NEWS
Friday, October 30, 2020
Cairns Local News
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BRINGING HOLLYWOOD TO CAIRNS
PROPOSED STUDIO WILL SHINE THE SPOTLIGHT ON CAIRNS TANYA MURPHY THE Labor Party’s election promise to invest $6.8 million in a film studio for Cairns has full support from local film industry professional John Baker. John has been working in the film and television industry for 25 years, and his business Film Crew NQ supplies lighting, gripping and other equipment for film and television productions. He said I was “incredibly excited” for what would be a massive boost for his business and the region.
“I’ve worked with countless large production companies who come from all over the world to shoot film, television and advertising projects in Far North Queensland because of our stunning locations, but at the moment they have to base themselves elsewhere. “With a studio in Cairns, major film companies would set up a base here and that would provide a huge boost to jobs and investment. “The film industry doesn’t just employ camera people and directors, it also employs electricians, builders, carpenters, mechanics, caterers, prop makers, dress
makers, and more. “Film productions also bring in big teams of crew who stay in accommodation, eat at restaurants, and visit tourist attractions, a boost which Innisfail benefited from hugely
city and region, and people around the world seeing the incredible and beautiful imagery shot in this region, it will also attract more tourists here, just like what ‘Lord of the Rings’ has done for New
“With a studio in Cairns, major film companies would set up a base here and that would provide a huge boost to jobs and investment. during the filming of SBS series ‘Hungry Ghosts,’ which I was involved with last year. “If we have a lot of A-list celebrities hanging out in our
Zealand. “Cairns is perfectly placed to work symbiotically with the film industry on the
Gold Coast, because we have direct flights between the two places, so a major production could easily work simultaneously in both places. “If a studio was built here, I would definitely have a lot more confidence to invest more money in my film business and purchase more equipment and vehicles. “At the moment I have another business which is an advertising agency, but my true passion is film and I’d be very excited to be able to make film my main job without having to leave FNQ, and I know a lot of my colleagues would feel the same.”
The Labor Party will establish a significant film industry presence in the Cairns region and create jobs with a $6.8 million investment in a new film studio if re-elected. The FNQ Sound Stage will create jobs by attracting film productions to the region while also providing a training ground for the Queensland filmmakers of the future. Subject to successful completion of a business case, including possible investment by commercial partners, the $6.8 million investment could include construction of a purpose-built sound stage, office and teaching space, lights, camera and sound equipment, rooftop and solar battery systems, and additional dedicated set-building space. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said creating a film-making precinct in Cairns would grow jobs as part of Queensland’s plan for economic recovery and build on successes in attracting film production to other parts of the state. “We’ve created more than 10,000 jobs in Queensland by investing more than $80 million in our Production Attraction Strategy, including filming and production of films like Thor: Ragnarok, Aquaman and the new Baz Luhrmann Elvis biopic,” the Premier said. Labor Member for Mulgrave Curtis Pitt, a longtime passionate advocate for the FNQ Screen Production Strategic Plan he launched with the Premier in 2018, said the $6.8 million investment would put the Cairns region in prime position to take advantage of burgeoning global demand for production capacity. “Queensland has always been an attractive destination for film and TV productions and now we are also viewed as a safe destination in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Mr Pitt said.
