A string of films, television series and documentaries are being shot in the Territory.

“It has been a record year for production activity in the Territory,” says Jennie Hughes, Director of Screen Territory, the Northern Territory Government’s screen agency responsible for supporting and developing the film, television and digital media industries in the NT.

To support this increase in production activity, the Territory Government has allocated Screen Territory $3.1 million a year for three years.

Screen Territory has also added another initiative to its suite of funding programs – the Production Attraction Incentive Program to encourages major productions to film in the Territory, which will showcase the Territory’s unique and iconic locations.

The Screen Territory team works hard to demonstrate to producers that the NT, with its awe-inspiring landscapes and strong Aboriginal culture, is an ideal place to film.

For every $1 invested in screen productions approximately $4 is generated in direct spend into the NT economy through employment and goods and services. 

Productions spend money locally on everything from film crews to extras, car hire to accommodation, from catering to building sets.

Acclaimed feature film High Ground, starring Simon Baker, Jacob Junior Nayinggul, Witiyana Marika and Jack Thompson, was filmed on location in Arnhem Land and Kakadu.

The production spent $2.5 million in the Territory during its production and has given the NT priceless tourism promotion by showcasing its beautiful scenery and depth of Aboriginal culture to audiences across the world.

Several productions are underway in the Territory:

MaveriX, a high-end 10 x 30-minute children’s adventure series produced by Alice Springs-based production company Brindle Films. The series focuses on the first six students to enter a motocross academy and is now in post-production after being filmed in Central Australia.

The series, commissioned by the ABC, will air exclusively on ABC ME and stream on iView in early 2022 and will be showcased later on Netflix to about 200 countries with a potential global audience reach of 209 million.

True Colours, a 4 x 1-hour premium drama series developed by the Territory’s CAAMA Productions and produced by Bunya Productions (Sweet Country, High Ground and Mystery Road) will inject $2.4 million into the NT economy during its production.

True Colours, which is being filmed in the Centralian community of Amoonguna and Alice Springs, is based on an original concept by Hermannsburg-born Aboriginal singer, musician and songwriter Warren H Williams.

Rarriwuy Hick plays Detective Toni Alma.

Also on board are Darwin-based writers Steven McGregor and Danielle MacLean of Tamarind Tree Productions, alongside writer and co-director Erica Glynn, who has returned to her hometown of Alice Springs to work on this exciting new series.

The NT’s Tamarind Tree Pictures and Ambience Entertainment are co-producing a high-end 10 x 30-minute episode children’s series titled Barrumbi Kids for NITV, which is being filmed in and around Beswick and Katherine.

The NT spend on employment, goods and services during the production is expected to reach $2.9 million.

The Australian Children’s Television Foundation will distribute the series in the international market.

This charming children’s adventure series is based on the best-selling books by Territory author Leonie Norrington.

The ABC has commissioned a second series of the hit program Outback Ringer following the ratings success of the first series.

It is being filmed in and around Borroloola.

An original concept by Darwin filmmaker Tommy Lawrence, the 7 x 30-minute second series will once again be produced by Ronde Media with Ben Davies (Bondi Rescue) on board as executive producer and Territorian Tommy Lawrence as concept creator, producer and series director.

And Alice Springs-based Chili Films and Brindle Films are collaborating on a new documentary feature film titled Audrey and Me.

It is in post-production and will be screened in cinemas around Australia and broadcast on NITV.

“It’s fantastic that the screen sector is being supported so strongly by the Northern Territory Government,” says Brindle Films Rachel Clements.

“Screen projects bring incredible economic, employment, tourism and social benefits to the NT and for that to be acknowledged by the level of Government support is tremendous.

“The local industry will grow from the influx of local productions and we will continue to take our NT stories to the world.”