Production on WA-based feature Drone Racers has stalled due to casting issues exacerbated by the US actors’ and screenwriters’ strike, which brought the industry to a standstill last year.
“It’s a confluence of events,” the film’s producer and WBMC chief creative officer Aidan O’Bryan said.
“We had someone significant internationally who was set to do it, who then got his passion project up to write and direct with one of the streamers. It meant we were looking to replace him and with how in demand different folks are, and how far it is to travel to Australia, and then the strikes rolled around, unfortunately there wasn’t enough time left before the money lapsed at Screen Australia and ScreenWest.”
Screen Australia committed $800,000 while ScreenWest committed $600,000 to the family-oriented feature in February 2023. The Universal-distributed film also received support from Lotterywest and the Western Australian Regional Screen Fund.
Drone Racers tells the story of tween Esme who discovers a talent for the fun, futuristic sport of drone racing. Working with her tech-nerd cousin, she takes her new skills from the beaches, bush and burbs of their outback town, to the world championships. Alison James (director of short film Judas Collar) had signed on to direct the screenplay by Jules Duncan (Rams).
The fallout from 2023 Writers Guild of America strike (the equal second longest in history at five months) and the actors’ union SAG-AFTRA strike (its longest in history at four months) continues to affect the Australian industry, with production still recovering.
O’Bryan said WBMC remains committed to Drone Racers, which still has strong support in the market.
“We’re committed to making something that’s really audience-facing and has the potential to work in Australia and overseas. We have to do that in a really competitive space so it takes time to get it right but everyone’s still really supporting the project.”