ANT KATZ
 

LEFT: Pictured from left: SJ Clarkson, Director; Nate Goodman, Director of Photography and Naftali Bennett

The filming of the new series – “Dig” – the upcoming NBC-Universal action series will be getting underway in Jerusalem over the next few days.

The Ministry for Jerusalem and Diaspora Affairs together with the Ministry of the Economy, the Jerusalem Municipality and The Jerusalem Development Authority all played roles in bringing the production to the Israeli capital.

“Dig” is an action adventure series co-written by “Homeland” and “Heroes” co-creators Gideon Raff and Tim Kring.

Yerushalayim is an actor in its own right

It is the first large budget production to be filmed in Jerusalem. “The city itself plays a central role in the series which focuses on FBI agents working to solve a murder while uncovering the secrets behind an ancient conspiracy in the heart of the Old City,” Jeremy Ruden, the spokesman for the Ministry of Jerusalem & Diaspora Affairs told SAJR Online last Friday.

Minister of Jerusalem Affairs Naftali Bennett said that “a picture is worth a thousand words – sometimes filming a show in Israel is worth a thousand publicity tours”.

Actors Jason Isaacs (Harry Potter films), Anne Heche (Hung, Man in Trees) and director SJ Clarkson (Heroes, Dexter) were just some of the show’s staff who arrived in the city last week. Minister of Jerusalem and Diaspora Affairs, Naftali Bennett, met with the crew and told them about the city.    

Boon for the Israeli film production industry

“The filming of ‘Dig’ will be a boon for the production industry in Jerusalem, drawing more of them to come film here, create new jobs and encourage investments in the city. This investment will help brand and publicize Jerusalem and Israel while bringing in new revenue from tourism, culture and commerce,” said Bennett.

The initiative is a joint effort by the Israeli Treasury Ministry, Economic Ministry, Jerusalem & Diaspora Affairs Ministry, Tourism Ministry, the Jerusalem Municipality and the Jerusalem Film & Television fund. This unprecedented cooperative effort is designed to make Jerusalem an appealing location for international productions similar to other cities around the world.

This week, the Israeli Government ratified a proposal which sets aside 33 million NIS (around $10 million) in grant monies over the next three years for similar productions.