• $16 million regional film fund launched in Western Australia
• The initiative will create local jobs and generate significant investment for the State’s economy
• The fund follows the current and recent success stories of Breath, Jasper Jones and Red Dog – True Blue

A new $16 million investment by the Western Australian Government into the screen industry aims to attract significant levels of production from Australia and internationally, generating substantial economic activity in the regions throughout the State.

The Western Australian Regional Film Fund will provide strategic finance that will stimulate regional screen industry activity, build local capacity and enrich the vibrancy of regional WA communities.

ScreenWest Chief Executive, Ian Booth said the fund will give the State a competitive advantage over other States in attracting productions to film in Western Australia.

“The fund will attract key national and international players to make content in the regions whilst utilising local crews and creating great opportunities for local talent,” Mr Booth said.

“We will build on the strengths of regional WA, its extraordinary landscapes, experiences, stories and creative communities.”

The fund will provide finance to support national and international feature films, high-end television series and documentaries that shoot in the regions of Western Australia.

The new fund will build on the momentum created by the Western Australian Government’s Royalties for Regions program which has assisted films such as Breath, Red Dog – True Blue, Jasper Jones, Drift and Red Dog and ScreenWest’s Production Attraction Scheme.

Mr Booth said: “ScreenWest will administer the fund, in partnership with the regions, and will market the great locations of Western Australia nationally and overseas to encourage film, TV and documentary producers to bring their projects here. In turn, we will be promoting local infrastructure capabilities, services and co-production opportunities.

“The fund is an extension of the success stories we’ve already seen between regional development commissions and the screen industry. For example, Mark Johnson and Jamie Hilton, who produced Simon Baker’s feature film Breath, based on the Tim Winton novel, collaborated closely with the Great Southern Development Commission in Denmark, creating more than 250 local jobs.”

“Producers Vincent Sheehan and David Jowsey and director Rachel Perkins recently finished shooting coming-of-age mystery Jasper Jones, based on the novel by Fremantle writer Craig Silvey, in Pemberton in the South West, with the support of the South West Development Commission.”

“Producer Nelson Woss and director Kriv Stenders’ Red Dog – True Blue worked alongside the Pilbara Development Commission.”

What the filmmakers of Breath had to say: 

“The opportunity to realise Tim Winton’s iconic novel in its own rugged and pristine environment has been a filmmaker’s dream. We are grateful for the community’s support and embrace of our cast and crew, it has helped our production immensely.” – Simon Baker, Director, and Producer

“It’s rare that we get to bring such a powerful story to life in its natural environment. The crew is fantastically talented, the landscapes and locations are breathtaking, and we count ourselves very lucky to have the support of ScreenWest.”   -Tom Williams, Executive Producer

The fund will be operational as of 1 July 2016.

Want to know more?
Film Fund FAQ – Click Here 
Fast Facts about the Fund – Click Here 

For inquiries about the fund please contact: 
Adam Smith
Director Production Investment
+61 8 6552 7950
[email protected]