Screen Australia has revised its co-production guidelines to make it easier for projects to access financing and incentives. The changes involve including Australian personnel in the points scheme from production jobs that were not awarded anything previously.
Mathieu Kassovitz is currently filming a new feature on location in French Polynesia. L’Ordre et la Morale (Rebellion) is based on the true story of a tense hostage stand-off that took place in New Caledonia in 1988 between French troops and local Kanak commandos. Kassovitz co-writes, directs and stars.
The New Zealand Government has offered to help mediate meetings between producers of the planned Hobbit films and unhappy acting unions. Peter Jackson warned last week that failure to reach a deal could result in production shifting to Eastern Europe.
Beirut and Lebanon in general has not been greatly affected by the rough recessionary winds that have hit so much of the Middle East’s media business. While Dubai is still struggling to raise sail out of the doldrums, Lebanon powers ahead on a wave of domestic production to challenge for international film, TV and ad work.
Car manufacturer Mercedes has filmed a new commercial on location in New Zealand and Switzerland with Roger Federer. Reach the Top shows the tennis superstar driving the Mercedes ML across roads, remote plains and mountain ranges. The theme was Master of All Surfaces and the spot’s intended to parallel Federer’s prowess on different tennis court surfaces.
Are there two directors stylistically more different than Woody Allen and Martin Scorsese? Antonin Depardieu knows exactly how their shooting styles differ, as he has worked with
As the euro hits an 18-month low against the dollar and UK pound, the lack of an international incentive to film has not stopped 2010 becoming a banner year for Portugal.
Peter Jackson has said a transcontinental dispute started by several actors’ unions could result in New Zealand losing the two planned Hobbit films.