A big budget TV pro­duction involving 200 locals and 160 foreign crew members is being shot in Savusavu and is one of the latest examples of the inter­est from filmmakers to shoot here.

Such interest has been grow­ing every year and this year it has been busy.

This was highlighted by Film Fiji chief executive of­ficer Dallas Foon during sub­missions on Wednesday to the Parliamentary Public Ac­counts Committee on the 2015 Auditor-General’s Report.

He said last year Film Fiji had a record of 74 foreign production compared with 57 in 2016.

Mr Foon said the big Aus­tralian TV series production being shot in Savusavu was expected to be completed next month.

Meanwhile, Film Fiji signed a memorandum of under­standing with the Ministry of iTaukei Affairs and was working with iTaukei Land Trust Board to standardise the fee structure for sites so there was equal distribution of wealth going to the grass­roots level.

He said Film Fiji received complaints from individuals regarding the inconsistency in the fees.

With the MOU, Mr Foon said the Film Fiji Board would be able to put a fee framework that they could use when pro­cessing applications.

Last year the industry re­ceived a grant of $2.1 million from the Government.

The funds were used for op­erations, marketing and de­velopment programmes, said Mr Foon.

Edited by Epineri Vula

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