Elise Archer,Minister for the Arts
The Tasmanian Government is a strong supporter of the State's cultural and creative industries.
We are proud to announce that, thanks to a $100,000 Tasmanian Government funding commitment through Screen Tasmania, a new television series entitled The Tailings is set to begin filming in our State, including the West Coast, later this year.
The series started as a local English teacher's idea and is now set to be Tasmania's first live television drama production since the onset of COVID-19. The production team have indicated they will be seeking Public Health advice before they begin live production later in the year.
The production will see expenditure of approximately $570,000 on Tasmanian goods and services and will directly employ up to 50 Tasmanian screen professionals.
This project first came to our attention when teacher and emerging Tasmanian playwright, Caitlin Richardson, pitched her idea to SBS executives at Screen Tasmania offices in 2017.
On top of $22,000 in development support provided in 2018-19, our additional investment will help to enable a 14-day shoot in and around Queenstown and Hobart.
As Tasmania starts to recover and rebuild from COVID-19, the production is expected to provide much-needed employment opportunities for 45 local cast and crew, as well as cash-flow for various local businesses and suppliers.
Of the 21 scripted roles, at least 18 will be performed by Tasmanian actors.
The Tailings will be set in a fictional mining town and will showcase Tasmania's exceptional West Coast locations. It will premiere on SBS On Demand in 2021.
The drama will follow a daughter's investigation into her father's death and take place in her tight-knit, remote community in the wilderness of the West Coast of Tasmania.
By partnering with broadcasters and highly credentialed production teams, the Tasmanian Government can support our emerging writers, such as Catlin, to tell their unique stories to national and international audiences.
Our Government continues to invest in our burgeoning Tasmanian screen industry and it's wonderful to see this investment reaping significant rewards for Tasmania, with the projects showcasing Tasmanian talent, our stories and landscape, and connecting with audiences around Australia and the world.
Continuous high-quality productions generate jobs, investment and skill retention and development here in Tasmania. By investing additional funding in key projects and innovation, we also guarantee these benefits continue into the future.
This support was reflected at the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards (AACTAs) last December, when Tasmania received a record number of 35 nominations and 14 awards.
The Tailings is a Liz Doran Productions production for SBS, in association with 2 Jons and Roar Film. Principal production investment is from Screen Australia in association with SBS and it is financed with our support through Screen Tasmania.
