Govt funding helps Paper Planes take flight

Western Australia's filmmakers will have more opportunities to work with one of Australia's most successful film and television producers following the State Government's commitment to invest in the production of Paper Planes.

  • Robert Connolly and WA producer Liz Kearney to produce children's film in WA

  • Investment to allow development and more jobs for WA filmmakers

  • Paper Planes is fifth feature film scheduled to shoot in WA in 2013

Western Australia's filmmakers will have more opportunities to work with one of Australia's most successful film and television producers following the State Government's commitment to invest in the production of Paper Planes.

Announcing the funding at the set of Robert Connolly's latest project, The Turning at Churchlands Senior High School, Culture and the Arts Minister John Day said the State Government through ScreenWest had helped secure the filming of Paper Planes in WA through its Production Investment Fund.

"Today I was able to meet and observe a number of talented WA filmmakers at work on Tim Winton's The Turning and the production of Paper Planes should also employ the majority of its cast and crew from WA," Mr Day said.

The Minister said local filmmaker Liz Kearney (These Final Hours) will team up with Robert Connolly (The Bank, Three Dollars, Balibo and Underground - The Julian Assange Story) to produce Paper Planes, an imaginative children's film about a young Australian boy's passion for flight and his challenge to compete in the World Paper Plane Championships in Japan.

"Today's announcement highlights the tremendous growth of WA's screen industry along with The Turning and Son of A Gun - starring Ewan McGregor - entering pre-production," he said.

"The State Government through ScreenWest continues to attract some of the film world's biggest names to work with WA talent and keep filmmakers like Liz Kearney in the State."

Ms Kearney's production company 8th in Line Productions has recently shot feature film These Final Hours and the AACTA-nominated short film Transmission. Robert Connolly's Australian production company Arenamedia has built a reputation for producing original and compelling content, focusing on social and political themes.

          Fact File

  • The Turning, produced by Robert Connolly, is a compendium feature film based on a collection of 17 short stories by Tim Winton. Four of the 17 short stories have already been filmed in WA

  • Lib Nat Govt is strong supporter of WA film industry providing funding for projects including Bran Nue Dae, Red Dog, Wasted on the Young, The Great Mint Swindle, and An Accidental Soldier

  • The Turning-short Aquifer stars Callan Mulvey (Zero Dark Thirty) and is currently shooting in Perth. More information at http://www.screenwest.wa.gov.au  

Minister's office - 6552 6200