...and ACTION!

The twenties are Australian film’s new golden years.

As Australia begins to move toward a post-COVID normal, our nation’s film and screen industry looks set to boom in upcoming years. Boasting minimal cases of Covid-19, relaxed government measures, monetary incentives, and stunning scenery, Australia continues to be one of the world’s best places to shoot and produce films. As our cases continue to diminish and restrictions ease further, production companies are eyeing off Australia as a safer and more flexible location for screen productions. Ausfilm is one of the main channels through which Australia connects and works with the international film community, putting production companies in touch with writers, incentives, facilities, and more. Ausfilm CEO, Kate Marks, spoke to a parliamentary committee in December 2020. Her optimism and enthusiasm for our country’s industry is one of many promising signs for the future. “The international [film industry] spotlight is firmly on Australia," she said. Beautiful, vast, and varied scenery is one of the reasons why Australia is such a sought-after location for screen productions. Mountainous forest regions, stunning beaches, and sparse, dry deserts are in abundance and easy to find in Australia, making it an ideal and versatile location for any number of productions. Despite these obvious benefits, Australia also offers film producers a generous series of financial incentives to support screen production in the country. The Australian Screen Production Incentive offers tax rebates to production companies for eligible films for things such as large-budget films, feature films, and television projects, as long as these films or shows are shot and produced on Australian shores. This fantastic incentive aims to entice international screen productions to Australia, ensuring that more jobs and opportunities are available to Aussies. The Daily Telegraph reported in mid-February 2021 that the Marvel Cinematic Universe is strongly considering moving all production of its future films to Australian shores. This would be an astronomical win for our screen industry and would secure countless jobs for Aussies as well as encouraging other production companies to work down under. Big name actors such as Jennifer Lawrence, Idris Elba, Natalie Portman, Christian Bale, and Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson are set to venture down under for upcoming films and television series. These stars will be adding to the list of Hollywood celebs that have recently shot films in Australia, from the likes of Matt Damon, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Zac Efron to Liam Neeson, Kirsten Dunst, and Tom Hanks. These talented entertainers will be joined by our own home-grown Aussie talent. Names like Nicole Kidman, Toni Collette, Chris Hemsworth, Rose Byrne, Eric Bana, and Mia Wasikowska have screen productions lined up for this year. Furthermore, the federal government is providing over $10 million to production companies Imagine Entertainment and MGM, as famous director Ron Howard begins shooting for his feature film Thirteen Lives on Australian shores in March. Based on the incredible true story of the 2018 Thai cave rescue, Thirteen Lives is set to be filmed in Queensland, with the state providing countless ideal locations to emulate scenery in Thailand. Paul Fletcher MP, federal minister for Communications, Cyber Safety, and the Arts, has said that the production is set to create hundreds more jobs for cast and crew, as well as providing a financial boost of around $96 million to the industry. “The production itself will create vital job opportunities and will engage the services of an estimated 300 Australian businesses,” he said. “This project will also undertake a significant amount of cutting-edge visual effects work here, a great opportunity for our local post, digital and visual effects companies.” The upcoming opportunities for film and other screen productions are infinite, and the future is very bright in terms of jobs for those cast, crew, and production workers. We can’t wait to see all of the hard work coming from Australia in 2021. ___________ If you would like more information or advice from the experts here at Aspire Magazine, please get in touch with us via the contact form on our ABOUT US page. Here at Aspire Magazine, we are the industry experts within the child talent and entertainment industry. We pride ourselves in educating and unravelling the intricacies of the industry, while also providing fun and interesting information about kids fashion and trends. Check out our website to find out more about Aspire Magazine.

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