WELLINGTON - Hollywood film-makers have begun shooting a big-budget commercial for US beer brand Budweiser in Wellington.
The commercial will screen in Ireland next month, and possibly globally later on, with Wellington hand-picked as an ideal location for filming.
Budweiser Ireland's marketing manager Jonnie (crct) Cahill said Wellingtonwas chosen for its "sunshine and feel-good factor", as well as the "can-do attitude" of the locals.
"Wellington looks like a cosmopolitan, nice, international city that could be lots of places in the world.
"It's the 'yes, we can help' attitude that's really drawn us here, when we're looking at cities all over the world to shoot these things."
The commercial is directed by American Mike Maguire, a music video director for a number of international bands, with Robert Richardson, an Oscar winner for cinematography on The Aviator, as director of photography.
Cahill said: "This is the A-list. These guys do some of the best work globally right now, and we're shooting quite an ambitious project, it's quite an ambitious TV commercial, and to do that you need the best people."
Cahill was unable to comment on production costs, but said the budget of this commercial "would be at the high-end of global TV commercials".
Many well-known central Wellington locations feature in the commercial, including bars The Establishment and Tupelo, the Railway Station, the waterfront and Massey University.
The commercial involves a largely Kiwi cast and crew, as well as several local chickens.
"Obviously we look for talent all over the world. We've found the guys that we believe can represent the characters and the kind of things we're trying to do here (in New Zealand)," said Cahill.
Cahill was reluctant to reveal many plot details, but told NZPA the commercial's current working-title is 'Damsel' -- "as in a damsel in distress...Hopefully it's much clearer when everyone gets to see it".
"The basic premise of the story is the lengths that four great friends will go to get together with their buddy at a bar downtown to meet him for a cold Budweiser on a warm day, so they're gonna take some unique ways to get across the city and meet up with their friend for a beer after work.
"It's almost a nod to the great action movies that we've grown up with on TV, and there'll be some sort of drama as they get from the four corners of the city to meet their friend. There's various methods of transport and there's a few thrills and spills along the way, so big action sequences and lots of fun."
