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Perth Now
a day ago
- Business
- Perth Now
WA's film and TV production boom is set to continue
The screen production boom looks set to continue in WA, after the State's peak funding body, Screenwest, announced on Monday the nation's richest incentive of its kind for filmmakers. The Cook Government can't afford for its ballyhooed Malaga film studio to become a white elephant, but attracting productions to the West depends less on facilities — there are already well-established options in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria — and more on the bottom line for studios. In a tacit acknowledgement of this fact, Screenwest has boosted its post-production rebate scheme, which had previously been capped at 10 per cent of qualifying expenditure for productions with budgets over $500,000. From July 1, the rebate, which is funded by the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries, will increase to 20 per cent, doubling the payments made to eligible bigger-budget projects for post-production, digital and visual effects carried out in WA. The new rebate is in addition to a 30 per cent post-production Federal Government offset for productions of at least $500,000. Studios spread post-production work around the globe to chase the most attractive incentives, which is why you'll see VicScreen and the South Australian Film Corporation listed in the closing credits of even the biggest Marvel movies. The increased WA incentive should see the Screenwest logo appear more frequently in the credits now, but the funding body's chief executive Rikki Lea Bestall said it's about something more than brand recognition. The second season of The Twelve. Credit: Binge 'This is . . . squarely aimed at encouraging more post-production projects to Western Australia to do business with our skilled practitioners, from editors to sound designers, VFX artists and animators,' Ms Bestall said. 'WA has a steady pipeline of scripted and documentary productions, which are being filmed on-location and in studios across our state, and that is only going to increase next year when the Perth Film Studios open in Malaga. 'But many of these projects take the next phase of their production elsewhere. We want to make sure our State is being considered as a good place to do business for all facets of screen production.' Nicolas Cage in The Surfer. Credit: Madman The WA economy received nearly $65 million worth of screen production expenditure in the past financial year, up from $41.5 million the previous year. Productions brought to WA by existing incentives in the past financial year included Season 2 of The Twelve, starring Sam Neill, and The Surfer, starring Nicolas Cage, which can currently be seen in cinemas.
West Australian
2 days ago
- Business
- West Australian
Screenwest lures film and TV projects to the West with Australia's richest post-production screen incentive
The screen production boom looks set to continue in WA, after the State's peak funding body, Screenwest, announced on Monday the nation's richest incentive of its kind for filmmakers. The Cook Government can't afford for its ballyhooed Malaga film studio to become a white elephant, but attracting productions to the West depends less on facilities — there are already well-established options in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria — and more on the bottom line for studios. In a tacit acknowledgement of this fact, Screenwest has boosted its post-production rebate scheme, which had previously been capped at 10 per cent of qualifying expenditure for productions with budgets over $500,000. From July 1, the rebate, which is funded by the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries, will increase to 20 per cent, doubling the payments made to eligible bigger-budget projects for post-production, digital and visual effects carried out in WA. The new rebate is in addition to a 30 per cent post-production Federal Government offset for productions of at least $500,000. Studios spread post-production work around the globe to chase the most attractive incentives, which is why you'll see VicScreen and the South Australian Film Corporation listed in the closing credits of even the biggest Marvel movies. The increased WA incentive should see the Screenwest logo appear more frequently in the credits now, but the funding body's chief executive Rikki Lea Bestall said it's about something more than brand recognition. 'This is . . . squarely aimed at encouraging more post-production projects to Western Australia to do business with our skilled practitioners, from editors to sound designers, VFX artists and animators,' Ms Bestall said. 'WA has a steady pipeline of scripted and documentary productions, which are being filmed on-location and in studios across our state, and that is only going to increase next year when the Perth Film Studios open in Malaga. 'But many of these projects take the next phase of their production elsewhere. We want to make sure our State is being considered as a good place to do business for all facets of screen production.' The WA economy received nearly $65 million worth of screen production expenditure in the past financial year, up from $41.5 million the previous year. Productions brought to WA by existing incentives in the past financial year included Season 2 of The Twelve, starring Sam Neill, and The Surfer, starring Nicolas Cage, which can currently be seen in cinemas.
