Australia Film & Photography Production Services & Camera Crews
Are you a media company, brand, ad agency or production company looking for film / photography production support or shooting crew in Australia? Contact us for trusted fixers, producers, directors, DoPs, videographers, photographers, and full shooting crews tailored for the specific needs of your project.
Filming in Australia
For an introduction to shooting in Australia see below notes on film locations, permits, when to shoot, unique local stories, costs, tax incentives, crews, talent, premiums, fringes, equipment, communications, art department, studios, post facilities, visas and work permits for filming, transport, film-friendly accommodation, and safety advice.
Australia Film Locations
Australia is a popular destination for productions seeking opposite season looks and locations that double well for other places. The country has an abundance of unspoilt beaches, tropical islands, national parks, rainforests, rivers, vineyards, rural and desert landscapes, roads and bridges ideal for car commercials, coastal looks, sand dunes, modern architecture, urban and suburban looks, and much more.
Agricultural film locations include farms that produce vineyards as well as plantations of wheat, barley, corn, sugarcane, canola, sunflowers, rice, olives, watermelon, bananas, and mangos. Fishing trawlers are available for filming. Australia is also known for its cattle, and sheep farms. The country mines iron ore, coal, natural gas, diamonds, gold, aluminium, uranium, and copper. Energy locations include thermal fired power plants, as well as solar and wind energy plants.
Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane are Australia’s main film production centres.
Australia has hosted many productions including Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024), Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024), Thor: Love and Thunder (2022), Godzilla vs. Kong (2021), Aquaman (2018), Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017), Thor: Ragnarok (2017), Kong: Skull Island (2017), Mad Max: Fury Road (2015), Unbroken (2014), The Babadook (2014), The Great Gatsby (2013), The Wolverine (2013), The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010), X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009), Australia (2008), Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005), Rabbit-Proof Fence (2002), Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002), Moulin Rouge (2001), Mission Impossible II (2000), The Matrix (1999), The Thin Red Line (1998), The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997), Shine (1996), Babe (1995), The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994), Muriel’s Wedding (1994), Crocodile Dundee (1986), Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome (1985), Mad Max 2 (1981), Gallipoli (1981), and Mad Max (1979).
Film locations can be divided into the following states and territories:
New South Wales
New South Wales is a southeastern state known for its modern cities, colonial architecture, museums, universities, observatories, entertainment venues, markets, gardens, bridges, beaches, national parks, mountains, caves, rainforests, waterfalls, rivers, wineries, deserts, sand dunes, and lighthouses.
Film locations of note include Sydney, Newcastle, Wollongong, Byron Bay, Broken Hill, Bathurst, Kosciuszko National Park, Blue Mountains National Park, and Warrumbungle National Park.
Queensland
Queensland is a northeastern state known for its cities, Queenslander architecture, theme parks, beautiful beaches, coral reefs, tropical islands, dunes, mountain ranges, rainforests, waterfalls, rivers, and outback locations of deserts and wetlands.
Film locations of note include Brisbane, Gold Coast, Great Barrier Reef, Whitsunday Islands, Fraser Island, Tamborine Mountain, and Daintree Rainforest.
Victoria
Victoria is a southeastern state known for its modern cities, beautiful beaches, winding coastal roads, eucalyptus forests, mountains, waterfalls, and rivers.
Film locations of note include Melbourne, Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo, Great Ocean Road, The Twelve Apostles, Grampians National Park, Mornington Peninsula, Wilsons Promontory National Park, and the Dandenong Ranges.
Australian Capital Territory
The Australian Capital Territory is located within the state of New South Wales. It is best known for Canberra, the capital of Australia.
Film locations include Canberra government buildings, museums, centres of education, and parks.
Tasmania
Tasmania is an island state located in Australia’s south east. Film locations include cities, Georgian and Victorian architecture, museums, churches, convict-era buildings, gardens, wineries, lighthouses, beaches, mountains, forests, rivers, lakes, waterfalls, and otherworldly national parks.
Film locations include Hobart, Launceston, Port Arthur, Wineglass Bay, Bruny Island, Tasman National Park, Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park, and Southwest National Park.
