To the delight of many around Wellington, a huge film studio development in Upper Hutt is closer to completion.
An artist's impression of Lane Street Studios Photo: SUPPLIED
Lane Street Studio, the $50 million dollar project at Wallaceville Hills in Upper Hutt will help the region meet its capacity issues in the creative sector, and already international clients are knocking on the door.
Today, the half-complete studio opened its doors partially for a look inside.
Previously a data centre, the warehouse has been completely re-designed and custom-fit for physical and digital content creation, which has both pre- and post-production abilities.
It includes a screening room, costume and wardrobe department, and a warehouse-sized space for whatever the client wants to use it for.
Two 17-metre-high, 2300m2 sound stages are under construction on the site.
Lane Street Studios chief executive Kristy Grant said the project was going to further Wellington's international creative status.
"It's quite substantial, it's a whole infrastructure situation in terms of the screen precinct that we're developing here. A facility like this takes a lot of supporting sectors to make sure it can operate," she said.
While the film industry is inherently hush-hush, Grant said there was a lot of interest already in hiring the space out for production, many of which were from overseas.
But the benefits were likely to trickle down for New Zealand creative and local business sectors in the Wellington Region.
Local creative and businesses in Upper Hutt are eagerly awaiting the opening of the space.
The production section in Wellington has been experiencing capacity issues, struggling to meet the demand of many overseas clients.
Scale Studios' Joaquin Loyzaga believed it would make a big difference.
"It's really going to change things for the Wellington region. To have this means we could have some more long-term projects instead of the short term once we often see" he said.
Scale Studio sculptor Kim Beaton believed the studio was going to further put Wellington on the map internationally as the place to create media.
Lane Street studios is a third piece to Wellington's creative production repertoire, after Mirimar Creative Studios and Lower Hutt's Avalon Studio.
Screen Wellington general manager Nicci Boucher said there was a specific priority on vocational opportunities.
"Having more facilities to offer these productions, means that we can open up even more work experience opportunities for students," she said.