capacity for wit could be directed at Nerja Tourism, which you have shown in your reply to my comments as a humble reader .
I do not object to the use of Press Releases. Far from it . Where would the media industry be without them But I am sure you would agree as a journalist , some should definitely not be published verbatim, without comments from eagle eyed journalists such as yourself.
The Nerja Tourism Press Release, would be fine,if it had not been issued during the Covid Pandemic when the tourist industry is on its knees.
Perhaps some witty journalistic comments , or even sarcasm could have accompanied the Press Release , which showed a lack of judgement or poor understanding of the plight of those in the tourist industries.
Reminders of Marie Antoinette’s ” Let them eat cake “.
From an avid reader……keep up the good work
Angus: There’s nothing like a disgruntled reader spoiling your first cup of tea in the morning but you might have a point in part… but we shall come to that.
“…roll over like a lap dog”? For publishing a press release? Yes, we use press releases, especially now. But, yes, there’s nothing like a whiff of melodramatics drifting on the morning breeze is there? 😉
The photo and wearing masks: The cameraman actually is wearing a mask and the interviewer appears to have one hanging off her ear… unless they’re surprising earrings. She is standing apart from the couple, who being a couple, can stand together as they live together.
The reason that the interviewer is probably not wearing a mask is because the only mike appears to be the one on the camera, which at that distance won’t pick up what the woman is saying if she is wearing a mask. There’s no boom mike and any one worn on the body would pick up wind interference, for which reason the camera mike has a small muffler.
So, for the purpose of this shot, those speaking wouldn’t be wearing a mask and as they are in the middle of an empty square and judging by the angle of the shadows, shot just after eight in the morning.
Therefore, for all of these reasons, I think we could give a pass on slashing our wrists in indignation over this point, no?
Next, you can travel for work purposes – that’s not a problem, but you cannot travel for leisure purposes. Therefore a Spanish film crew can travel for work purposes. What you cannot do (and this is where you have a point) is show houses to prospective clients.
Real-estate agencies come across this limitation if the property is outside their municipality or the person wishing to view it must travel to your municipality to view.
So, on this final point, and with my tea now stone cold, I will phone Gema García on Wednesday to find out if they were viewing properties.
Therefore, cutting away at the lap-dog jab, the paragraphs of indignation and my cold tea, you’ve made a good point and I shall look into it and above all, we sincerely thank you for your feedback.
I read this article with interest.
The title of the article should read “Nerja Tourism condones breaking covid restrictions “.
Will Gema Garcia, Nerja Councillor for Tourism take full responsibility for such actions , as it appears she has issued a press release concerning a British Film crew , filming in Nerja for an episode of a English TV series in early December 2020 when covid restrictions are still in place.
A number of local papers , including the Seaside Gazette have published this story, without any reference to present covid restrictions . Newsworthy items may be a little thin on the ground at present, but local papers don’t have to roll over like a lap dog .
Does anyone truly believe that a foreign film crew with a foreign couple in tow, filming a programme which includes visiting multiple properties,taking in places of interest on location, be classed as essential journeys.
As I understand movement between municipalities will remain restricted to essential journeys.
I am sure the owners , both Spanish and foreigners , who have second homes in the area, who are complying with the travel restrictions are really pleased reading this article based on a local councillor’s press release . I don’t think so…pissed off more like it.
Or those people who have been fined for travelling between Almunecar and Motril
Its like my essential , is more essential than yours.
It appears that the couple are not wearing masks either , as recommended by Spanish Health authorities.
May I point out, that the crew and the couple are coming from a country which has the highest numbers of covid deaths and covid rates in Europe.