Historically, Ireland has managed to attract high-end international productions, such as Mel Gibson's Braveheart and Steven Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan. But the territory's bidding position has been undermined by a strong euro and a weak US dollar.

The Irish Film Board recently established an office in LA under the management of Jonathan Loughran: the Irish Film Commission US focuses on the promotion of Ireland to the US audiovisual industry.

Previously, Loughran worked with the Irish government's Enterprise Ireland in Los Angeles, helping Irish new media companies develop relationships with entertainment industry leaders including Disney, Warner Bros, Sony and MTV.

Why shoot in Ireland'
Section 481, the Irish tax incentive, is worth up to 20% of Irish eligible spend, paid in cash on the first day of principal photography. S481 can contribute a cash benefit of up to $7m per project. Visiting productions also have a 0% VAT [sales tax] rating in Ireland, and there is the possibility of Irish Film Board equity investment.

How receptive are producers'
Ireland enjoys strong brand recognition on the back of the success of Irish films down the years, and because so many US executives have Irish roots.

Which are your biggest competitors'
Our biggest competitor is our closest neighbour, the UK. Being less than a 45-minute flight away, and with similar locations, we find Ireland competing head to head with the UK for many productions. Currently we find it hard to attract bigger US feature films to Ireland. Our tax break struggles to compete with the UK tax credit on large studio pictures.

What is the biggest misconception about Ireland'
We battle to remind international film-makers that we have much more than beautiful rural landscapes. Dublin has doubled for New York in movies like In America, Laws Of Attraction and The Honeymooners.

What is your working day like'
I spend my working day meeting with US producers of film and TV in their offices in Hollywood. This is the best way to ensure that Ireland remains front of mind.