South Australia
South Australia is located in the central southern region of Australia. The state is known for the city of Adelaide, wineries, deserts, salt lakes, caves, gorges, forests, rivers, lakes, beaches, sea cliffs, sand dunes, and lighthouses.
Film locations of note include Adelaide, Coober Pedy, Kangaroo Island, Mt Gambier, Murray River, and Dhilba Guuranda–Innes National Park.
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is located in the central and central northern regions of Australia. The state is known for its cities, unique rock formations, deserts, rocky plateaus, gorges, lowland plains, monsoon forests, billabongs, wetlands, rivers, and waterfalls.
Film locations of note include Darwin, Alice Springs, Kakadu National Park, Arnhem Land, Uluru, and Kata Tjuṯa.
Western Australia
Located in the west of the country, Western Australia is Australia’s largest state taking up one third of the country’s landmass. It boasts over 12,500 km (7,800 mi) of coastline. The southwest corner is green but much of the rest of the state is uninhabited desert. Western Australia is known for its cities, white sand beaches, turquoise waters, coral reefs, sand dunes, sea cliffs, rocky outcrops, lighthouses, caves, canyons, unique rock formations, deserts, salt lakes, rivers, waterfalls, dense forests, and bushland.
Film locations of note include Perth, Fremantle, Rottnest Island, Margaret River, Ningaloo Reef, Shark Bay, The Pilbara, and The Bungle Bungle Range.
External Territories
Ashmore and Cartier Islands. Located northwest of Australia, the uninhabited Ashmore and Cartier Islands are known for their white sands, turquoise waters, and coral reefs.
Australian Antarctic Territory. The Australian Antarctic Territory is the part of East Antarctica claimed by Australia. Permanent scientific research stations include Casey Station, Davis Station, Mawson Station, and Macquarie Island Station.
Christmas Island. The Christmas Island territory is located northwest of Australia. It is known for its beaches, caves, freshwater springs, rainforests, and waterfalls. The annual breeding migration of the Christmas Island red crabs is popular with filmmakers and photographers.
Cocos Islands. The Cocos (Keeling) Islands are located west of Australia. The archipelago is known for its white sand beaches, palm trees and lagoons.
Coral Sea Islands. The Coral Sea Islands are a group of uninhabited tropical islands and reefs located northeast of Australia.
Heard Island and McDonald Islands. The Heard Island and McDonald Islands are a volcanic group of mostly barren Antarctic islands located southwest of Australia. The islands are known for their volcanic peaks, glaciers, and penguin colonies.
Norfolk Island. Norfolk Island is located east of Australia. The island is known for its rugged cliffs, beautiful beaches, turquoise waters, coral reefs, and forests of Norfolk Island Pine.
Australia Film Location Permits
Location Permits. Saturday afternoon and Sunday are the best times to film in Sydney’s downtown business district. All other times are much more restricted. Most inner city locations requiring exclusive use of public space require at least 7 days to process permits. Tracking shots and road closures require up to 10 days. Locations outside of major cities are easier to permit. Please contact us for location specific information.
Insurance. It’s also important to note that most locations require proof of public liability insurance of at least $20 million.
When To Shoot?
The Australian climate varies considerably depending on the time of year, latitude, proximity to the sea and the altitude. Australia is made up of three climatic zones; the tropical north, the dry and arid desert central region, and the temperate southern areas. Winters are mild with only some snow falling in the Snowy Mountains area (five hours drive from Sydney or three hours drive from Melbourne). Summers can be very hot and either dry or humid depending on the location. In parts of the country the warmer temperatures can be experienced well into the winter months. Australia regularly experiences a fifth-season in the later summer months of hazy skies brought on by wildfire smoke. For monthly weather statistics please see here.
Famous events of interest to filmmakers and photographers include:
• Sydney New Years Eve celebrations are famous for the fireworks that light up the harbour.
• Australian Open Tennis Grand Slam takes place in Melbourne in January.
• The Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras is a colourful spectacle held in February / March.
