Filming of the pilot episode of local lifestyle series, Weekend Warrior, marks a significant milestone for the Tasmanian screen industry, Premier and Minister for the Arts, Lara Giddings, said today.

Winning Post productions commenced filming of the pilot episode in Hobart today.

"Weekend Warrior is the first lifestyle program to go into production since receiving funding from Screen Tasmania's Factual and Light Entertainment Fund earlier this year," Ms Giddings said.

The series will be hosted by James Lunday, who has over 13 years of experience as a presenter and host-carpenter on television shows such as Changing Rooms and Fresh for the Nine Network and Renovation Rescue and The Ugliest House on the Block in the US.

"It is fantastic to see a presenter with James Lunday's profile and experience heading the all-Tasmanian cast and crew of Weekend Warriors," Ms Giddings said.

"Screen Tasmania's commitment to increasing local production by focussing on light entertainment is already starting to show results for the State.

Screen Tasmania was the first screen agency in Australia to capitalise on the explosion in the popularity of reality and lifestyle shows by broadening its funding guidelines to support factual and light entertainment.

"Factual entertainment has great potential to increase production activity and build screen industry jobs and opportunities in Tasmania.

"With more projects already in the pipeline, I look forward to seeing more locally produced programs go into production in the future."

Weekend Warriors, a do-it-yourself (DIY) series developed by local production company, Winning Post Productions in collaboration with Mr Lunday, has been inspired by the success of recent television shows such as The Block and The Renovators,

Executive Producer, Jim Henry from Winning Post said, "Tasmanians are desperate for more locally produced programming and we are delighted that filming has begun on a show totally produced by Tasmanians." Winning Post has secured interest from Tasmanian Digital Television (TDT Channel 10) in the concept, and it is anticipated the pilot will be extended into a series.

Further information about Screen Tasmania's factual and light entertainment fund is available on the Screen Tasmania website: www.screen.tas.gov.au

Note: Media can capture footage of the first day of filming at 9.30am, TODAY at 177a Gordons Hill Road, Lindisfarne. Contact Vanessa Lee at Winning Post Productions, 0439 884 261