Movie 'coup' brings in millions

Millions of dollars are expected to be pumped into the Southern Lakes economy in the next two months when scenes for a major Warner Brothers' movie are shot near Wanaka.

The filming of some scenes for 10,000BC at the Snow Farm on the Pisa Range was a "very, very good coup" for New Zealand, the film's New Zealand supervising producer, Murray Francis, told the Otago Daily Times.

The movie will star veteran actor Omar Sharif (Lawrence of Arabia, Dr Zhivago) and rising Hollywood actors Camilla Belle (When a Stranger Calls) and Steven Strait (Sky High). It will be directed by Roland Emmerich (Independence Day, The Day after Tomorrow).

The story centres on a young mammoth hunter (Strait), who embarks on a journey to secure the future of his dying tribe, and saves the woman he loves (Belle) in the process.

The film was originally to have been shot mainly in Africa, with just five days of filming in the Fox Glacier or Franz Josef Glacier areas.

However, after Mr Francis and another producer came to New Zealand last year, Emmerich was impressed by what they saw.

Last year, they discovered the Snow Farm, Mr Francis said.

"The decision was made that this was far superior to Africa, visually, for what Roland required for his film."

The first five weeks of shooting will be based at the Snow Farm, starting on May 1. After the New Zealand shooting, there will be a further 10 weeks of work in Africa.

African interests were "quite stunned" when the film-makers scrapped their plans to shoot the initial scenes on the continent, as Warner Bros had already built roads, bridges and a village.

"It was a huge decision ... it was made for the good of the film," Mr Francis said. A budget for the film had not yet been finalised.

The arrival of about 300 cast and crew in Wanaka and Queenstown in April would have a big impact on the Southern Lakes region, he said.

There would be a "huge influx of money" spent in the accommodation, transport, retail and hospitality industries, which would boost the local economy during its shoulder season, between summer and winter tourism peaks.

Mr Francis helped produce The Water Giant, filmed in Queenstown in 2002, which injected up to $20 million into the local economy.

He also helped produce The World's Fastest Indian in Invercargill in 2004, which brought in $10 million-$15 million.

- OTAGO DAILY TIMES