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<\/p>\nLights, camera, action, \u014ctepoti! A new pitch is hoping to put Dunedin centre stage as the next Hollywood A-list film location.<\/p>\n
Enterprise Dunedin has teamed up with Dunedin-raised comedian James Mustapic to entice location scouts, filmmakers and producers to set their sights on the southern city for their next project.<\/p>\n
The showreel was designed to sell Dunedin as a place to film, with Mustapic testing his acting chops playing some familiar characters in parodies of famous films.<\/p>\n
Around him, the city transformed from a deserted island, the Big Apple, an alien planet to an English Estate.<\/p>\n
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\nA movie poster for the showreel
\nPhoto: Supplied\/ Enterprise Dunedin\n<\/p>\n
“Dunedin and its amazing locations are the lead actors, quite the ensemble, I’m just here in a sort of supporting role really,” Mustapic said.<\/p>\n
He grew up in Dunedin, but said he had a new appreciation for the city after returning for filming.<\/p>\n
“Not many actors can claim to have been in a New York crime drama, historical fiction, sci-fi adventures and fantasy epics all in one location for the same project,” he said.<\/p>\n
“The city (and I) got to be cinematic chameleons.”<\/p>\n
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\nJames Mustapic swaps the Scottish Highlands for the Otago Peninsula.
\nPhoto: Supplied\/ Enterprise Dunedin\n<\/p>\n
Film Dunedin, which is part of Enterprise Dunedin, produced the showreel.<\/p>\n
Film Dunedin head Stefan Roesch said the city and its surrounds had a lot to offer and was under-utilised as a filming destination.<\/p>\n
“You can literally film any genre here, be it sci-fi, zombie. We’ve got [these] beautiful sweeping vistas around Middlemarch which could be amazing for fantasy films or for certain sci-fi genres, and it’s all within half an hour to an hours’ drive if you’re based in Dunedin,” Roesch said.<\/p>\n
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\nPhoto: Supplied\/ Enterprise Dunedin\n<\/p>\n
The showreel was created entirely in-house by Enterprise Dunedin.<\/p>\n
Research into screen-influenced tourism showed a significant increase in interest for some locations once a production gained traction, Roesch said.<\/p>\n
“A recent report commissioned by the New Zealand Film Commission estimates that $2.7 billion in international tourism expenditure is linked to screen industry output.”<\/p>\n
Roesch wanted the showreel to cut through the noise and offer a different take on a typical destination pitch.<\/p>\n
“We wanted to do something completely different and create a story that hopefully will garner some attention, and at the same time showcase the width and breadth of our locations in a way that already gives production companies ideas what genres could be filmed in Dunedin,” he said.<\/p>\n
The city has a good history of attracting productions – X-Men Origins: Wolverine, The Power of the Dog, The Hobbit and Uproar to name a few.<\/p>\n
Netflix’s 2022 release The Royal Treatment was filmed in Dunedin and saw more than 42 million viewing hours within the first four days of its release.<\/p>\n
“It generated thousands of bed nights … it was a crew of 120-130. I believe 60-65 percent of the crew were locals so there was a great upskilling part in that,” Roesch said.<\/p>\n
Dunedin was still underutilised as a filming destination and Roesch said he would love to welcome more sets to the city.<\/p>\n
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\nPhoto: Supplied\/ Enterprise Dunedin\n<\/p>\n
Dunedin Mayor Sophie Barker could not wait for more people to see the showreel.<\/p>\n
“Super excited about it. When it was shown to all of us councillors there was clapping at the end. It was just such fun and I think the wonderful thing was how much it showcased Dunedin,” she said.<\/p>\n
“We have so many different landscapes, so many quirky spots and you don’t really want to be everything to everybody, but I think we are.”<\/p>\n
Filming was a boon for accommodation and local hospitality, but she said it also encouraged viewers to become visitors to the city.<\/p>\n
“Film brings huge numbers of people into town. It also is great for our city profile because things like The Royal Treatment had huge numbers … watching it…<\/p>\n
“We know that people come and see places that were in films.”<\/p>\n
She did not want to play favourites when it came to suggesting locations, but said the Hereweka\/ Harbour Cone could possibly make a striking Mount Vesuvius on film.<\/p>\n
The showreel cost almost $20,000 to produce, with about half the budget covered by income from location permitting fees.<\/p>\n
Now the showreel has been launched, there were hopes Dunedin would soon feature on more film call sheets into the future.<\/p>\n