Fiji
Suva-based Film Fiji has confirmed in writing its commitment to support Morcan Motion Pictures in our efforts to adapt our historical adventure novel Fiji and develop it as a feature film. We welcome enquires from experienced producers interested in spearheading this production.
Set in 19th Century Fiji, the film will be based on our book Fiji: A Novel (The World Duology, #2), a spellbinding tale of adventure, cultural misunderstandings, religious conflict and sexual tension in one of the most exotic and isolated places on earth.
Since its publication as a trade paperback and Kindle ebook by New Zealand publisher Sterling Gate Books in 2011, Fiji has been a regular visitor to Amazon’s bestseller lists. With the strong themes of love running through what is essentially a fast-moving and sometimes violent adventure story, it appeals equally to males and females.
In June 2014, Fiji was selected by the prestigious international travel site TravelersToday.com as one of the ‘Top 10 Books to Read While Traveling’ –http://www.travelerstoday.com/articles/9566/20140421/books-read-traveling-top-10-location-history-based-travelers.htm
Fiji: A Novel (The World Duology, #2) is available via Amazon as a trade paperback or Kindle ebook: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0057YCZM0/
The storyline:
In the mid-1800’s, Fiji was a melting pot of cannibals, warring native tribes, sailors, traders, prostitutes, escaped convicts and all manner of foreign undesirables. It’s in this hostile environment that an innocent young Englishwoman and a worldly American adventurer find themselves. Despite their differences, there’s an undeniable chemistry between them. When their lives are suddenly endangered by marauding cannibals, they are forced to rely on each other for their very survival.
Book reviews:
Amazon reviewers have resonated with Fiji: A Novel. Here’s a sample of reviews:
★★★★★ “Once I got into it, I was hooked.” -The Kindle Book Review
★★★★★ “I finished this book a week ago, and the memory of Susannah and Nathan’s experiences in Fiji are still fresh in my mind. If you’re a fan of adventure, history, even romance, you’ll want to pick up a copy of Fiji: A Novel and brace yourself for the ride. It’s an intense story that will have you turning the pages long into the night.” –Susan M. Heim, author and editor of the bestselling ‘Chicken Soup for the Soul’ series.
★★★★★ “A new voice in historical romance.” -Beverly J.Rowe
★★★★★ “As a Fijian, I find the old traditions of our people fascinating and just as great as they are crude and gruesome. The novel touches on most of these now extinct practices, in mad detail and it’s AWESOME! … Racial prejudice, religion, culture and family were the underlying messages … The adventure, fast-paced and nail biting … The romance, sizzling, exciting, forbidden … I give it 5 stars because that’s the maximum amount of stars we’re allowed to give.” -Random Writings Book Reviews (Suva, Fiji).
★★★★★ “A bit of everything – sex, violence, humor, historic detail & plenty of twists.” –‘Great Historicals’
Fiji film adaptation:
We wrote the novel and hold the film rights, and we have put Fiji into development through our production company Morcan Motion Pictures. Our producing role will likely be Executive Producers or similar with more experienced producers spearheading the production.
We plan to write a first draft screenplay adaptation of Fiji. This will be done under the director’s guidance according to his or her vision for the film. Meanwhile, the novel remains the best representation of the story. Obviously, a honed screenplay will be required before approaching any of the major studios.
Tagline:
In Fiji all things are paid in blood.
Genres:
Historical | Action-Adventure | Romance
Budget:
US$25 million.
IMDbPro listing:
https://pro-labs.imdb.com/title/tt1277129/?ref_=sch_int
Director:
To be confirmed. (Will be an A-List director with an impressive track record and with experience in studio features).
The shoot:
Eight weeks for Principal Photography.
