Hollywood Film ‘Leap Year’ in Pre-Production with Irish Spend of c$16.5 million
The US feature film ‘Leap Year' staring Amy Adams (Doubt, Enchanted) and Matthew Goode (Watchmen) is currently in pre-production with cameras set to roll early next month with an Irish budget of c$16.5 million which will be spent directly on Irish crew and services.
Scripted by Harry Elfont, Deborah Kaplan (Made of Honour) and Simon Beaufoy, who won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for Slumdog Millionaire, ‘Leap Year' is directed by Anand Tucker (When Did You Last See Your Father?) and will prep and shoot in Galway, Dublin and Wicklow over a 4-5 month period creating 150 jobs for local crew and hiring approximately 1500 extras during this time. The film will be produced by Spyglass Entertainment and co-produced by Morgan O' Sullivan and James Flynn of World 2000, based at Ardmore Studios.
Minister Cullen said: "The film and TV production industry is a fast moving and competitive global one. The investment pipeline for this year is promising and I believe that these adjustments to the tax investment regime will be the catalyst in securing those opportunities for Ireland. The film industry is the cornerstone of a smart and creative digital economy and with the improvements to Section 481 the Government acknowledge its importance at this crucial time in our economic story."
The new improvements introduced to Section 481 by Minister Cullen last year, were instrumental in bringing ‘Leap Year' to Ireland, along with the experienced production companies and film crew based here. Irish production company World 2000 (The Tudors) has had a long running relationship with US producers Spyglass Entertainment who previously worked together on Reign of Fire and The Count of Monte Cristo, both of which filmed in Ireland.
James Morris Chairman Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board said "All European countries have tax incentives to support their screen based industries and the improvements to the Irish tax incentive now allows Ireland to compete on an equal basis. This is particularly important in the present economic climate given the clear direct employment generated by the audio visual sector and the opportunity to strategically develop Ireland's screen based industries into a long-term growth sector as part of a new generation of export earners in the future."
Irish producer, Morgan O' Sullivan commented "We very much acknowledge that Minister Cullen's foresight in improving the incentive has resulted in Ireland now competing again at the highest level in the large-budget, international feature film production market. We are delighted to welcome Spyglass Entertainment back here."
The film tells the story of Adams who plays an American woman travelling to Ireland to propose to her boyfriend on February 29. She ends up getting lost in the Irish countryside on her journey, where she meets a local inn keeper played by Goode and they both set out to find her beau in Dublin. The film will shoot in and around the Aran Islands, Connemara, Temple Bar, Georgian Dublin and Wicklow National Park.
The benefits of high levels of film and television production in Ireland will include increased international investment in the economy, increased employment in this sector, positive spin-off effects for promoting Ireland as a tourist location and the improvement of Ireland as an industrial location for all aspects of creative endeavors. The Irish audiovisual industry is valued at over €557.3 million, employs over 6,000 individuals and represents 0.3% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).