Gold Coast is film location hotspot: Kong: Skull Island, Thor and San Andreas

THEY don’t call it Hollywood on the Gold Coast for nothing. The locations and established film infrastructure have made it increasingly appealing.

THEY don’t call it Hollywood on the Gold Coast for nothing.

The Gold Coast’s fantastic choice of locations and firmly established film infrastructure have made the city an increasingly appealing production base for major international movie projects.

From homegrown productions such as PJ Hogan’s breathtakingingly beautiful fantasy adventure Peter Pan (2003) to international blockbusters such as next year’s mega-Marvel movie Thor: Ragnarok, the Gold Coast has proved it can be transformed into any place on earth – and beyond.

COAST COP ‘ASSAULTED’ BY A NSW COP

KONG SNEAKS QUIETLY INTO COAST

Chris Hemsworth as Thor. Photo: Jay Maidment Marvel 2015

Producers eager to find cost-effective ways to portray a variety of locations – often all in one film – have finally cottoned on to the enormous array of scenery available on or near Queensland’s second-largest city.

From 57km of fabulous coastline and 260km of waterways to secluded island beaches, heritage-listed rainforests and wide open plains, city-style skyscrapers and sleepy country towns, sheep and cattle stations, neon night-life and luxurious homes, movie makers can find a backdrop to suit almost any scene imaginable.

PIRATES ON THE GOLD COAST

Throw in the facilities at Oxenford’s Village Roadshow Studios – including three water tanks, 10 production offices, editing suites, wardrobe, make-up, construction, paint and carpentry shops – and access to an army of experienced local actors, extras, stunties and film crew and you’ve got everything you need to make movie magic.

You don’t have to be telling an Australian story to film on the Gold Coast.

Oscar-winning actress turned director Angelina Jolie recreated Japan on the Coast for her Oscar-nominated World War 2 drama Unbroken while the biggest film shot in Australia – Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales – transformed our beaches and forests into Caribbean islands.

Johnny Depp filming Pirates Of The Caribbean on the Coast. Picture: INF

Legendary Pictures/Warner Bros. Kong: Skull Island, now in pre-production at Village Roadshow Studios, is preparing to turn the Coast into another lost world – the island home of King Kong.

Sets for the film’s Aussie shoot are under construction in Sound Stages 7 and 8 on the Village Studios lot.

Queensland Premier and Arts Minister Annastacia Palaszczuk yesterday confirmed cameras would begin rolling on the mega movie, which is filming scenes in Hawaii, early next year.

“Securing Kong: Skull Island demonstrates the momentum we are building to ensure Queensland is a destination of choice for major producers and international studios,” she said.

“Kong will spend more than $15 million in Queensland by leveraging our world-class facilities and enlisting cast and crews in all aspects of physical production.”

Ms Palaszczuk said two Queenslanders had already secured senior roles – as production manager and art director – on Kong, which was expected to create 60 local jobs.

The new King Kong movie will be made on the Gold Coast.

She said the production would shoot scenes on the studio lot and on location “throughout southeast Queensland”.

“My government continues negotiations with US studios to secure additional films which will bring new money into the state, create new jobs and economic opportunities for Queensland,” she said.

The Gold Coast’s appeal as a filmmaking hub will receive a further boost next year when the

new $15.5 million super stage opens at Village Roadshow Studios.

Studio president Lynne Benzie is fast-tracking construction of the 4000sq m facility to maximise its use before it becomes the home of squash at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Sound Stage 9 will double the size of the largest of the facility’s eight existing stages – and help the city keep the blockbusters coming.