Industry overview
A proud history of film
From beautiful beaches and national parks to hinterland retreats, cane fields and sub-tropical rainforests, the Gold Coast’s unparalleled natural landscape plays a significant role in attracting national and international film productions to the city. However, it is not the only feature attracting blockbusters to the shores of the Gold Coast. The Gold Coast boasts the largest studio lot in the southern hemisphere and has built a reputation for having some of the best crew in the world.
It is estimated that Village Roadshow Studios has attracted about $3.6 billion worth of film, reaffirming the city’s position as a movie-making heavyweight. Meanwhile, $1.8 billion has been physically spent in Queensland and on the Gold Coast. Big-name movies to film in the city include Thor: Ragnarok, Pirates of the Caribbean 5, San Andreas and Unbroken. Australian productions filmed on the Gold Coast include The Railway Man, Bait 3D and Sanctum 3D.
Read about the city's reputable film industry
Studios and locations
A diverse range of accessible locations allows for almost any landscape to be replicated within the Gold Coast region. In addition, Village Roadshow Studios is home to Australia’s largest soundstage which sits at 3,716sqm (40,000 sq ft) as well as one of the biggest water tanks in the Southern Hemisphere. The water tank, which holds six million litres of water, can be used for both surface and underwater sequences and has been utilised by a number of big-name films including ‘The Shallows’ starring Blake Lively and ‘Fools Gold’ starring Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey.
Village Roadshow Studios
Village Roadshow Studios is one of the largest film studio lots in the southern hemisphere. The production facility has grown to include three water tanks, ten production offices, editing suites, and wardrobe, makeup, construction, paint and carpentry shops.
Film locations
From beautiful beaches and national parks to hinterland retreats, cane fields and sub-tropical rainforests, the Gold Coast’s unparalleled natural landscape plays a significant role in attracting national and international film productions to the city.
Local crews
The Gold Coast has a large film industry with a crew base of both nationally and internationally recognised technicians. Catering for a diverse range of budgets, crews are multi-skilled, versatile and cover a wide variety of formats ranging from television series to feature films, movies of the week and pilots.
Gold Coast film videos
Funding and support
Film Attraction Program
Recognising strength in film production, the City of Gold Coast has a Film Attraction Program to assist companies to film in the city. The City of Gold Coast works in partnership with key industry stakeholders, Screen Queensland and Village Roadshow Studios, to provide the finest conditions for producers, directors, casting and crew. To be eligible for the Film Attraction Program, production companies must meet the approximate value of the production (minimum AU$1.5 million spend on the Gold Coast).
Funding at a State and Federal level
The Australian Federal Government and Queensland State Government also offer incentive programs for screen production attraction. These programs are administered through Screen Australia and Screen Queensland. The State Government (through Screen Queensland) provides incentives in a range of areas including; development investment, locations and scouting assistance, production investment, Revolving Film Finance Fund (RFFF), International Co-productions and Queensland Payroll Tax Rebate.
Gold Coast film attraction incentives
| Value of production $AUD | Assistance Cap $AUD |
|---|---|
| $1.5-3 million | $30,000 |
| $3-5 million | $40,000 |
| $5-10 million | $50,000 |
| $10-15 million | $60,000 |
| $15-25 million | $80,000 |
| Over 25 million | $100,000 |
Filming in the city
Free support and advice on filming within the city is available through the City of Gold Coast. If you are planning to film on the Gold Coast, you need to apply for a film production licence. To apply for a film permit visit the City of Gold Coast website or click here to be taken to the online form.
Getting here
The Gold Coast is situated 45 minutes from Queensland’s capital Brisbane and is serviced by two international airports – Gold Coast International Airport and Brisbane International Airport. The international airport provides direct routes to all major Australian cities and key locations across the Asia Pacific, Middle East, USA and Pacific. Getting to and from the Gold Coast International Airport is relatively easy with a range of bus, shuttle and car hire services available. Brisbane International Airport also has a range of options for getting around, including a rail link to the Gold Coast.
Resources
| Industry publications | Word | |
|---|---|---|
| Arab Health 2018 guide | ||
| Surf and Skate guide | ||
| Education publication | ||
| Health business guide | ||
| Sport business guide | ||
| Sport publication | ||
| Food business guide | ||
| Film book location guide | ||
| Marine business guide | ||
| Health and Knowledge Precinct publication |