• Formula One Australian Grand Prix is held in Melbourne in April.
• The Melbourne Cup, held in early November, is the horse race that stops a nation.
• The Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, held in December, is one of the world’s top sailing events.
• The Boxing Day Cricket Test Match takes place in Melbourne, starting on the 26th December.
Christianity is the majority religion although Australia is a multicultural country so many religious holidays are observed.
Public holidays may affect timing, availability and costs. See here for public holiday dates in Australia.
Unique Local Stories
Brands are looking for local stories that match their brand narrative. Our local teams are a great lead for sourcing those unique stories and characters.
If you are looking for stories for your next shoot, send us your brief and we will pitch you ideas.
If you have a unique story you would like to pitch to a brand anywhere in the world, pitch us your idea. We have well-established processes to ensure that your ideas are properly seen and protected.
Costs & Tax Incentives
Costs. Recent devaluations in the Australian dollar have made filming in Australia a more cost competitive option. Distance is a major expense. Both in terms of getting to Australia as well as getting around Australia (the country is roughly the size of the US Lower 48). Australia is a very well established and sophisticated production centre so factors of production cost accordingly. Post production is one area that remains a cost saving attraction with high quality post 30-40% less expensive than in the US. Ultimately, whatever the project, our locally based fixers and service producers will negotiate deals and provide the appropriate level of production support to match every budget.
Tax Incentives. Australia offers qualifying co-productions a Producer Offset 40% tax rebate for feature films, and a Producer Offset 30% tax rebate for documentaries, TV series, telemovies, and short form animation. Some states may offer additional production incentives. For more information visit AUSFILM. There are no tax incentives for commercials.
Film Crew & Talent
Crews. Australia has a very good experienced pool of directors, directors of photography and stills photographers, several being of the highest international standard. Australian professional and technical crews have had decades of experience servicing long and short-form projects from all over the world. The result is a very deep pool of well trained crew with a great attitude and a world-class reputation.
Contact us if you are looking for a director, DoP / cinematographer, videographer / camera operator, stills photographer, or any other film crew for your shoot in Australia – Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra, Hobart, or Darwin.
If you are an exceptionally talented Australian director, DoP / cinematographer, videographer / camera operator, or stills photographer, introduce yourself here.
Talent is union and non-union. Talent buyouts are negotiable since the Offshore Agreement expired. For more information about the talent union please visit MEAA.
English is the official language.
Australia boasts a very large and experienced pool of multicultural talent. The majority of Australians are of European decent. The country’s large population of Asian actors and models makes it a popular destination for visiting productions from Japan, Korea, China and India. Australia also has talent minorities of Pacific Islander and African decent.
Heading outside of the cities, filmmakers and photographers can find a wealth of aboriginal cultures.
Australia also offers unique animals for filming including kangaroos, crocodiles, koalas, wombats, emus, and a wide variety of birds, bugs and reptiles.
Fringes. Crew are either Company or Pay As You Go (PAYG). If the crew member is Company then they take care of their own superannuation and in some cases, workers compensation. Some crew members with Australian Business Numbers require workers compensation to be paid for them. If crew is PAYG then we must pay an additional 9% superannuation and 3% workers compensation. There is a 6% payroll tax.
Premiums. Australia has an eight hour shooting day, time and a half for the next two hours and double time after that. Shooting after 8:00pm is a 25% loading. Sunday is a 100% loading. The industry is currently campaigning for a 10 hour day.
Australia Film Equipment
Equipment. Australia offers both Panavision and Arri equipment as well as many boutique equipment companies. There is a great depth of standard and more specialised camera gear including digital cameras (Alexa, RED, Sony, Canon), film cameras (16mm and 35mm), high speed cameras (Phantom), Three-axis stabilized heads (Scorpio, Libra), Motion Control, and much more.
