A QUT-led report reveals the Gold Coast has become the centre for local film and television in South East Queensland and has strengthened its position as a leading destination for inbound international productions filming in Australia since the outbreak of COVID.
The report also highlights opportunities for skills developments and infrastructure expansion to support further growth.
Professor Mark Ryan, and Dr Sue Cake from QUT's School of Creative Arts (Film, Screen & Animation), and Dr Andrew Couzens (CQUniversity) and Dr Peter Innes (USC), have produced a report - A Re-Evaluation of Screen Production on the Gold Coast After COVID-19 – for the Gold Coast Film Commission.
It concludes that following the emergence of COVID in Australia in March 2020 and the subsequent boom in film and television production activity, the Gold Coast has strengthened its position as a creative hub.
As well as large-scale footloose (one-off) blockbusters and independent feature films, the Gold Coast also plays host to the production of documentary features and programs, television series, and short-form, scripted animated content, and web series.
"Only Sydney and Melbourne produce more film and television than the Gold Coast, which is home to Village Roadshow Studios, one of Australia's largest purpose-built sound stages and production facilities," Professor Ryan said.
"Over the last five years, and accelerated by the pandemic, the Gold Coast film and television industry has also become a major and more centralised hub for filming original screen content created by domestic producers based in South East Queensland."
Professor Ryan said the city previously lacked a critical mass of domestic production companies and producers making a substantive amount of original scripted, long-form content for release into cinemas, free-to-air and public service television, or subscription video on demand markets.
"Original content production led by producers based in Brisbane and South East Queensland more broadly has generally been dispersed across the region. That's no longer the case and the Gold Coast industry is reaping the rewards," Professor Ryan said.
"This has been largely driven by a small but growing community of producers, production companies and above-the-line creators based on the Gold Coast. We have also found Brisbane-based production houses are growing in capacity and increasingly filming projects on the Gold Coast.
"Post COVID, several production companies and renowned national producers/directors, including Baz Luhrmann, have also relocated to the Gold Coast, bringing slates of projects with them.
"According to Screen Australia, total drama production and post, digital and visual effects expenditure in Queensland has increased from $300 million in 2018-19, immediately prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, and an all-time low of $57 million during COVID-19 in 2019-20, to a record amount of $555 million in 2020-21."
Dr Cake said further growth was under threat from several issues but that the City of Gold Coast is adopting proactive policies and investing heavily to support the film, television and, increasingly, games industry.
"Our report found the industry is stymied by the limited scale of local original content production, as well as networks and a need for further professional development opportunities to foster connections between practitioners," Dr Cake said.
"There is also a skills shortage across several crew departments and the need for a larger workforce, as well as a limited capacity and availability of sound stages, production facilities and other support infrastructure."
Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate said the report reinforced the council's vision for the city and the commitment of the Gold Coast Film Commission with incentives such as the Screen Attraction Program and projects that are in the pipeline.
"The City of Gold Coast is the only council in Australia that provides financial support for film and television productions through an incentive program," Mayor Tate said.
"With this has come significantly increased demand for screen and production facilities which is why the City has initiated the Yatala screen industry project mid-way between Brisbane and the Coast.
"The site would become Australia's most advanced studio and production precinct, with the ability to support short-term accommodation and allied industries close to key infrastructure and services.
"On top of this, the City is helping future proof the industry through the development of an education facility at the Home of the Arts (HOTA) to address a workforce shortage, particularly of crew talent."
Professor Ryan, Dr Cake, and the other report authors recommend several other measures to protect and grow the industry.
These include:
• Aim to attract key high-value screen professionals from other states by facilitating and supporting their relocation to the Gold Coast.
• Look for Council land available closer to the Village Roadshow Studios or Helensvale for potential use as a technical production hub for warehouses, construction and construction spaces, storage, and parking for gaffer trucks.
• The Council, and newly established Gold Coast Film Commission, should continue to facilitate industry forums, networking events and professional development workshops.
The full report is available online at: A Re-Evaluation of Screen Production on the Gold Coast After COVID-19 | QUT ePrints
Main image: Professor Mark Ryan, and Dr Sue Cake. Photo: Anthony Weate
