Killer shark movie to bait tourists: producer
The producer of a new killer shark movie filmed in Bowen and Hervey Bay denies the film will scare away tourists from the Great Barrier Reef, claiming it may actually boost traveller numbers.
Tourism operators in north Queensland have expressed fears about the impact of The Reef on an already struggling industry.
The $3.5 million Australian-made film tells the story five young travellers who are sailing in tropical waters when their yacht sinks, stranding them in open water ocean to be harassed by a Great White shark.
The species does not inhabit the Great Barrier Reef.
Head of the Association of Marine Park Operators, Col McKenzie, told media in Cairns he was worried the film would turn off foreign visitors who could not distinguish fact from fiction. Others, like Tourism Tropical North Queensland CEO Rob Giason say
The Reef "distorts" the reality of a Great Barrier Reef holiday experience.
"
We know from the industry, any kind of shark attack, any kind that they air in the Jaws movies and things like that, there's a drop off in inquiries within the marine tourism industry," Mr McKenzie told The Cairns Post.
But The Reef's producer Michael Robertson said similar horror flicks involving crocodiles, such as the big budget picture Rogue released in 2007, had given Australian tourism a shot in the arm.
"
I know that when the crocodile films were made in the Northern Territory it actually increased tourism [there]," he told brisbanetimes.com.au.
"
I know for a fact the film Rogue had its Australian premiere in Darwin supported by the Northern Territory tourism board."
Mr Robertson said nowhere in the film was the Great Barrier Reef mentioned as its setting.
"
The film doesn't go out of its way to mention where it is set. It is set nowhere - its a generic setting, there's no mention of Australia in the story it is just a place somewhere in the world."
Dr. Mark David Ryan, lecturer at the Queensland University of Technology and an expert in the horror movie genre, said he also expected tourism to receive a boost, judging by the influence of previous grizzly horror flicks such as
Wolf Creek.
"
In many ways Wolf Creek has created tourism," he said
"
Before the movie, the Wolf Creek crater wasn't a major tourism destination whereas now it is on the map so the film has created tourism in that case," Dr Ryan said.
"The Amityville horror house - even to this day - attracts tourists, it's become a tourist destination."
Australian filmmakers have been prolific in the horror genre, incorporating the natural dangers of the country such as
Razorback(1984),
Open Water(2003),
Wolf Creek(2005),
Rogue(2007) and
Black Water(2007) which Dr Ryan says is typical.
"
Australian filmmakers draw on what Australia has so we have sharks, crocodiles, giant boars and the isolated outback, whereas somewhere in Eastern Europe they tend to draw on what they have and this can be a legacy of castles and myths of vampires," he said.
"
Directors here draw on what works in Australia and this is often the fear of sharks, the fear of crocodiles and so on."
Tourism Minister Peter Lawlor said movie goers were smart enough to work it out for themselves and would not be scared off by what was clearly a fictional film.
"
There is no evidence to suggest that horror movies discourage people from visiting a particular destination or from undertaking a particular activity," Mr Lawlor said.
"
The vast majority of people are able to discern fact from fiction and movies such as this can in fact help raise the profile of a destination and add to Australia's image as an adventure destination. This appeals to many visitors such as backpackers."
Dr Ryan agreed.
"
I think in most cases people that go to watch these films understand that the horror genre is part of fantastic cinema and the aim of these films is to scare an audience," he said.
The Reef will be released in late 2010.
