Written by new-contact on Jan 8, 2015. Posted in On Location

TV series of distant-future fantasy Shannara to film at Auckland Film Studios

A TV adaptation of part of Terry Brooks’ distant-future fantasy series Shannara will be shot at Auckland Film Studios in New Zealand by MTV Networks and Sonar Entertainment. Tommy Lee Jones’ historical feature Emperor is among the recent movies to have shot in the city.

Shannara is set on a fantastical future Earth thousands of years after an apocalypse has destroyed civilisation.

Screen Auckland has spent the past year organising location scouts for the Shannara creative team and producing a budget comparison report to help secure the shoot for Auckland.

“This is an exciting time for the screen sector in Auckland,” said Brett O’Riley, chief executive of Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development.

“While productions such as Shannara are attracted by the world-class expertise of our film crews and employ hundreds of those people directly, they also create jobs in supporting service sectors such as transport, security, accommodation, food and beverage, and by supporting local suppliers of timber, paint and other materials.

“Auckland and the North Island’s fantasy genre locations are internationally unique, and another draw card for Shannara’s producers was Auckland’s reputation for world-class fast turnaround filming based on a history of shows such as Xena, Spartacus and Power Rangers. They know they don’t need to bring in talent, it’s all here.”

Productions such as Shannara are attracted by the world-class expertise of our film crews and employ hundreds of those people directly.

Brett O’Riley, Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development

Auckland Film Studios offers three stages, the largest of which is around 20,000 sq ft. In the last few years the facility has hosted features including Narnia movies The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe and Prince Caspian, as well as Emperor.

Although Auckland has a strong TV history, New Zealand’s movie and production industry is generally focussed on Wellington, where Peter Jackson has a base at Stone Street Studios. The country launched a boosted filming incentive in April last year, which is also helping raise Auckland’s international profile.

Disney’s big-budget remake of Pete’s Dragon will be one of the international productions shooting in Wellington this year.

(Emperor image: Kirsty Griffin / Fellers Film; Auckland Film Studios image: Auckland Film Studios)