The Age from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia • Page 76

Floating on air When Hollywood producers want to go to sea, they're ready to cross the world to Melbourne. Eli Greenblat finds out why IT'S A PRESTIGIOUS POOL OF I I water. Once, Captain Ahab's boat was docked there; now it's host to Noah's Ark and two pirate ships. And, judging by the worldwide interest it has attracted, it could be receiving many more notable visitors. It is the "horizon tank" at Point Cook, which is proving to be a boon for Melbourne's burgeoning film industry.

A large receptacle close to the shore, it's constructed in such a way that, when a camera is placed at a certain angle, it gives the illusion of the infinite horizons of the open sea. It was built by Hallmark Entertainment last year for the filming of Moby Dick, starring Patrick Stewart and Gregory Peck, and was due for demolition after filming. But since the tank is one of only three in the world (the other two are in Malta and Mexico) the Melbourne Film Office stepped'in to save it. The main advantage of using a horizon tank is that it offers a controlled environment which is safer than the open ocean for the crew and actors to work in. The facilities at Point Cook have been leased from the Defence Department by Point Cook Film Studios and the company's managing director, Geoff Maher, said his company is hoping to attract more productions to Melbourne.

"Many local industries and businesses have benefited from the presence of filming in the area, and with more and more overseas films being made in Australia, we are talking with other companies who wish to use the tank to shoot their films," he said. Hallmark has now returned to Point Cook for the filming of its latest telemovie, Noah's Ark, and the production has brought with it a bevy of Hollywood actors, including Mary Steenburgen, Jon Voight and James Coburn. The tank will play a central role in the filming of the two-part mini-series, with sections of the Ark and two pirate ships using the pool of water for a number of action scenes. It was also used in the climactic flood scene, for which the producers had the tank drained, a city scene Two if by sea: the creators of Noah's Ark chose Point Cook's horizon tank as their location. Picture: MICHAEL CLAYTON-JONES building a deep-water dive tank so it can also be used for underwater scenes.

"I'd also like to build a dry-water dock so that we could build ships on site and then just launch them off the dock directly into the horizon tank." Meanwhile the crew of Noah's Ark is adding the finishing touches to the two pirate ships that will attack Noah and his family, Biblical scholars may doubt the inclusion of pirate ships in the story of Noah, but this is Hollywood Down Under and, as Maher observes, "the producers have reworked the script a little built inside it and then reflooded with millions of litres of water. Maher said although the tank was one of the main reasons Hallmark decided to shoot at Point Cook, there were other advantages. "The tank is south-facing, so the sun is always behind the crew. Point Cook is close to Melbourne to give the producer access to good post-production facilities like editing and special effects and Port Phillip has relatively flat tides and a calm sea. "The diversity of locations, quality of film crews, and quality of film and post-production facilities in Aus tralia are world class," Maher said.

Not only that, but the weakened Australian dollar makes it highly economical for American film makers. The horizon tank in Mexico might be cheaper, but it's owned by Twentieth Century Fox and is booked out far in advance. Pete West, the marine coordinator for Noah's Ark, said Australia is a perfect place to produce marine films because of the country's large coastline. Maher has big plans for the film studios at Point Cook and his ideas for the expansion of the tank include WEEKLY SPECIALS Philip CO-HEWrltar Kit $665 UUaUWDDD $235 Epson Stylus 740 $515 Epson Stytui 640 $335 lMM'-U266Mh2 UIB $430 VOOMM 12 MB "Jton" $380 Pa 66 Int VM Modam $120 CI AWE64 Sound Card $140 emit MolnbMnlAHMtiWRAM IN MXPR233I300 AMP K6-II 300 HlfMOO) 565 Vvmit Kit; (JWv.KMI MMX $37.1 Pcnlkun Cd MHZ ihX inbJ 1BM-II- 300 MMX $1270 $1320 IVANHOE Shopping Ctntt 28 Seddon St, Ivanhoe Cm. upper Heldelbeo Tel: 03 S49B 3541- 9499 6184 AMDK6-266MK1 AMI) KfrJOO MTU PotfrUnDMOMItZ $2040 PmH.n333 MHZ $2250 PtMkm.1350 MHZ S23KO AMI) Kh-2-13 AMDKh-2, AMnKMlMI KA.2-3III) IBM 686 MX-PR233 $1155 IBM 686 MX-PR266 $1215 IBM 686 MX-PR300 $1255 5 UK Mint MB JAMD K6-2-3O0 AGP4MB $14101 IBM G86-P233 MMX $1280 IBM 686-P266 MMX $1325 AMD K6-2-266MH1 $1415 AMD K6-2-300MHz $1445 AMD K6-2-333MHz $1520 iCelron266 iCeleronSOO ILX440MB $1 560 i 2.1 GB udma S24.1 el.

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