Film Production Services in Melbourne, Australia
Filming in Melbourne
Voted 2015 world’s most liveable city, Melbourne, Australia is known for its modern city skyline, stately 19th-century buildings, tree-lined boulevards, botanical gardens, cobblestone streets, tramways, cafe culture and vibrant nightlife. Located on Port Phillip Bay, Melbourne is a major port city and business hub. The mighty Yarra River cuts the city in two. Neighbourhoods of interest include the Docklands, Lygon Street Italian Village, Chinatown, upmarket Tookrak, trendy South Yarra shopping district, and beachfront St Kilda. Melbourne doubles well for both old European looks and non-descript modern city locations.
Within a few hours drive from the city you can find the famous Great Ocean Road, a popular location for car commercials, Grampians National Park otherworldly locations, and Bells Beach known for it big wave surfing.
Events. Melbourne hosts several major annual sporting events. The Australian Open Tennis Grand Slam runs from January to February. The Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix races in March. The Rip Curl Pro surf contest is held at Bells Beach in April. The AFL Grand Final is in October. The Melbourne Cup horse racing carnival held at Australia’s oldest metropolitan racecourse, Flemington, is held in November. The close out the year the Boxing Day Test cricket is played in December.
When to shoot? Melbourne has a four season climate with hot summers, glorious springs, mild autumns and crisp winters (with no snow). The summer months from December to March are ideal for long, warm, sunny shoot days.
Film Permits. Small footprint / low impact filming does not require a film permit, only proof of insurance.
A film permit is required from the City of Melbourne if your production involves:
• More than 6 people, and / or
• More than one camera, one tripod and hand held lighting or sound recording equipment, and / or
• Interruption to the normal flow of traffic on public locations
See here for more information. Hiring a local film fixer or service producer is a good idea to help make the process run smoothly.
Film Crew, Equipment, Talent, and Costs
Crew and Equipment. Crews are of a high calibre with plenty of experience hosting international productions. You can find all of the latest standard camera, grip and lighting equipment with some more specialised equipment also available.
Talent. Melbourne is a multicultural, international city with a large and diverse pool of models and acting talent.
Costs. The AUD has fallen considerably against the USD. In 2011 1 USD bought 0.9 AUD. Today 1 USD buys around 1.41 AUD. Getting to Australia is still expensive (and time consuming), but there are considerable exchange rate savings to be made once you get there.
If you are looking for Melbourne based film production service support such as a fixer, service company or shooting crew please contact us.
