Entertainment Special Effects Bill

1
Entertainment Special Effects Bill

• Information Technology and
• Broadcasting Bureau

2
Entertainment Special Effects Bill

• To govern the supply, use, conveyance and storage
  of dangerous goods for the production of special
  effects in films, television programmes and
  theatrical performances
• To be gazetted on 11 February 2000
• To be introduced into the Legislative Council on
  23 February 2000

3
Objectives of the New Legislation

• To streamline and improve existing regulatory
  measures
• To meet the operational needs of the industry
  while protecting public safety

4
Existing Regulatory Regime

• Governed by the Dangerous Goods Ordinance and the
  Gas Safety Ordinance
• Existing legislation is not specifically designed
  for the entertainment industry, thus cannot meet
  the needs of the industry

5
Inadequacies of Existing Regulatory Regime

• Regulatory responsibilities are shared among five
  different departments
• A separate discharge permit is required for each
  discharge of pyrotechnic materials (including
  rehearsals, reshooting etc.)
• No licensing system for local special effects
  operators
• Very stringent regulation of the combined use of
  pyrotechnic materials and other dangerous goods

6
Conducting a Review

• Considerations -
• Operational needs of the film and entertainment
  industries
• Public safety and security requirements
• Regulatory regime for the film industry in
  Hollywood and advice of a US consultant

7
New Regulatory Regime under Entertainment Special
Effects Bill

• To set up an Entertainment Special Effects
  Licensing Authority
• To license special effects operators
• To issue permits for the discharge of special
  effects materials
• To regulate the registration, supply, conveyance
  and storage of pyrotechnic special effects
  materials
• To issue and approve codes of practice

8
Regulatory Regime under Entertainment Special
Effects Bill
Other licensed suppliers
Non-movable Store Licence
Supplier Licence
Point of entry in Hong Kong of pyrotechnic
special effects materials
Conveyance Permit
Non-movable Store
Supplier
Licensed special effects operators
Flow of pyrotechnic special effects
materials Licences/Permits required under the
Entertainment Special Effects Bill
Legend
9
Regulatory Regime under Entertainment Special
Effects Bill
Special Effects Operator Licence
Pyrotechnic special effects materials from
licensed supplier
Special Effects Operator Licence
Special Effects Operator
Non-movable Store Licence
Discharge Permit
Non-movable Store
Conveyance Permit
Movable Store
Conveyance Permit
Venue for Discharge
Pyrotechnic special effects materials imported by
licensed special effects operator himself
Movable Store Licence
Non-pyrotechnic special effects materials
Flow of special effects materials Licences/Permits
required under the Entertainment Special Effects
Bill
Legend
10
Merits of New Regulatory Regime over Existing
Regime

• Licensing Authority will provide one-stop
  regulatory services
• Licensing of local special effects operators will
  enhance professional expertise
• Arrangements for issue of discharge permits will
  be
• streamlined and improved
• Registration of pyrotechnic special effects
  materials will facilitate application for
  discharge permits
• Licensing of suppliers of pyrotechnic special
  effects
• materials will help to protect public safety
• Regulatory measures for the storage and
  conveyance of pyrotechnic special effects
  materials will be streamlined and improved

11
Public Consultation

• LegCo Panel on Information Technology and
  Broadcasting
• Film Services Advisory Committee
• Film and entertainment industries
• are on the whole supportive of the proposed
  regulatory system

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Impacts of New Regulatory Regime on the Film
Industry in Hong Kong

• Enhancing Professional expertise of local
  practitioners
• Safer production of entertainment special effects
• Meeting the operational needs of the industry
• Encouraging the industry to comply with relevant
  requirements
• Attracting films involving the production of
  entertainment special effects to carry out
  location shooting in
• Hong Kong
• Conducive to the long-term healthy development of
  the local film industry