JOHOR BARU: The world-famous Pinewood Studios is set to make Johor an international film-making hub for the Asia-Pacific region in May.

With its state-of-the-art facilities, the new Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia Studios (PIMS) in Nusajaya is targeting production projects worth RM3.8bil between now and 2020, said PIMS chief executive officer Michael Lake.

The budget includes spending on about 9,500 full-time and freelance workers, use of studio space, film production equipment, logistics, food and beverages, lodging and purchase of construction and office supplies.

Lake said RM1.9bil of the RM3.8bil budget would be spent in the local economy.

He was briefing the media on the latest developments in the project at a joint press conference with Iskandar Regional Development Authority chief executive officer Datuk Ismail Ibrahim at the studios yesterday.

PIMS is the product of a strategic agreement between British-based Pinewood Shepperton plc and Khazanah Nasional Bhd.

The 20ha PIMS complex includes 9,300sq m of film stages.

The biggest stage at 2,800sq m will have a water tank for production that requires work on or under water.

There are also two TV studios, each at 1,100sq m.

Pinewood Studios is a major British film studio situated in Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, about 32km west of central London.

It has played host to many film and television productions over the years and is well known as the home of the Carry On , Superman and James Bond film series.

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