Gold Coast screen industry reputation to be enhanced through funding and new production studio

The Gold Coast’s screen industry reputation is to be enhanced with two major developments which will see an increase in funding through the Screen Attraction Program and further progress on the Yatala screen project.

Gold Coast Film Commission announced
A newly created Gold Coast Film Commission and a 300% increase in screen funding to more than $1 million a year will support a greater number of international, national and local productions filmed on the coast.

Mayor Tom Tate advised “the City is pleased to join the prestigious Association of Film Commissioners International (AFCI) to further enhance our reputation as a filming and production destination of choice.

“With the Gold Coast screen industry becoming such a success and contributing over half a billion dollars to the local economy last year we have chosen to increase the overall amount of funding available to attract even more filmmakers to the city.”

The Gold Coast is the only local government in Australia that provides incentives to attract film and television productions to the city through the Screen Attraction Program and the only local government area to be involved in the AFCI.

Gold Coast Film Commission will be part of the AFCI, a global non-profit organisation that provides advocacy, connectivity and education for film commissions and screen businesses.

The Yatala screen industry project
With more productions expected to be attracted to the Gold Coast in the coming years the Yatala screen studio development project was endorsed by council in October 2022 and has quickly progressed.

The 85-hectare council-owned site will be home to a state-of-the-art studio for filming and production.

City of Gold Coast has now shortlisted two studio operators for the development of the site through a long-term lease.

Mayor Tate added “It’s great to see we have made progress on the screen industry project at Yatala with two respondents endorsed for invitation to tender.

“A tender process to determine the most suitable candidate is now underway and a decision is expected to be made early in 2024.”

The parcel of land located at 396 Stanmore Road Yatala on the northern Gold Coast was identified as the best commercial land between the coast and Brisbane to enhance the local screen industry.

City representatives met with 76 national and international film studio developers and operators recently from Australia, the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom as part of the Expression of Interest process.

The applicants were asked how they would establish initiatives and operations within the facility to develop, grow and collaborate with the domestic screen industry.