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NSW announces $20m fund to poach Hollywood production from VIC, QLD

Katherine Waterston in Alien: Covenant, currently shooting at Sydney's Fox Studios.

The NSW Government has launched a new plan to steal Hollywood blockbusters from interstate and overseas, with a new $20 million fund to boost entertainment jobs and the state’s economy.

Deputy Premier and Minister for the Arts Troy Grant said the new Made in NSW fund would double the existing NSW Government funding for the screen industry to almost $40 million over the next two years. 

“Our great state is already home to hit Aussie TV shows like Rake, A Place to Call Home and Love Child and recently accommodated big-budget international films like Mad Max: Fury Road and Alien: Covenant," Grant said.

“Now I’m putting other states and countries on notice that we’re going after their productions – who knows, NSW could host the next Star Wars blockbuster or Game of Thrones series, or we could steal Offspring from the Victorians.

“We’ve got gorgeous and unique locations, extraordinarily talented local actors, directors and producers, and world-class post-production companies.

“My message is clear – you should come here because NSW is simply the best state to make film and television, and we are putting our money where our mouth is.

Treasurer Gladys Berejiklian said the $20 million fund, to be managed by Screen NSW, will be included in the June 21 NSW Budget.

“More film productions in NSW will mean more jobs and investment across our great State,” Berejiklian said.

“NSW is a world-class destination for film and television production and this funding will help us attract even more productions to our State.”

  1. Hopefully FilmVic ups the ante and offers more money to guarantee work stays here – that is, of course, if you want to play dirty. The talent in Sydney is just as good as Melbs. We’re a small industry already, it shouldn’t be about stealing productions from other states.

  2. Fighting words… Get em’ Queensland! Seriously though. Queensland could become the absolute first destination for Hollywood films if they built another studio here. Thor has COMPLETELY taken over, and are sucking up all the little sheds and warehouses other productions up here are trying to secure too. It’s crazy. Apparently Disney are high on Qld and have Village Roadshow booked til’ 2018 when the Commonwealth Games take over the place. They should build a Brisbane based studio with some space for a big backlot. No studio in Australia has a backlot… whoever is the first to build one is the winner IMO.

    Let the games begin!

  3. What a joke. I thought we’d grown up and realised that states outbidding each other only helps Hollywood. We need a coordinated national strategy.

  4. What a load of crap. How much work goes to NSW now ?, they have there fair share. How dare the NSW Government “bribe” the production industry to get more work into NSW.

  5. Come off it guys – extra money for the Australian film industry can only be a good thing. Sure the minister could have been more discrete,but alas, this is how politicians behave.But to call these funds a bribe is simply ridiculous. It’s how all national & state organisations attract business.

  6. While Star wars has been to Sydney, Game of Thrones never will and Twenty million will only get you one major production. Its sad to think that we are in the hands of people who have very little for sight. Instead of chasing USA films is there something wrong with producing our own films, backing our own productions…how many Australian directors and actors work out of the USA.
    We need to develop the Australian Film Industry and not be just a labour hire for foreign films.

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