Ausfilm welcomes this week’s announcement by the Australian Government that feature film Wizards! will film in Queensland later this year.
The production was supported through the AU$540 million Location Incentive program providing AU$3.6 million in funding for film. The production is also supported by the Queensland Government via Screen Queensland’s Production Attraction Strategy.
Wizards!, a production from US production comapny, Plan B and Australian/UK production company, See-Saw Films with global distribution through A24, tells the comedic story of two hapless beach-bar operators who get themselves into trouble when they stumble across stolen loot that they should have just left alone.
Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts, the Hon. Paul Fletcher MP said Wizards! was the 16th production to be attracted to Queensland by the Australian Government’s successful Location Incentive program.
“In Queensland alone, this successful program has now generated more than 11,800 jobs for cast and crew,” Minister Fletcher said. “In addition to the jobs it will create directly, the production is expected to utilise the services of 400 local businesses.”
“What a coup for Queensland. Wizards! will inject approximately AU$14.7 million into our state economy and created around 100 jobs for Queensland cast and crew as well as nearly 300 opportunities for extras…”
said Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk
Ausfilm CEO, Kate Marks welcomes this recent production announcement saying, “The industry is enlivened by the announcement of Wizards! to film in Queensland. The third international production announced this week [17-19 May]. The support provided by the Federal and Queensland Governments for the film and television industry is greatly appreciated by Ausfilm’s membership of 52 screen service companies who directly benefit from large-scale international productions.”
Wizards! is produced by Plan B Co-Presidents Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner alongside Australia’s See Saw Films, Liz Watts (Stateless, True History of the Kelly Gang, Animal Kingdom), with the screenplay written by Australian writer/director, David Michôd.
To date, the Australian Government has distributed more than AU$410.3 million under the Location Incentive, to attract 35 international productions to Australia, generating more than AU$3 billion in private investment, providing more than 22,500 employment opportunities for local cast and crew, and creating work for over 30,300 businesses that support these big productions. Read the Full Media Release from the Minister of Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts here.
Filmmakers interested in filming or undertaking post, sound, music or visual effects work in Australia can explore federal and state government incentives via Ausfilm’s Australian Incentives Calculator or email Erin Stam, Ausfilm’s EVP of International Production.
For information about filming in Queensland contact Naomi Wenck and the Screen Queensland team via the button below.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Rachelle Gibson, Director of Marketing & Industry Partnerships
[email protected]
+61 2 9383 4192