Films' Economic Boost No 'Fairy Tale'

The film and television industry will contribute an estimated €200 million to the Irish economy in 2010 in terms of spend on local goods, employment and services.

That's according to Mary Hanafin Dáil Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport who has recently visited the set of the feature film Neverland currently in production in Ireland.

It is one of many film and TV productions filming in Ireland this year that will be exported to audiences around the globe.

Produced by Alan Moloney and Redmond Morris, Neverland is the first original mini-series commission for Sky Movies HD, and is written and directed by Nick Willing (Alice, Tin Man).

The film stars BAFTA winner Rhys Ifans (Not Only but Always, Notting Hill), Golden Globe nominee Anna Friel (Pushing Daisies, Bathory) Oscar nominee Bob Hoskins (Hook, Made in Dagenhamand, Who Framed Roger Rabbit?).

Award winning Irish crew working on the project include cinematographer Seamus Deasy (A Film With Me In It) and Emmy nominee Emer Ni Mhaoldomhnaigh (David Copperfield, Brideshead Revisited) as costume designer. The production is filming for 11 weeks in Ireland around locations in Killiney, Blessington Lakes and in and around the Dublin area.

The production is currently employing 180 crew and 1,000 extras.

After meeting cast and crew on the set in Killiney, Minister Hanafin said that "major international productions such as Neverland provide an economic boost to Ireland, with significant employment across a huge variety of sectors, with creative input from actors and production crew right through to electrical, make up and transport".

She said that having such skilled crews for these productions helps keep Ireland very much in the forefront of global filmmakers decision making.

She also noted improvements to Section 481 legislation introduced last year and said "they have increased Ireland's competitive position as an international film and television destination".

Levels of production activity has continued to increase throughout 2010 which kicked off with the filming of the major US feature film Knockout, directed by Steven Soderbergh and starring Ewan McGregor and Michael Fassbender.

The popular ITV series Primeval also filmed in Ireland for 30 weeks this year and the multi million US drama Camelot is currently in production in Ardmore studios, following in the footsteps of The Tudors which filmed on location in Ireland for the last four years.

The Minister continued: "Tese incoming productions translate into increased international investment in the Irish economy, increased employment and positive spin-off effects for promoting Ireland as a tourist destination.

"Film and television production in Ireland enables us to showcase the talented people that we have in our creative industries as well as the natural beauty of the varied scenery throughout the country, including the magical scenery being filmed here in Killiney.

"Added to that all international productions will feel the warmth of the Irish welcome from people throughout the country, while they go about their hectic work schedule," she said.

Neverland is a two-part prequel to the Peter Pan story produced by Parallel Films (The Clinic, Perrier's Bounty) and is a new take on the original mythology of JM Barrie's famous story that looks to provide an intriguing history of many of the beloved characters including The Lost Boys, Captain Hook, The Indians, Croc and Neverland itself.

(BMcC/GK)