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NSW secures more than $25 million in new film and TV production

Press Release

More than $25 million in film and television productions are about to be made in NSW, creating more than 1,000 screen industry jobs, Minister for the Arts, George Souris, announced today.

Mr Souris said production funding from Screen NSW will bring three high-end television series to NSW, plus post-production on a major feature film.

“This is exciting news. NSW has had a fantastic recent run of screen production with films such as The Great Gatsby, The Wolverine and Felony shooting here, as well as television series including Redfern Now, Puberty Blues and the up-coming Indigenous drama Gods of Wheat Street, which is currently filming in regional NSW,” Mr Souris said.

“This is set to continue with these newly announced projects the latest in a series of 22 productions currently scheduled for NSW. These productions include five feature films, one telemovie, five adult television drama series, two children’s animated television series, and nine documentaries, including three series.”

Mr Souris said Screen NSW funding will help ensure Puberty Blues returns to Network Ten in 2013, with a second series to be filmed on location in Sydney early next year.

“Matchbox Pictures, the producers of The Slap, will make six-part series, Return to the Devil’s Playground, a follow-up to Fred Schepisi's iconic 1976 film, The Devil’s Playground. Simon Burke will be reprising his role from the earlier film, now playing a psychiatrist.

“And Sydney-based company, Playmaker, will make fictional thriller The Code, for the ABC, filming on location in Sydney, regional NSW and Canberra.

“Screen NSW support has also ensured that the editing and post-production for feature film, Son of a Gun, starring Ewan McGregor, will take place in Sydney.”

Mr Souris said the NSW Government’s investment in attracting screen productions to NSW reflects the importance of the screen industry to the State’s economy and its role as the hub for screen business in Australia.

“In 2011/12 the O’Farrell/Stoner Government committed $6.5 million towards attracting 32 new screen productions including major feature films and television series to be made in our State. These productions are estimated to have generated $99 million in investment for the NSW economy and created more than 4,300 local jobs. “In the last financial year, NSW production companies were responsible for $538 million – or 79 per cent – of film and television drama expenditure across the country, a 15 per cent increase on the previous year with just over half of actual drama production across the entire country happening in our State.”

For more information on Screen NSW’s funding programs visit http://www.screen.nsw.gov.au