Edinburgh Live
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
ITV viewers 'hooked' on new 'must-watch masterpiece' thriller based on true story
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info ITV has quietly unleashed an incredible new thriller - and the eight-part series is already receiving glowing reviews from viewers. Titled Fake, this Australian masterpiece is being hailed as a "romance-scam thriller" and centres on a young woman who starts to suspect that her charming new partner isn't quite what he seems. The show made its debut on ITVX on April 27 and is set to take over Saturday nights starting from May 3, quickly becoming a hit and even setting records as Paramount+'s most successful release in Australia after its premiere. The official synopsis reads: "The series stars Asher Keddie (Nine Perfect Strangers) as Birdie Bell, a magazine features writer who thinks she's found her perfect match when she meets successful rancher Joe (David Wenham, Pieces of Her), on a dating app. But as the relationship intensifies, Birdie is torn between Joe's magnetic pull and the instinct that her boyfriend isn't all he has led her to believe." Commenting on the acquisition, ITV's Head of Content Acquisitions Sasha Brelau expressed excitement: "We've got a great track record with Australian drama on ITVX, Anya Beyersdorf's work on The Twelve is a shining example of how well it resonates with our audiences, so we're really looking forward to bringing her newest offering Fake to the UK in 2025. It's a gripping thriller, made for binge watching," reports the Mirror. Despite what the name might suggest, Fake is actually rooted in reality. The series is an adaptation of Stephanie Wood's memoir, which details her own harrowing experience. A woman has revealed her harrowing ordeal with a man she calls a con artist after meeting him on a dating app, stating: "I met Joe through an online dating app and spent 15 months with him. He told me he was a former architect, farmer and property developer. He seemed to be compassionate and decent and to share my values. He led me to think we might have a future together." She added that his "But his increasingly erratic behaviour, his constant cancellations and contradictory stories, left me in a state of high anxiety and self-doubt. Eventually, for the sake of my mental health, I ended the relationship. I am a journalist and that's when I started to investigate him." It became so detrimental to her well-being that she decided to end the relationship for her mental health, later delving into an investigation as a journalist. Her inquiries revealed more alarming truths as she explained: "I did title deed and bankruptcy searches and spoke to people who knew him. I discovered he had been with another woman for the duration of our relationship, had a criminal record, was bankrupt, and had left a trail of grief and broken relationships behind him." The woman hopes others can draw strength from her experience, sharing, "For anyone who has been in one of these relationships, I hope that Birdie's story will comfort them, help them realise that they were not foolish and that these type of abusers are clever manipulators. I would like them to feel less alone." The tale has sparked reactions on social media, with viewers feeling seen and understood. One viewer expressed their gratitude, posting: "I'm beyond grateful for the portrayal as it helps with me knowing that behaviour is not my fault and I didn't ask for that to happen to me." Other fans also shared their enthusiasm, with one saying: "It was hard not to binge the whole series in a sitting. Had us hooked from the start and it's been so good to see a quality Australian production again." Another agreed, adding: "This is a must watch. I wasn't a fan of either main actors but I love a bit of Australian production, Fake does not disappoint."
