/Press 01.02.19

QUEENSLAND’S GOT MONSTER PROBLEMS: PARAMOUNT FILM ATTRACTED TO AUSTRALIA

PARAMOUNT’S MONSTER PROBLEMS THE FOURTH INTERNATIONAL PROJECT TO FILM IN AUSTRALIA AS AN OUTCOME OF THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT’S NEW LOCATION INCENTIVE

February 2019 – In the wake of the Australian Government’s announcements of support for Legendary Entertainment’s Godzilla vs Kong, Disney ABC International’s TV series Reef Break and Sony Pictures Television series Preacher season 4, Ausfilm once again applauds the Australian Government’s announcement on Saturday of support for an additional international production attracted to Australia: Paramount Pictures’ Monster Problems, to be filmed in Queensland in 2019. 

Debra Richards, CEO of Ausfilm, said “This is the fourth international production attracted to Australia following the introduction of the Government’s AUD$140million Location Incentive last year. Undoubtedly this demonstrates that a globally competitive screen production incentive is an effective strategy to create a pipeline of consistent footloose production.”

A positive economic development, Richards, as head of Australia’s industry association for screen businesses, knows all too well. “For Ausfilm’s membership of 43 production services businesses all across Australia and for Australian talent in front of and behind the camera, this pipleline of international production creates thousands of jobs across Australia. The inward investment attracted also benefits other sectors, such as tourism, hospitality and construction, expanding the impact on the Australian economy.”

Secured by the Queensland government vis Screen Queensland, this is the second feature film from Paramount Pictures to be filmed in Australia. Dora the Explorer was supported by the Queensland Government and filmed at Village Roadshow Studios on the Gold Coast in August 2018 employing 350 cast and crew, providing eight training opportunities and injecting more than $43million directly into the state’s economy.

Warner Bros. and DC’s Aquaman was attracted to Australia with an Australian Government ‘top-up grant’. The film has since raked in $1billion at the Box Office and was filmed in Queensland injecting more than $144million into the state’s economy, employing more than 1000 cast and crew and providing training and upskilling across different sectors in the industry.

Godzilla vs Kong and Reef Break, are both filming in Queensland now, and Preacher season 4 is the largest budget series to shoot in Victoria in a decade and is currently in production. The Whistleblower, an Australian Chinese Co-production wrapped in Victoria in October 2018 spending $40million in the state and employing Australian and Chinese crew.

The Location Incentive is a merit assessed grant, which complements the Australian Government’s current 16.5 per cent Location Offset and effectively provides up to a 30 per cent tax incentive, to attract international production. The Location Incentive will be delivered over four years from 2019 – 20. On behalf of the screen services industry, Ausfilm continues to advocate for a permanent increase of the Location Offset once the Location Incentive is expended.

About the film: Monster Problems is a coming-of-age tale about a young man living in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by monsters. It will be filmed in Queensland in the first half of 2019. The film stars Dylan O’Brien and is directed by Michael Matthews. 

MEDIA ENQUIRIES
Rachelle Gibson

Director of Marketing & Industry Partnerships, Ausfilm
T: + 61 2 9383 4124   E: [email protected]

RESEARCH

Ausfilm’s recent research, in partnership with PriceWaterhouseCoopers, on The Value of Global Footloose Production* documents the trends and policy measures that shows Australia is not alone, footloose production has delivered positive economic growth in every jurisdiction studied.

* To download Ausfilm’s Report on The Value of Global Footloose Production click here.