The Government of New South Wales, Australia, has committed to supporting the expansion of local studio Flying Bark Productions in a bid to boost the local animation and effects industry. Part of the Jobs Plus Program, this move will help create 150 new full-time jobs at the production house’s Sydney-based facilities.
Investing in the expansion of Flying Bark — the company behind indie animated feature 100% Wolf and animation provider for Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Nickelodeon) and Marvel’s What If…? (Disney+) — will also buoy another 63 indirect jobs by June 2024.
The Jobs Plus Program is part of the NSW Government’s COVID-19 economic recovery strategy, in which the Post, Digital & Visual Effects sector is well positioned to contribute.
“PDV is thriving in NSW and late last year we expanded our sector rebate to include the digital games industry to drive even more opportunities for companies to locate in the state,” said Stuart Ayres, Minister for Enterprise, Investment & Trade. “Investing in the expansion of leading production companies, such as Flying Bark, through Jobs Plus supports our home-grown talent pool and will ensure the NSW industry maintains its competitive edge in drawing international business opportunities that rely on transferable digital skills.”
The Jobs Plus payroll tax relief, training and infrastructure rebate support has assisted the Flying Bark’s multi-million dollar expansion of its high-tech Alexandria facility, adding a new floor to increase capacity and support extensive training for new recruits. The company’s CEO Barbara Stephen said the support was a welcome addition to the NSW Government’s 10 percent rebate of qualifying expenditure on PDV work.
“The NSW Government has been instrumental in supporting the expansion of our industry, with the competitive PDV rebate a contributing factor in the exponential growth of our company over the past few years, along with the unprecedented demand for premium animation,” Stephen explained. “This demand and COVID-19 has caused our local talent pool to be stretched, so the Jobs Plus Program could not have come at a better time as we commit to a further 150 full-time jobs over the next three years, with a focus on entry-level positions.”
The Jobs Plus Program, delivered through Investment NSW, provides eligible companies with support, including payroll tax relief, streamlined planning approval and subsidized training programs, along with the provision of free or subsidized government spaces and accommodation.
Australian businesses that employ 20 or more staff and international companies with at least 80 employees looking to create a minimum of 30 jobs before June 2024 are eligible to apply for Jobs Plus. For eligibility requirements and more information, visit nsw.gov.au.
