Hugh Jackman’s X-Men spin-off The Wolverine has been doubling a suburb of Sydney for the streets of Tokyo. Parramatta in Greater Western Sydney has had street signs and vehicle number plates switched for Japanese equivalents as part of the film’s set design.
The Director of the British Film Institute’s (BFI) Film Fund will make the keynote address at this year’s Film London Production Finance Market (PFM). Ben Roberts has nearly 20 years of experience in the film industry and will share his knowledge and future vision with delegates.
Quentin Tarantino filmed scenes for his Western Django Unchained in Wyoming when the required snow didn’t make an appearance in California. Wyoming is on the plains of the western US and appeals mainly as a commercial filming location.
James Cameron has suggested that New Zealand could benefit from improving its filming incentives. The filmmaker hosted New Zealand Prime Minister John Key on a trip to the US and praised New Zealand for creating film industries that easily compete with the US and the UK.
Michigan has a film fund worth nearly USD60 million for the 2013 fiscal year. Support for the state’s filming industries has see-sawed over the past 12 months, with the 2013 figure representing new money, plus several million that was unused in the last fiscal year.
South Australia has become the first state in the country to offer payroll tax exemption for visiting productions. At the same time, national film body Ausfilm has renewed calls for Australia’s location offset incentive to be increased.
Craig Woods is Film Commissioner at the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism. The Bahamas is part of the British Commonwealth and encompasses 700 Caribbean islands, of which 30 are inhabited. Craig is in charge of promoting and arranging film shoots in the region.
A new feature has turned the Isle of Man into 18th Century Bristol. Filming for true-life slavery tale Belle has been focussing on Castletown harbour on the south coast of the island in the Irish Sea. The film marks the first collaboration between the Isle of Man and Pinewood Studios.