Premier visits set of WA's biggest TV drama

Premier Alan Carpenter today visited the set of the biggest television drama series ever produced in Western Australia.

The 26-part children's sci-fi series 'Stormworld' is a joint co-production between Australia (Great Western Entertainment) and Canada, in association with Singapore, and will be broadcast nationally on the Nine Network in 2009.

The State Government has invested more than $600,000 in 'Stormworld', with more than 100 Western Australian cast, crew, writers, musicians and directors working on the series here and overseas. 

The Premier met the cast and crew of the exciting new series in Mindarie Keys.

"This large-scale production reflects how much our local film and television industry is booming, and showcases the skills of our outstanding filmmakers and unique landscapes," Mr Carpenter said.

"WA is a world leader in producing quality children's television, with series' such as Lockie Leonard, and now 'Stormworld' cementing our reputation."

Producer Paul Barron said 'Stormworld' was the biggest TV drama ever to be mounted in WA.

"The production makes maximum use of the talent, locations and resources of WA,"

Mr Barron said.

"We believe the WA-Singapore-Canada connection has proved to be a valuable combination in both creative and commercial terms and Great Western is planning several future productions with our partners."

He said after shooting in Mindarie Keys, production would move to Singapore, Broome and Vancouver.

Local cast members George Shevstov, Kazimir Saz and Valentina Barron will work on the series alongside international actors Lim Kay Tong from Singapore and Calum Worthy and Andrew Jenkins from Canada.

Principal investors include the State Government, through ScreenWest, the Film Finance Corporation of Australia and Singapore's Media Development Authority.

'Stormworld' has been pre-sold in Canada to CTV (Space Channel) and in Australia to the Nine Network, ABC-TV and Disney Channel.

It is a character-driven action-adventure set among hostile islands, lonely oceans and terrifying storms.  It is the story of a group of disparate people, marooned by inexplicable acts of fate, who battle to survive and found a new society on the shores of a New World.