A MAJOR Australian film will be shot in the Hunter region later this year, based on the John Marsden novel Tomorrow: When the War Began.
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The production has been hailed as a significant coup for NSW and is tipped to generate $60 million in economic activity and create more than 200 jobs.
Premier Nathan Rees is expected to announce the project today.
Pre-production is due to begin this month and filming will start this year.
"The production will be based at Fox Studios and will film extensively in the Hunter Valley, providing a positive boost to the regional economy," Mr Rees said.
"This is a big tick for NSW and especially the Hunter Region.
"Securing this movie will also ensure that our skilled film crew are kept working in NSW."
The movie has not been cast yet, so it is too early to know whether there will be any famous actors involved.
The film is being produced by Ambience Entertainment, a division of Omnilab Media which is based in NSW, and will be distributed in Australia by Paramount Pictures.
Mr Rees said the film's production in NSW showed that Government policies were working.
"Following the recent NSW Job Summit the Government announced a new package of screen industry incentives that would ensure NSW was the most attractive destination in Australia for major film projects," he said.
"This policy is already paying off.
"Films like this invest heavily in the local economy and the flow-on effects for local services such as transport, construction and the hotel industry."
Tomorrow: When The War Began is one of a series of seven novels by Australian author John Marsden and Mr Rees said there was potential for a series of films in future.
It is understood the movie will also mark the directorial debut of Australian Stuart Beattie, who was the screenwriter for movies Collateral, Australia and the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy.
