Elvis 2022 movie: Director Baz Luhrmann reveals his love of the Gold Coast and its arts

Hollywood director Baz Luhrmann would recommend the Gold Coast to ‘any filmmaker in the world’ as he takes us inside his secret production HQ and the gems found within.

HOLLYWOOD director Baz Luhrmann says he has fallen in love with the Gold Coast and will recommend it as the ideal location to make and produce blockbuster movies.

The Aussie-born hitmaker is putting the finishing touches on his new Elvis biopic at his secret production headquarters on the Coast.

Mr Luhrmann, who made his name with William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet and Moulin Rouge, said: “I can look any filmmaker in the world in the eye and say ‘consider doing your post here because it’s a great place to live’.”

Australian director Baz Luhrmann in his new studios. Picture: Jerad Williams

“We made the somewhat radical decision to not just come and develop the film here and shoot the film here, but to finish the movie here,” he said.

“Post-production involves so many aspects. People think you shoot the movie, it’s a quick dust up and off she goes, but you actually make the movie in post (production) and it involves every kind of artist from music to digital effects.

“Post is very different from shooting – you can be shooting something and put up with all sorts of uncomfortable circumstances because you are out among it. You’re in the firing line.

“But when it comes to post, it’s psychological so you need to be in a place which you feel good about and I feel good about the Goldie.”

Australian director Baz Luhrmann talking to Gold Coasters Eleea Navarro, Jordan Wilkinson who are working on Elvis’ post-production. Picture: Jerad Williams

Elvis is just the latest Hollywood film to be shot on the Gold Coast in the past decade including Thor: Ragnarok, San Andreas and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales.

Mr Luhrmann praised the Gold Coast’s growing cultural scene, the Home of the Arts (HOTA) and said he had enjoyed working with young locals, including creative content strategist Eleea Navarro and mixed multimedia artist Jordan Wilkinson.

“The ability to mix a film or do visual effects are incredible growth industries and are being driven by young people,” he said.

“The thing about post is that you want to be in a place where people want to be in and young people want to be here (on the Gold Coast) because of the beaches, quality of life. It’s actually, economically, a good place for a young person to live.”

It was from Mr Luhrmann’s Gold Coast studio that the Elvis trailer was released last week, already notching up 6.8 million views on YouTube.

Mayor Tom Tate, who met with Mr Luhrmann on Monday to discuss the film, said he wanted to take the Gold Coast’s film industry “to the next stage”.

“We are extremely proud of the screen, arts and culture initiatives we have in place to attract, develop and retain incredible talent in our city,” he said.

“To have arguably the greatest filmmaker of our time and the Bazmark production company located here is testament to our city’s potential as the screen capital of Australia.”

INSIDE THE TENT WITH BAZ LUHRMANN

Australian director Baz Luhrmann talking to Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate with Eleea Navarro and Jordan Wilkinson inside The Tent, his office. Picture: Jerad Williams

STEPPING through the sliding glass doors of The Tent is a journey back in time.

A copy of the 1960 Elvis Presley album Elvis is Back! sits on the turntable next to a shelf full of records by the King, Prince and Massive Attack.

A shag pile rug is spread on the floor underneath a soft-green sitting chair and mid-century chandelier hung from the ceiling.

Standing amid the nostalgia, clad in black and espresso in hand, is the Tent’s owner and occupant – film director Baz Luhrmann.

If the flamboyant and eccentric director was stressed about the June release of his Elvis Presley movie, he didn’t show it on Monday morning as he relaxed in The Tent, the offices created for him inside his secret production compound.

A photo of Australian film director Baz Luhrmann's record collection inside his offices on The Gold Coast. Elvis Presley, Prince and Massive Attack all feature. Picture: Andrew Potts

Not content to just discuss his decor, Mr Luhrmann even revealed the story behind the lightning bolt chain he wears around his neck. It also features on his Covid mask and drink coasters.

The logo was worn by Presley’s favourite childhood comic book hero Captain Marvel Jr and served as a motto for the film’s production amid the pandemic.

The masks and coasters also bear the letters “TCB”, meaning “Taking care of business”, something the director says he took seriously during the production.

“Elvis actually said in a speech ‘when I was a kid I read all the comic books and in it I was the hero in them’ and he was a huge fan of Captain Marvel Jr,” he told the Bulletin.

“Taking care of business and the lighting bolt — the theory goes it came from that and his hair cut early on comes from Captain Marvel Jr.”

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