Pine Wood Studios Eyes RM$3.8B projects by 2020

Johor’s Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia Studios (PIMS) is poised to rake in a whopping RM3.8 billion worth of investments by 2020, according to Michael Lake, Chief Executive Officer of the PIMS. “About RM1.9 billion will be spent in the local economy, including for local wages,” he said. Set to be completed in May, the 20ha development will be a world-class, state-of-the-art film and television studio production facility — one of the largest in the region. “To support the first phase of PIMS' development, a total of 1,500 talents are required by the end of this year,” said Lake. Along this line, Iskandar Region Development Authority (IRDA) chief executive Datuk Ismail Ibrahim has launched the Iskandar Malaysia Creative Industry Talent Development programme. “The first seven Train the Trainers' course under the development programme will start in March and are designed as intensive eight- to 12-week courses to provide skills and knowledge needed by Malaysian film industry professionals, trainers and workers to seamlessly integrate with large-scale international film production companies,” noted Ismail. This scheme hopes to attract 1,300 people by end-2013. Courses to be handled by industry experts will include production accounting, grip and electrical department, set construction and wardrobe management.