Production Attraction and Studio Commitment for Western Australia

Production Attraction and Studio Commitment for Western Australia

Screenwest welcomes the Western Australian State Government’s re-election commitment to invest in a new $20 million Production Attraction Fund and the development of a $100 million Studio and Sound Stage in Fremantle.

Today’s announcement of a new Production Attraction Fund and Studio Infrastructure is a game changer, putting the state on track to have the fastest growing screen industry in the nation. This investment firmly places Western Australia on the global stage to attract interstate and international productions, which will provide an ongoing pipeline of work for our local crews and sharply grow the industry with significant direct benefit to Western Australia’s economy.

As studios around Australia fill, with year long wait times, the announced infrastructure development and Production Attraction investment will work towards realising Screenwest’s recently released Strategic Plan, with the set target of increasing production investment to $150 million in Western Australia annually by 2024.

In 2019-20, screen investment in Western Australia hit over $51 million, doubling the size of the Western Australian Screen Industry over the past three years, with a strong flow of production originating in and coming into the state. This incredible growth provided the spark and showcased the opportunities that screen investment could create in the state. With this newly committed support from the State Government, through the Production Attraction Fund, Screenwest will be able to further incentivise incoming productions, boost and grow local production activity, and support a variety of new initiatives for undersupported formats including games and immersive technologies.

The demand for studio infrastructure has been fast growing with Screenwest strongly advocating for the investment. Screenwest worked with the State Government throughout their Market Led tender process, which was announced in late 2020, to ensure the Studio’s development would be cutting edge and meet the needs of our industry now and into the future.  The development projects approximately 2800 film production and precinct hospitality jobs to be supported each year in the longer term through the studio.

The State Government’s commitment if re-elected will see the development of a state-of-the-art studio, digital and post-production complex located in Fremantle’s Victoria Quay. The proposed facility puts Western Australia at the forefront of the screen production, games and immersive technologies meeting the needs of the local screen industry in addition to interstate and international productions in Western Australia.

These investments closely complement the State Government’s existing $16 million investment to the Western Australian Screen Fund (previously named the Western Australian Regional Film Fund), the PDV incentive and the ongoing support of the Screen Industry from Lotterywest through Screenwest.

John Driscoll, Board Chair of Screenwest said, “Screenwest has long been advocating for additional government support for Production Attraction and for the development of a studio in WA and we welcome today’s commitment. This is truly a game changer and gives WA a competitive edge nationally and internationally to attract incoming productions, while ensuring our local homegrown stories don’t leave the state.”

Contact Screenwest

T: +61 8 6169 2100
E: info@screenwest.com.au

www.screenwest.com.au
www.filminwesternaustralia.com.au

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