NBC series La Brea returns to Australia to inject $118 million into the economy

NBC drama La Brea, season two, will return to shoot in Victoria, Australia, injecting more than A$118m into the local economy, according to Paul Fletcher, federal minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts.

The Universal Television and Keshet Studios series will receive funding of A$16m from Australia's location incentive. It is expected production of the drama will create 390 jobs and use the services of around 800 local businesses.

“As part of this production, Universal Studio Group and Matchbox Pictures will partner with the Australian Film, Television and Radio School (AFTRS) on a training initiative dedicated to virtual production, one of the most exciting areas of growth and innovation in the global screen industry," Fletcher said.

“The production of La Brea Season 1 injected an estimated $84m into the Australian economy and created more than 475 jobs for local cast and crew. The production of season two in Victoria will provide us with another opportunity to create a pipeline of continued jobs to develop the next generation of screen industry professionals.”

Season two's plot will continue to centre on a huge sinkhole that mysteriously opens in Los Angeles, transporting a disparate group of strangers to an unexplainable primeval world.

Series writer David Appelbaum exec produces with Avi Nir, Alon Shtruzman, Peter Traugott, Rachel Kaplan, Steven Lilien, Bryan Wynbrandt and Ken Woodruff.

Martin Pakula, Victoria’s acting minister for Creative Industries, said “La Brea adds to the strong line-up of screen productions filming in Victoria this year – it will support local jobs, businesses and is expected to inject up to $98m into the Victorian economy. The Victorian Government is proudly backing the state's screen industry through our $191.5m VICSCREEN strategy, strengthening Victoria's position as a global screen powerhouse.”

“La Brea is flagship international television. It is the type of project that proves and extends the capacity of the Australian screen industry,” added Matchbox Pictures' chief operating officer, Matt Vitins.

To date, Australia has distributed more than A$272m under the location incentive, to attract 28 international productions to the country, generating more than A$2.1bn in private investment, providing more than 17,800 employment opportunities for local cast and crew, and creating work for over 16,800 businesses that support these big productions.