Media Releases| Sep 15, 2021

Ausfilm celebrates the recent announcement by the Australian Government’s Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts, The Hon. Paul Fletcher – of support for Universal 1440 Entertainment’s feature film Woody Woodpecker currently filming in Melbourne and regional areas across Victoria.  

The production is supported by the Morrison Government’s Location Incentive program and is also receiving financial support by the Victorian Government via Film Victoria’s Victorian Screen Incentive.

The Woody Woodpecker sequel is a family comedy, CGI animated and live action hybrid production and will also utilise cast, extras, onset crew, Australian technical crew and Post, Digital and VFX (PDV) professionals and businesses. The production is strictly adhering to the screen industry’s best-practice COVID-Safe Guidelines and all government protocols relating to COVID-19.

Ausfilm’s CEO, Kate Marks said:

“We are grateful for the continuing support of the Australian and State Governments who continue to see the significant value in film and television production to Australia’s creative and fiscal economy. This project is an excellent demonstration of how international productions employ and train a substantial number of Australians in jobs across production, technical CGI and creative post and VFX roles in addition to engaging the services of hundreds of Australian businesses.”

Minister Fletcher’s office has reported that the Location Incentive program has attracted 25 international productions to Australia since 2018, generating more than AU$1.9 billion in private investment, providing more than 16,800 employment opportunities for local cast and crew and creating work for over 15,500 businesses that support these big international productions. See the full list of productions here.

Universal 1440 Entertainment is a production arm of Universal Filmed Entertainment Group.

FILMING IN AUSTRALIA
For more information about Australia’s screen production incentives, travel and visa support from Ausfilm members and access into Australia, please contact Ausfilm:

Erin Stam
EVP of International Production
Ausfilm USA

FILMING IN VICTORIA
For more information about Film Victoria’s Screen Incentives and locations contact:
Joe Brinkmann
Manager Incentives & Investments
Film Victoria

Read the full press release from the Australian Government Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts.

MEDIA CONTACT
Rachelle Gibson
Director of Marketing & Industry Partnerships
[email protected]
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