Queenstown set to feature in new Aussie movie

Queenstown set to feature in new Aussie movie

9 February 2012 - Queenstown will hit the big screens in Australia today (9 February) with a cameo role in ‘Any Questions for Ben?’, a fast paced comedy from the creators of the Australian hits ‘The Castle’ and ‘The Dish’.

The movie, which features a star-studded cast of young Australian actors including Josh Lawson, Rachael Taylor, Daniel Henshall, Christian Clark, and Felicity Ward, follows Ben, (Lawson), a 27-year-old with the world at his feet whose search for the true meaning of life leads him into a variety of entertaining situations, including a trip to Queenstown.

Scenes shot in the resort perfectly capture the cosmopolitan buzz of Queenstown, its stunning lake and alpine scenery and world-renowned experiences such as skiing and bungy jumping.

Producer Michael Hirsh said “Visually superb scenery provided us with huge production values that money can’t buy. Queenstown looks magnificent on the big screen. It was a pleasure to film there.”

Regional tourism and film organisations Destination Queenstown and Film Otago Southland assisted Working Dog Productions with logistics and locations in order to maximise Queenstown’s exposure.

Destination Queenstown CEO Tony Everitt said the project was a fantastic opportunity to reach a broad Australian audience.

"What a great way to showcase Queenstown to Australians and inspire them to choose our resort as their next short haul holiday. The film gives audiences a real taste of our magnificent scenery, world-class visitor experiences and easy accessibility from Australia.”

Film Otago Southland Executive Manager Kevin Jennings believed it was a great example of the local industry and an offshore production benefitting each other.

“Having world-class film crew and equipment available locally made shooting in Queenstown an attractive and cost-effective option for Working Dog. Australia is a key growth market for our film industry and we hope to encourage more production companies to take advantage of what we have on offer.”

‘Any Questions for Ben?’ distributor Roadshow Films believes the movie will be a blockbuster across Australia. To view the movie trailer click here.

Background
Queenstown’s spectacular scenery, film industry, cosmopolitan buzz and iconic experiences have given it immense appeal as a filming destination and attracted many major international film-makers. The region has featured in big screen Hollywood blockbusters such as The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Wolverine, The Water Horse, 10,000 BC, The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, Vertical Limit, Prince Caspian and the Bollywood smash hit I Hate Luv Storys.

Working Dog Productions
Working Dog Productions is a film and television production company based in Melbourne whose productions include The Castle, The Dish and the popular TV series Thank God You're Here.

The team behind Working Dog Productions includes some Australia's best known performers and writers, including Rob Sitch, Tom Gleisner, Michael Hirsh and Jane Kennedy.

ENDS