Unlike the US system most gear is provided by individual crew. Grip and lighting trucks are privately owned by crew who accompany them to set. Anything required in addition to this is outsourced. Crew charge a rate for the truck and then individually for lights and gripping gear, burn time and labour rates. Australia offers a great variety of standard and specialised grip and lighting gear including cranes (Technocrane, Phoenix, Giraffe), 3D camera rigs, car rigs, tracking vehicles, sea rigs, helicopter mounts, and underwater housing. Companies of note include Panavision, Red Apple, Brownie Grips, and Big Toys.
For productions looking to bring in film equipment, Australia is an ATA carnet country.
Communications. Communication is key. Our agility and global experience allows us to customise the right communications systems for every shoot.
Web posted casting, scouting, and videoconferencing.
For clients that are unable to attend set we offer a virtual video village solution. This dedicated and secure high-resolution video streaming platform allows clients from one or multiple timezones to view setups without compromise and to participate in real-time with the team on set. Separate systems can be set up for the discrete conversations that are required to make a job run right. Working remotely with our local teams reduces your content production costs, turnaround times, carbon footprint, and risks associated with unpredictable global events.
Art Department, Studios, Backlots, & Post Production
Art department and set construction. Australia has very experienced art department and set construction crews. An example of their work can be seen in international feature films such as The Matrix, Moulin Rouge, Mission Impossible II, and Star Wars II & III.
Studios. Facilities are extensive and state of the art. Both major international studios and smaller boutique studios are present. Purpose built studios with extensive facilities such as sound stages and water tanks include Fox Studios in Sydney, Docklands Studios in Melbourne, and Village Roadshow Studios in Brisbane. Mill Films is a VFX studio in Adelaide. Australia also has many boutique specialist studio facilities.
Post Production. Australia offers a variety of high standard post facilities including VFX, animation, editing, and film labs.
Visas & Work Permits
Short stay visa for visits under three months or business visas (meetings) are the most expedient way of gaining entry to Australia. Please note that you cannot attend meetings through the Tourist stream and may be turned around at the airport if there is suspicion in relation to your motives whilst in Australia. In addition, the business holiday visa can only be to attend meetings, sign contracts or undertake (limited) training. Any activity that would normally attract remuneration would need a work visa.
Productions that intend to stay longer than 3 months require Entertainment Visas, unless the production is not being shown in Australia, then a subclass 400 visa will be required.
For international crew to enter into Australia for work purposes, they must be covered by a subclass 408, Entertainment Visa. The local service company sponsors each visitor. For a 408 application the service company also needs to get approval from MEAA, the local Entertainment Union. To process the sponsorship visas, MEAA requires to see the deal memos between the overseas production company and each crew personnel. A similar thing has to be done with the cast’s deal memos as well.
Western passport holders travelling as tourists can an obtain an Electronic Travel Authority prior to departure. Passport holders of EU nations can enter under the E-visa program. Both allow stays of up to 90 days. Given recent changes to Australian immigration policy we would only advise travelling to Australia as a tourist if you intend to only undertake genuine tourist visa activities. Anyone found working on the wrong visa will be deported from Australia and face an immediate three-year ban from applying for temporary Australian visas.
Our local service producer / fixer can assist with organising Australian visas, including turning around last-minute applications.
Transport & Accommodation
Transportation Infrastructure. Major roads are up to international standards. Some outback roads require 4WD transport. Australia is serviced by most major international carriers and several domestic airlines.
Accommodation. See here for recommended film friendly hotels in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra, and Hobart.
Final Notes
Safety. Australia is a very safe and reliable filming centre. Strict work place procedures also ensure safety on set. See here for up to date travel advice.
Down Time. Hit the beach.
Projects. For an example of TV commercials, stills campaigns, online content, corporate videos, virtual reality 360 content, feature films, TV series and documentaries shot in Australia, please see below:
Hire Australia Production Support & Shooting Crew
If you are looking for a film or photographic production service company, line producer or fixer for your shoot in Australia, please contact us.
If you are looking for a shooting crew for your shoot in Australia, such as a director, DoP, photographer, videographer (cameraman / camera operator), camera assistant (focus puller), sound operator, grip, gaffer, stylist, hair and makeup, PA / runner, production driver, please contact us.
We are able to provide you with answers, references and bids quickly.
