By Simon de Bruyn
NSW Premier and Minister for the Arts Nathan Rees has said its was his direct intervention three weeks ago which led Warner Bros to decide to shift production of its big budget Green Lantern movie from Melbourne to Sydney.
In a media call with journalists at Sydney’s Fox Studios yesterday, Rees said he had met with the film’s executive producer Herb Gains and presented the state’s commitment, which included generous payroll tax rebates.
“I met with the key players and through our direct intervention was able to secure Green Lantern for NSW. I met directly with Herb Gains about three weeks ago and gave them our commitment,” he said.
He added that after handling such tax incentives on a case by case basis until now, the NSW government was currently “in the process of putting together a formula for incentives”, presumably as part of its Film Friendly package.
Over the past few months, both Queensland and Victoria made strong bids to Warner Bros for the film to shoot in these states, and a production office had been reportedly set up in Melbourne a few weeks ago.
"Bringing Green Lantern to NSW is a major coup,” Rees said.
Chief executive of Fox Studios Australia, Nancy Romano, said the production would be a major boost for the Moore Park studio facility, and filming as a whole in the state.
“Once upon a time the bridge, the opera house, the harbour and the Fox brand were enough to attract productions here,” she said.
"We have empty sound stages at the moment so this is crucial; we have 60 tenants on the lot which leverage off the [productions].”
One of the major aspects of the announcement was the emphasis that the film would create 500 jobs within the state at any one time, with the film to start shooting in November, and according to Rees, shoot for “between six to nine months”.
Romano was not able to confirm whether an effects deal with Animal Logic, also based on the Fox studios lot, was part of the government’s negotiations to bring the production to the state.
“There have been no announcements in regards to post production,” she said.
Green Lantern will be produced by DC Comics and Warner Bros. with Director Martin Campbell (Casino Royale), Producer Donald Deline (Guardians of Ga’Hoole, The Italian Job) and Executive Producer Herb Gains (Watchmen).
Green Lantern is expected to start pre-production in July 2009 and will begin filming in November 2009.