Global film production totalled some 3,540 films in 2000, an increase of 76 films from 1999, according to research by industry periodical Screen Digest.

With some of the smaller territories still to release production data for 2000, the figures are not exhaustive, but the trend is unmistakable: world-wide film production is on the increase again after a slump in the mid- and late 90s.

The two most significant trends to be identified in the research are that while some territories are benefiting from US 'runaway' productions to exploit lower costs or tax incentives, several more are developing more solid local industries.

Other notable observations identified by the Screen Digest research include:

* Co-productions represented 8.4% of all film production around the globe with Western Europe having the highest proportion: 29.8%

* UK and France accounted for 60.9% of European film production investment

* Production activity in the US is four times that of the EU and nearly nine times that of Japan

* Indian production rose 11.9% in 2000 thanks to government measures.

Top 10 film producing nations

1998

1999

2000

1. India

693

764

855

2 USA

661

628

762

3 Japan

249

270

282

4. Hong Kong

92

146

185

5. France

183

181

171

6. Philippines

160

120

103

7. Italy

92

108

103

8. Bangladesh

95

100

9. Spain

65

82

98

10. UK

87

92

90

Top 10 film investment countries 2000 ($m)

2000 ($ million)

1. USA

10,338.00

2 Japan

1,203.34

3 UK

849.04

4. France

741.57

5. Germany

382.34

6. Italy

207.52

7. Canada

168.29

8. Spain

163.13

9. Argentina

132.00

10. Hong Kong

99.46

Top 10 nations by investment per film

1998 ($m)

1999 ($m)

2000 ($m)

1. USA

14.00

13.85

13.63

2 UK

7.10

8.89

9.43

3 Australia

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