12/4/03
More than 80 new job opportunities are being created within the Western Australian screen industry, with $3million allocated by the State Government for three new production projects.
Culture and the Arts Minister Sheila McHale said today the projects were among a lengthy list that had given the local screen industry a tremendous boost over the past 2.5 years.
"The Gallop Government has invested $6.8million in film and television productions that have generated $56.4million into the economy and created an estimated 2,072 ancillary jobs in the film and television industry," Ms McHale said.
The Minister announced the recipients of the first round of funding from the Screen Industry Partnership Fund through ScreenWest.
"This investment will generate combined budgets of $13million, of which $11.5million will be spent in WA, resulting in 30 hours of television production," she said.
The successful companies are:
- Surfing the Menu (a subsidiary of Mago Films) for a series of eight half-hour 'food/travel/adventure' segments called Surfing the Menu;
- Prospero Productions for 13 half-hour segments in a documentary series called 'The Snakebuster'; and
- a new company in WA, Great Western Entertainment, for a proposed slate of children's television series, commencing with the proposed 26 half-hour children's series 'Parallax'.
Ms McHale said the projects reinforced the value of the documentary and children's television drama sectors in the WA screen industry.
"This level of production will generate excellent employment opportunities, creating skilled practitioners that will aid in attracting other productions to WA," she said.
"The projects will provide opportunities for our talented artists and production teams who wish to stay in WA and work in the film sector.
"The Screen Industry Partnership Fund will strengthen a vital sector of our local creative community."
The Minister also commended the level of private investment in the local industry.
Projects already supported by ScreenWest include:
Feature films:- 'Thunderstruck', which is currently in production, about five friends who attempt to bury their dead mate alongside former AC/DC lead singer Bon Scott;
- 'Japanese Story', a feature film starring Toni Collette, which was entirely shot in the Pilbara region of WA and will showcase it to an international audience; and
- 'Teesh and Trude', written, produced and directed entirely by West Australians and which has just recently been selected to screen at the prestigious Los Angeles Film Festival.
Television drama:- 'The Mary G Show', an indigenous variety series featuring the popular Mark Bin Bakar as Mary G. The series, produced by Goolarri Media Enterprises in Broome, went to air nationally on SBS Television in 2001 and 2002; and
- 'Ocean Star', a 13-part Children's Drama Series was shot entirely in the Broome area in mid 2002 for screening on the Ten Network, BBC and internationally.
Opportunities for early career filmmakers:- 'FLY TV Animation', an initiative to give 14 West Australia early career animator and their team the opportunity to produce 14 short animation pieces; and
- 'Outback Upfront', a series of 14 short films produced throughout Western Australia which explored themes of relevance to the Australian outback.
Documentaries- 'Child Soldiers', produced by Electric Pictures, won the 2002 UNICEF Child Rights Award from the Asian Broadcast Union and the Cable and Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia. The prize is awarded to the best television program dealing with children's rights produced in the Asia Pacific Region in the last year; and
- 12 series and 13 single documentaries have been made, making WA one of Australia's leading centres of documentary production.
Ms McHale said many of the locations for these productions would also showcase the State to national and possibly international audiences, helping tourism.
Minister's office: 9213 6900
