Post by earl on May 15, 2007 13:07:59 GMT
Northern Ireland's burgeoning film industry is to target more movie productions from Hollywood and elsewhere after receiving a £12 million cash boost.
Economy Minister Nigel Dodds confirmed Invest Northern Ireland will commit £12 million to the Northern Ireland Film and Television Commission (NIFTC) to help it woo more high profile movie projects to the province.
In recent years a number of movies have been shot in Belfast including Neil Jordan's Breakfast On Pluto starring Cillian Murphy, Lord Attenborough's wartime romance Closing the Ring starring Shirley MacLaine, Mischa Barton and Pete Postlethwaite and recently the menopause comedy Buy, Borrow, Steal starring Heather Graham.
The cameras are also set to roll this summer on a high budget children's sci-fi adventure City of Ember in Belfast's Titanic Quarter.
The province has secured two children's television productions for CITV - Bel's Boys about a fictional boyband and the return of the puppet Emu, with Rod Hull's place being taken by his son Toby.
NIFTC chairman Colin Anderson said the latest cash injection was another significant stage in the development of the industry in Northern Ireland.
"Invest NI's £12 million investment will enable us to build upon past successes and seek new opportunities for the local film and television
sector from within the UK and internationally," he said.
"In the face of increasing global competition, the NIFTC has steadily increased its ability to attract film and television projects to Northern Ireland and is committed to developing a sustainable, dynamic screen industry and culture here."
One filmmaking market the film commission will be keen to crack would be the lucrative Indian movie industry. In March last year, a 14-strong delegation of Bollywood producers, directors and movie industry journalists toured Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic - scouting a number of possible locations.
Mr Dodds said Invest Northern Ireland's backing had enabled the commission to secure 18 major film and television inward investment projects, generating an additional spend of more than £16 million in Northern Ireland.
www.rugbyreviewtoday.co.uk/viewarticle.aspx?articleid=2877606§ionid=4070
Economy Minister Nigel Dodds confirmed Invest Northern Ireland will commit £12 million to the Northern Ireland Film and Television Commission (NIFTC) to help it woo more high profile movie projects to the province.
In recent years a number of movies have been shot in Belfast including Neil Jordan's Breakfast On Pluto starring Cillian Murphy, Lord Attenborough's wartime romance Closing the Ring starring Shirley MacLaine, Mischa Barton and Pete Postlethwaite and recently the menopause comedy Buy, Borrow, Steal starring Heather Graham.
The cameras are also set to roll this summer on a high budget children's sci-fi adventure City of Ember in Belfast's Titanic Quarter.
The province has secured two children's television productions for CITV - Bel's Boys about a fictional boyband and the return of the puppet Emu, with Rod Hull's place being taken by his son Toby.
NIFTC chairman Colin Anderson said the latest cash injection was another significant stage in the development of the industry in Northern Ireland.
"Invest NI's £12 million investment will enable us to build upon past successes and seek new opportunities for the local film and television
sector from within the UK and internationally," he said.
"In the face of increasing global competition, the NIFTC has steadily increased its ability to attract film and television projects to Northern Ireland and is committed to developing a sustainable, dynamic screen industry and culture here."
One filmmaking market the film commission will be keen to crack would be the lucrative Indian movie industry. In March last year, a 14-strong delegation of Bollywood producers, directors and movie industry journalists toured Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic - scouting a number of possible locations.
Mr Dodds said Invest Northern Ireland's backing had enabled the commission to secure 18 major film and television inward investment projects, generating an additional spend of more than £16 million in Northern Ireland.
www.rugbyreviewtoday.co.uk/viewarticle.aspx?articleid=2877606§ionid=4070
