THE Riverland will be home to a film set later this year, thanks to a Federal Government boost.
Six Foot Four Productions, together with the Loxton Chamber of Commerce, were successful in a Regional Arts Fund Project grant, worth $23,675.
Six Foot Four Productions’ John DeCaux said the grant would be used to produce a film called Gopher.
“It’s a short film based around a true story from the Riverland,” he said.
“There was a bloke from Berri who, in the middle of the night, decided it would be a good idea to go for a drive all the way to Adelaide.”
Mr DeCaux said he saw the man while travelling along the Sturt Highway.
“I was just driving along and there was this old bloke in a gopher on the side of the Sturt Highway, with B-doubles going past,” he said.
“I thought, ‘You are crazy. What is wrong with you?’ and then a few weeks later there was a story about him in the Murray Pioneer.
“The film is all based around that. So, taking that concept and adding a bit of a twist at the end.”
The proud former Riverlander said he was looking forward to filming in the region.
“It will showcase the Riverland and how amazing the drive along the Sturt Highway is and the landscapes we have along the way,” he said.
“The plan is to predominantly find local people who I can upskill to work on the production, then down the track I can use them for other projects.”
Six Foot Four Productions’ recent works include the Elders television adverts and the Loxton Amateur Basketball Association’s 70th anniversary documentary.
Barker MP Tony Pasin said the $1.2 million Regional Arts Fund Project grants would provide opportunities for artists and arts workers to cultivate creative community engagement with the arts as we emerge from the pandemic, reconnecting regional communities.
“This is a major boost for Barker and is part of the Government’s investment towards a sustainable, thriving and diverse arts sector across regional and remote communities,” he added.