Prime Minister To Open South Pacific Studios

MEDIACOM-RELEASE-SOUTH-PACIFIC-PICTURES

PRIME MINISTER TO OPEN SOUTH PACIFIC STUDIOS

The Prime Minister Helen Clark will officially open South Pacific Studios, New Zealand's largest purpose-built studio complex and home of television's most popular drama series Shortland Street.

Helen Clark, Minister of the Arts and Culture and a strong advocate of the local film and television industry, will cut the ribbon at a function at the new West Auckland studios next Saturday (February 12)

Home to South Pacific Pictures, the country's leading producer of film and television drama, the complex comprises two 700sqm (35mX20m) studios and two 500sqm (25mX20m) studios and supporting amenity areas.

"More film and television production takes place in Auckland than anywhere else in New Zealand, and yet to date there has been no purpose-built facility in the region," says South Pacific Pictures Managing Director John Barnett.

"For the past eight years South Pacific Pictures has operated out of two separate premises and I've wanted to bring all our production activities under one roof for some time. Our main activity is our serial drama Shortland Street and that production moved into the complex in the New Year. It occupies about half the facility, using one 700sqm and one 500sqm studio."

The remaining two studios - one of each size - are available for hire. Associated with the hire studios are production offices, wardrobe, make-up rooms, changing rooms, green rooms, reception areas, car parking and space for film and television support vehicles.

Just off Auckland's NorthWestern Motorway, the studio complex is only 15 minutes from the heart of the city, the gateway to the Hauraki Gulf and home to the America's Cup 2000. To the West of the studios are Auckland vineyards and the West Coast beaches, where the Oscar-winning film The Piano was filmed and the US production company, Pacific Renaissance, film Hercules and Xena.

ENDS....

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