Edinburgh Live
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
ITV viewers obsessed with new 'must-watch' thriller based on true story
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info ITV has quietly unleashed an incredible new thriller, and the eight-part series is already receiving glowing reviews from viewers. Titled Fake, this Australian masterpiece is being hailed as a "romance-scam thriller" and centres on a young woman who starts to suspect that her charming new partner isn't quite what he seems. The show made its debut on ITVX on 27th April and is set to take over Saturday nights starting 3rd May, quickly becoming a hit with audiences and even setting records as Paramount+'s most successful release in Australia after its premiere. The official synopsis reads: "The series stars Asher Keddie (Nine Perfect Strangers) as Birdie Bell, a magazine features writer who thinks she's found her perfect match when she meets successful rancher Joe (David Wenham, Pieces of Her), on a dating app. But as the relationship intensifies, Birdie is torn between Joe's magnetic pull and the instinct that her boyfriend isn't all he has led her to believe." (Image: ITV) Commenting on the series, ITV's Head of Content Acquisitions Sasha Brelau expressed excitement: "We've got a great track record with Australian drama on ITVX, Anya Beyersdorf's work on The Twelve is a shining example of how well it resonates with our audiences, so we're really looking forward to bringing her newest offering Fake to the UK in 2025. It's a gripping thriller, made for binge watching", reports the Mirror. Despite what its name might suggest, Fake is actually rooted in reality. The television series is an adaptation of Stephanie Wood's memoir, which details her own harrowing experience. A woman has recounted a harrowing tale of her 15-month relationship with a man she dubbed a con artist, beginning with an online meeting on a dating app. "I met Joe through an online dating app and spent 15 months with him. He told me he was a former architect, farmer and property developer. "He seemed to be compassionate and decent and to share my values. He led me to think we might have a future together," she revealed. The relationship, however, spiralled as his behaviour grew increasingly inconsistent. (Image: ITV) "But his increasingly erratic behaviour, his constant cancellations and contradictory stories, left me in a state of high anxiety and self-doubt. Eventually, for the sake of my mental health, I ended the relationship. I am a journalist and that's when I started to investigate him." Her investigation unearthed shocking findings about the man's past. "I did title deed and bankruptcy searches and spoke to people who knew him. I discovered he had been with another woman for the duration of our relationship, had a criminal record, was bankrupt, and had left a trail of grief and broken relationships behind him." The journalist hopes sharing her experience will provide solace and understanding to others who've faced similar abuse. She added: "For anyone who has been in one of these relationships, I hope that Birdie's story will comfort them, help them realise that they were not foolish and that these type of abusers are clever manipulators. I would like them to feel less alone." (Image: ITV) Meanwhile, viewers of a show that featured her story are finding connection and healing. Following an airing, a viewer expressed their gratitude on social media: "I'm beyond grateful for the portrayal as it helps with me knowing that behaviour is not my fault and I didn't ask for that to happen to me." One viewer commented: "It was hard not to binge the whole series in a sitting. Had us hooked from the start and it's been so good to see a quality Australian production again". Another added: "This is a must watch. I wasn't a fan of either main actors but I love a bit of Australian production, Fake does not disappoint." Fake is available to stream on ITVX.
The Age
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Age
‘Is it sexier to swerve?': actor Toby Schmitz pivots to his fallback plan
This story is part of the April 26 edition of Good Weekend. See all 11 stories. Each week, Benjamin Law asks public figures to discuss the subjects we're told to keep private by getting them to roll a die. The numbers they land on are the topics they're given. This week, he talks to Toby Schmitz. The writer, director and actor, 47, is known for his award-winning stage productions and roles in TV shows such as Black Sails, Boy Swallows Universe and The Twelve. His debut novel is The Empress Murders. BODIES Toby, how's your body going? How's your health? Good! I went for a run and did my press-ups at 6am this morning. But now I just feel like I'm ready for a nap. Welcome to the mid-40s, right? That's right, but I've gotten back into the swing recently. I'm going to be in a play soon which will be very demanding, and I thought, 'You know what? I need to get as fit as I can.' Do you enjoy working out? Not for a single moment. It's all hideous; I find it so boring. But podcasts have changed everything. Now I can listen to some tweedy boffin talk about trench warfare in World War I and 45 minutes can pass. You were never that sporty person at school? No, I was doing so much extracurricular debating, drama and the school newspaper. If I'd been good at it, maybe I would've got into sports more, but I was tall, pigeon-chested and pimply, and never derived pleasure from competition. And I always loathed the idea of there being one winner and one loser. Yet you're often cast as the handsome, dashing man on stage. Is this vision of an acne-ridden, pigeon-chested Toby real? Absolutely real. I couldn't smile without bleeding and the acne was well down my back. But by the time I got to NIDA, it had cleared up. And notoriously, at NIDA they make you deal with the fact that you have a body. On the very first day, they're like, 'Get down to tights and a singlet.' I'd forgotten to bring mine, so I was down to my silky Davenport boxers. From that point on, I owned it, and started to love my body more. What else are you noticing nowadays? When my daughter says, 'Whoa, your grey hairs!' or 'Daddy, you look old this morning!', you're like, 'F--- me!' But I'm most aware of it when I've said things like, 'Where's my audition for such-and-such?' And they're like, 'Do you mean the guy in his early 30s? Yeah, look, there's another role we think might be more appropriate for you …' I may have passed Hamlet and Romeo, but it's not Lear yet, is it?