Shooting locations:
Viti Levu, Fiji
Levuka, Ovalau Island, Fiji
Cast to be confirmed:
These actors are likely candidates for the following roles:
Nathan Johnson – Leonardo DiCaprio, Liam Hemsworth, Matt Damon, Channing Tatum
Susannah Drake – Scarlett Johansson, Keira Knightley, Kate Beckinsale
Brian Drake – Sam Neill, Tom Wilkinson, Brian Cox, Russell Crowe
Joeli – Cliff Curtis (Once Were Warriors)
Most of the other roles will be played by indigenous Fijian actors.
Projected Box Office Returns:
With a reasonable US$25M budget, Fiji the film has strong worldwide commercial potential. This feature is very much designed for a mainstream release and is in no way an arthouse or niche film.
Comparing similar period films in terms of themes and/or budgets – including The Passion, Dances with Wolves, Braveheart, Apocalypto, Last of the Mohicans – projected Box Office returns for Fiji have been estimated at US$208M. (This figure is for worldwide theatrical sales only and does not include DVD/TV sales).
Executive summary:
The uniqueness of Fiji the feature film will give it every chance of success. There have been very few films set in Fiji – Tom Hanks’ Cast Away and Vince Vaughn’s Couples Retreat being two notable recent exceptions.
Major tax exemptions and rebates are offered to foreign filmmakers filming in Fiji. (See below).
It’s our intention to approach the Fijian Tourism Board to ask them to consider advertising in conjunction with the film’s release – just as the Australian Tourism Board got behind the Nicole Kidman/Hugh Jackman movie Australia.
Because the film’s title is also the name of a country, there is a commercial opportunity to work in with the Fijian Government and thereby increase awareness of the film as well as Fiji as a destination. Working in with the Fijian Tourism Board, there is the potential for various promotions. (e.g. Everybody who buys a ticket to the movie is entered into a draw to win a trip to Fiji). This could be advertised on movie posters as well as the front cover of Fiji: A Novel. Obviously, basing a film on a bestselling novel provides added value.
Fiji tax exemptions and rebates for filmmakers
There are four main streams of audiovisual tax incentives offered by the Fiji Government and administered by Film Fiji in collaboration with the Fiji Revenue & Customs Authority (FRCA). These are detailed in the Sixth Schedule of the Income Tax Act as amended (‘Sixth Schedule’) which is available for download.
Briefly, the film incentives are as follows:
The Film Making Incentive- Part II of the 6th Schedule of the Income Tax Act- is available to non-resident film companies only. The film company applies to Film Fiji for a reduced rate or total exemption of tax on the income of its employees who a non-residents and who are in Fiji for the purpose of conducting a film or television production.
The F1/F2 Incentive are two streams of the same incentive. Both streams allow you (as a producer) to raise half of your production budget from Fiji investors. The Fiji Government incentivizes Fiji investors to invest in half (i.e. 46.5%) of the production budget for your film by offering them a tax deduction of 150 percent (for F1 Incentive) or 125 percent (for F2 Incentive). To qualify for F1, at least 50 percent of the running time of the end product film must show Fiji as Fiji. For F2, there is no requirement to show Fiji as Fiji.
Film Tax Rebate is a cash subsidy offered to fully funded productions that come to Fiji to film. The rebate is 47% of the Qualifying Fiji Production Expenditure (QFPE). The rebate is paid by the Fiji Government after a production is complete.
There are some fundamental rebate requirements, including: The Production Company must have a minimum Qualifying Fiji Production Expenditure of F$250,000 in Fiji; The film must not be culturally derogative in its portrayal of Fiji; The Production Company must ensure that the total productions budget is deposited in a Fiji bank account before production commences in Fiji; The Production Company must engage the services of Fiji citizens in the movie production; The Rebate will only be payable upon release of the film. The conditions for the release of the film are that the film is released in at least three other Countries; and the film is released in a prominent and internationally recognized cinema.
Full details of the filmmakers’ rebates are available at Film Fiji’s website at: http://www.film-fiji.com/pages.cfm/incentives/
Enquiries welcome:
We welcome expressions of interest from experienced producers interested in the Lead Producer role on this film and also from A-List directors interested in helming this production.
Fiji
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Morcan Books & Films 