“There has yet to be a war film in 3D,… stuff that looks great in 3D”
Australian producers Bill Leimbach and Mandaley Perkins will attendScreenSingapore this week in support of their new $28million projectSingapore Sunset in 3D.
About the Japanese bombing of Singapore and its lead up between December 1941 and February 1942, including the bombing of Britain’s battleship HMS Prince of Wales and battle cruiser HMS Repulse, the film will bring together a multinational cast with production in both Singapore and Australia.
Of their attendance at ScreenSingapore, Leimbach, producer of Beneath Hill 60, said, “We hope to put the spotlight on the project for the first time – a sort of ‘coming out. It’s a project that many have heard we are putting together, in the financial sector and the film sector and now we have all our tools ready: promo video, website, script, budget and the casting and director’s search is well underway. It’s a project ready to start, and this particular inaugural event is a great time to get the film above the radar.”
AN UNOFFICIAL CO-PRODUCTION
Leimbach kept a keen eye on the evolution of soon-to-be-released Bait, the Australian/Singaporean 3D co-production. “I have followed that project very closely. They have created the template for co production with Singapore. Someone had to be the first, the guinea pig. The producers from both countries did a great job bridging relationships, with not only the governments of both countries but the post houses of both countries.”
However, unlike Bait, Leimbach is shying away from an official co-production, wanting freedom in the production’s movements and expenditures. “We want to be a co-production, of course, working together between Singapore and Australia, doing a lot of filming in both Queensland and Singapore, but not be tied to spending a certain amount in each country- more of a co-operation rather than a co-production. If it’s official, certain amounts of the budget have to be spent in each country. Bait met their official co-production quota in Singapore because they did their post production there. We want to do our post in Australia and we want to do our filming where the locations are best for our needs.
THE WIGHT STUFF
Singapore Sunset in 3D will be co-produced by Andrew Wight, who created, with James Cameron, the 3D work of Sanctum and Ghosts of the Abyss for 3D IMAX.
“Having Andrew Wight join the production has added the confidence we needed to take that big step. He keeps telling us it’s not rocket science. [It] just requires more patience, and a few more weird names on set, like stereographer.
“There has yet to be a war film in 3D,” added Leimbach. “The story is full of air plane raids, torpedos, battleships overturning, car chases, houses getting bombed… stuff that looks great in 3D. We’d love to be the first.”
“By the time Baz finishes his Gatsby and Nicolas McCallum completes his 3D Chinese co-production there will be a field of crew who can handle the new medium. I think it is here to stay for a while.”
As cinemas make the jump to being 3D-ready and 3D TVs come into the market, Leimbach said “There is a growing need for good movies made in 3D. I can see it will be around for a few more years. It will definitely increase our reach, by far. It will only cost us 20% more but we can double our returns.
A UNIVERSAL STORY
At the end of the day however, it’s not only about how the story is told but the story itself and its broad appeal to a cross-genre audience that will make it a financial success. Leimbach believes Singapore Sunset has it.
“It’s a story that affected both countries. 70,000 allied prisoners were taken by the Japanese, most of them Australian. Thousands of Chinese were killed at that same time. The key love interest in the story is a battle for love between an Australian nurse and an English rubber baron’s daughter for a British soldier, with additional characters in a “heroic Chinese songstress” and a “gregarious American naval consultant.” Concludes Leimbach, “the culture is Chinese, the style is Colonial and the five main protagonists are from four countries. It’s a truly Universal story.”
Leimbach and Perkins are packaging, financing and casting all this year and shooting towards the end of 2012.
Hollywood heavyweights Oliver Stone and Tom Hanks will attend SingaporeScreen.
For more information see www.singaporesunset.com. The producers will be contactable in Singapore on +61 414 425519 and through the Singapore offices of AFG Venture Group (Choo Lye Heng +65 9817 0026 or Christopher Franck +65 9682 8400) which is assisting the producers to finance the movie.
See the original post here: http://www.encoremagazine.com.au/singapore-sunset-in-3d-launches-at-screensingapore-8785/comment-page-1