Screen Queensland has today announced the four recipients to share in $250,000 of funding through the latest round of the NQ Enterprise program to boost North and Far North Queensland screen businesses.
Biopixel, Kite Fish Film, Millstream Productions and Pandamonium Films will each receive up to $75,000 to grow their operations over the next 12 months.
Arts Minister Leeanne Enoch said the Miles Government was supporting North and Far North Queensland screen businesses and professionals to reach their full potential.
"The latest round of the Government's NQ Enterprise funding, delivered through Screen Queensland, is backing four local screen businesses to create more jobs, invest in new world-leading film technology and share more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stories," Ms Enoch said.
"A priority of the Miles Government is ensuring regional screen companies are primed to maximise the job, economic and cultural opportunities of Screen Queensland's new $12.6 million Cairns studio complex, opening later this month."
Screen Queensland's multi-year North Queensland Regional Program has focused on growing the creative community's capacity and capability through opportunities for practitioner skills development, funding for screen business and events to foster industry connections.
Jacqui Feeney, Screen Queensland CEO said that NQ Enterprise is an important element of the regional program and enables screen businesses to expand, diversify and innovate their operations.
"A robust production ecosystem requires businesses ready to scale up as the industry expands and to build authenticity into bringing North and Far North Queensland's unique screen stories to life.
"With the imminent opening of Screen Queensland Studios, Cairns it's an incredible time of opportunity for the region's screen sector and we look forward to seeing where this new cohort of NQ Enterprise recipients take their businesses over the next 12 months."
Previous NQ Enterprise recipients have included BioQuest Studios, FilmCrewNQ, Lone Star Productions, Platinum Talent Management, Newart Collective, QC Video, Scope and Yarner.
Yarner's Jarrah Dryden, writer and co-director of upcoming comedic short SUPER, said that NQ Enterprise has supported upskilling in film financing literacy and training in industry standard budgeting software, which ensured the film was successfully and confidently produced with a robust budget framework.
"The success of my last project would not have been possible with the NQ Enterprise program and I am thoroughly grateful for the skills which I will take into the future."
Screen Queensland Studios, Cairns will officially open on Wednesday 24 April. Its development was motivated by increased demand from local, national and international productions to be made in the unique and spectacular North and Far North Queensland region.
Completed by Cairns-based Richard Field Constructions, the $12.6 million complex offers a 1,070 sq metre sound stage, production offices, editing suites, sound recording studio, construction and wardrobe facilities, as well as an event space and creative tenancies.
Recent local productions include Tastes of the Tropics (with Screenworks, SBS Food and Cutting Edge as part of Screen Queensland's North Queensland Regional Program), Love is in the Air starring Delta Goodrem, upcoming US feature film Wizards!, Stan Original drama Black Snow, SBS Food cooking and cultural series Strait to the Plate and Tastes of the Tropics, ABC documentary series The Black Hand, feature documentary Beyond The Reef, reality series Australian Survivor: Blood V Water, Revealed: Reefshot, Emmy-winner Puff: Wonders of the Reef and romantic comedy Ticket to Paradise.
