Science-fiction epic Occupation shooting sequel in town will see opportunities 'flourish', says Screen Hunter manager Annette Hubber | video

“It’s huge for the Hunter region, and not a lot of people know about it yet, but when people hear about it the excitement will bubble over,” Screen Hunter manager Annette Hubber said.

“We’re pitching the Hunter for a few feature films, but this one is so close to the ‘go’ button. It filters out to employment, regional spend, and once they shoot the film Newcastle and the region will be on screens all over the world.

“There’s so many roll-on effects of having big movies here and it’s always so great to have them come into town. Especially so because I know that Luke [Sparke, the movie’s director] and Zac [Garred, Novocastrian actor] will both be so excited to come film in their home towns.”

Ms Hubber revealed the most recent similar shoot in the Hunter was Tomorrow, When the War Began in 2010, a production that brought “more than $3 million to the region whilst they were here”.

“Not only did Tomorrow’s production bring in around fifty to eighty key staff, they engaged hundreds of locals from extras in the film to runners, drivers, production teams, catering and accommodation,” she said. “It’s flows on quite extensively.”

The Tomorrow, When the War Began shoot stretched over seven weeks, “including bump-in and bump-out”, Ms Hubber explained, and she believes more locations could extend Occupation’s planned three weeks to a similar time-frame to the 2010 production.

Although the exact location of films to be shot in the Hunter haven’t been announced by either Occupation producers or Screen Hunter, it’s likely the action sequence will take place at an abandoned power station in Wangi Wangi.

That’s not the only location Newcastle and the surrounding regions have to offer, Ms Hubber explained, and listed a number of other key sets that had been used by Hollywood productions in the past.

“There are so many amazing locations that can be used around the region, not just the scouted locations the Occupation team had a look at a few weeks ago,” she said.

Ms Hubber pointed to locations utilised in similar movies over the years, including the Stockton sand dunes, back-streets of Raymond Terrace, Dungog showground and Luskintyre Airfield, all of which could be used by Sparke’s cast and crew to film the sci-fi sequel.

Screen Hunter’s manager also believes Blacksmiths Beach – used to represent Normandy’s beach fronts in X-Men Origins: Wolverine in 2009 – the would also be a strong location for Australia’s action offering.

It’s estimated Occupation’s filming will begin in the next few weeks, with a large number of the cast and crew also attending the shoot. That may include starring actors like Dan Ewing, Temuera Morrison and Stephany Jacobsen, all of whom had key roles in the first film.

The shoot will also include one of Newcastle’s leading actors, Zac Garred, who starred in the first film as homeless man turned action hero Dennis.

Occupation’s production team has called on local businesses like caterers and accommodation providers who want to be involved in the making of the movie to contact them through occupationnewcastle@gmail.com.