A producer of Rebel Wilson’s film The Deb has denied altering the movie’s budget in order to extract more money from it for himself and his co-producer wife.
The NSW Supreme Court was told that in August 2023 Gregor Cameron, a London-based producer and director of AI Film Production, wanted items in the budget recategorised so they would be more likely to qualify for Australian tax concessions, and added $900,000 in fees split three ways for himself, his wife Amanda Ghost and AI Film.
Asked by Ms Wilson’s barrister Dauid Sibtain, SC, if he was “trying to extract more from the budget for you and Ms Ghost”, Mr Cameron replied, “no”.
Ms Wilson is locked in a legal battle with AI Film, Mr Cameron, Ms Ghost and producer Vince Holden over the release of the movie The Deb, shot near the NSW town of Orange towards the end of 2024.
AI Film and the trio of producers allege that the Pitch Perfect star sabotaged and blocked the release of the film. She is accused of undermining negotiations with distributors and threatening legal action against anyone showing the movie.
AI Film also alleges she breached various contractual obligations and directorial duties, engaged in misleading or deceptive conduct and repeatedly committed the tort of injurious falsehood.
Ms Wilson has countersued, seeking almost $800,000 in production fees and costs she says is owed to her company Camp Sugar, which her mother Sue Bownds co-owns.
She alleges Ms Ghost, Mr Cameron and Mr Holden’s involvement in the film was marked by “a troubling pattern of illicit egregious behaviours”.
The court heard that by August 2023, the budget for making The Deb, which would be Ms Wilson’s directorial debut, had blown out beyond $22.8 million from the initial $15 million estimate when the Hollywood actress agreed to make the movie with AI Film.
The court heard that at the same time as cuts were being made to the budget, over which Wilson had approval, Mr Cameron was asking for the $900,000-changes to be made to above the line and below the line items.
The court heard some of these changes were made so they would comply with Australian government tax rebate provisions which allows for some expenditure incurred outside Australia to count towards Qualifying Australian Production Expenditure, a percentage of which can be claimed back.
Earlier, the court heard there had been a “beauty parade” of Australian distributors making offers for The Deb after it screened at the Toronto International Film Festival.
AI Film was fielding four credible offers by November 2024 that suited the strategy for a successful Australian release and were a springboard for an extended international release.
However, the court was told that a defamation lawsuit in the US initiated by Mr Holden, Mr Cameron and Ms Ghost against Ms Wilson over an Instagram post she made was causing issues with some of the distributors to finalise the deal.
Mr Holden, Mr Cameron and Ms Ghost claim Wilson accused them in an Instagram post to her 11 million followers of inappropriate conduct towards the lead actor in the film, Charlotte MacInnes, embezzling funds and trying to block the film’s release.
Ms Wilson and her mum sat side-by-side at the rear of the Sydney courtroom on Tuesday as Mr Holden continued his evidence about the distribution deals.
Eventually, Rialto secured the rights and proposed for the film to premiere in Australia on March 30, but it didn’t happen until April 9, 2026.
The court was told it only made a little more than $300,000 at the box office, a figure Mr Holden described as “depressing”.
The hearing continues.