Government should resist subsidising Disney Nemo film – no long-term benefit to Qld

Posted on February 15, 2013 by Gene Tunny

The Queensland Government should refuse to contribute money to attract the filming of Disney’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea to the Gold Coast (see the news report Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt could film a movie in Australia). The previous attempt to establish Hollywood on the Gold Coast failed, and it won’t work again, especially given the Australian dollar is so much higher. The Government would be subsidising Disney’s production to create temporary jobs that will finish when the production packs up. There appears little justification for Governments to spend millions of dollars to create temporary employment opportunities in the film industry for people who probably already have jobs in other industries. The film industry requires special skills and experience and I don’t expect any hard-core unemployed people would get a job on the film. The jobs would instead go to people taking a break from, for example, their job in a cafe or their personal training business.

This entry was posted in Arts, Gold Coast and tagged australia, brangelina, disney, goldcoast, nemo, queensland. Bookmark the permalink.

14 Responses to Government should resist subsidising Disney Nemo film – no long-term benefit to Qld

Jen says:

February 15, 2013 at 9:23 pm

I suspect the politicians just want to meet Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt. Economic sense seems to go out the door when Hollywood comes knocking.

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- Gene Tunny says:
  
  February 16, 2013 at 3:07 pm
  
  Haha, thanks for the comment.
  
  Reply
  - Bennie Collins says:
    
    March 4, 2013 at 7:19 pm
    
    You are one big tool…we the film industry don’t need an airhead like yourself…go back to your little office being nothing…and i hope that every film you watch from now on haunts you of your pathetic piece of crap you wrote….Mr Tooly Tunny…
Rosco says:

March 4, 2013 at 12:25 pm

Who is the idiot that wrote this article !!!!! those skilled people are waiting for this sort of movie and many more too . Can you not realise that reducing their tax on movies is not coming out of anyones pocket because we /queeensland would rather get 75% of this movie than nothing at all except unemployment …. the dollar will come down eventually but until then this industry needs help to keep going and once skilled workers have left or changed careers you will not get then back ….. wake up everyone involved!!!!

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James Paul says:

March 4, 2013 at 1:01 pm

I totally agree with Rosco. Whoever wrote this has no idea. How many years have movies been made at the Roadshow studios? 20 years!! All the money that has come from 20 years of movies that have been made here has not only gone to the talented men/woman and children who work in front of the screen but more so behind the scenes. To all the suppliers that provide everything for these movies to be made here, accommodation that is needed to house people that come in from interstate and overseas, who all must spend something into the local economy. All the resources, like power, water, fuel, food, hiring of equipment, clothing, materials, paint, nuts and bolts… everything! They are all brought locally. Think about it… for those of us who work in this industry, we all have to pay taxes like everybody else also, so wouldn’t that be better than relying on an unemployment benefit, which takes money out of where it could be spent somewhere better.
If we do manage to find work outside of the Film Industry, then that is taking work from someone else that could be employed. The money is a subsidy, not a pay out… to help attract movies to the Gold Coast so it can employ people and keep the Film Industry alive for future generations. If it attracts any money into the economy, which it does, then how can that be a bad thing.
I have been working in the Film Industry for 13 years but have resorted to looking for employment elsewhere. John Cox’s creature workshop, where I have worked for many years, has shut his doors to Film because there has been nothing for quite some time. We are not looking for sympathy but to write a comment from the outside of what I and many, many more choose to do in this challenging industry, is just not fair.
20 years of Film being shot just in the studios alone, to me, IS and has been a long term benefit to Queensland. Just ask all the suppliers who are suffering with us also.

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Bennie Collins says:

March 4, 2013 at 6:28 pm

I would like to know what moron wrote this piece of shit????you should be shamed of yourself…how dare you say that we don’t need a film!!! i have worked in the industry for 14years and we have seen films come and go but as dedicated artists,runners,1st AD, makeup artist,sound,wardrobe,lighting,producers,just to name a few we deserve for our industry to be supported just as much as the rest of the state….when we have a film come to the GC it feeds the hotels,restaurants,local employment,people wanting to be actors and extras…just to name a few…You just don’t understand the industry at all…I myself don’t ask for a dole payment between films as i went and learnt another skill to keep me going until the next film and you will find none of us do but when we are lucky enough to have a film come to us that is my main priority as that is my passion and everyone else whom works in the film industry.
You have just opened up a very big can of worms…..You deserved to be fired over this article…
Bennie…

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Bennie Collins says:

March 4, 2013 at 6:41 pm

Gene Tunny. Gene is a Senior Consultant and Team Leader of MJA’s Social Policy
Haha go back to your whole where you belong you wanker…Senior consultant and team leader of what???? weasel catching????

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Brett Beacham says:

March 4, 2013 at 7:08 pm

After 25 years forging my career and refining my “special skills and experience” in the film industry. You have now enlightened me as to why I’m not working on any films lately….because all the waiters & personal trainers must be doing my job!!!

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Bennie Collins says:

March 4, 2013 at 7:15 pm

well said Brett….

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Bruce Bright says:

March 4, 2013 at 7:36 pm

My temporary film job has managed to last 30 yrs .

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Peter Owens says:

March 4, 2013 at 11:25 pm

What a fool ? Who gives idiots like this a voice. He obviously has not in depth knowledge of the industry.

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sean ahern says:

March 5, 2013 at 6:23 am

ill informed lightweight meaningless rant i dont understand why this opinion piece could be printed in this publication

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Dale says:

March 5, 2013 at 11:29 am

What a load of crap. The writer of this article is clearly making ridiculous statements on a subject they obviously have no understanding of. Go write for picture magazine or something.

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stone says:

March 5, 2013 at 12:59 pm

what a shame the country is run by wankers like the the writer of this article..
i fear for the film industry with self important brain dead morons like this geting air..
we have some of the best crews in the world, but as usual no credit where credit is due..
so go climb back in your littel hole . you do not have a clue….

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