Filming has begun on the largest Chinese-Australian co-production ever, and with the project Australia’s Gold Coast continues its importance to the film industry as a whole. Students at New York Film Academy (NYFA) Gold Coast are reaping the rewards by learning their craft in the heart of Gold Coast as more and more major movies are shot around them.
Legend of Sun and Moon, based on a famous Chinese legend, will star Dililreba Dilmurat and Dao Xiao, and—unlike most Hollywood blockbusters—will be written and directed by a woman, Eva Jin. The film will be financed, produced, and distributed by a collaboration of Chinese and Australian companies, with assistance from the Queensland government’s film programs.
While Hollywood may be most associated with the film industry, plenty of other cities and nations provide hundreds of films each year to audiences all around the world. The Chinese film industry in particular has been steadily growing for a long time, with many co-productions with other countries proliferating since the early 21st century successes of films like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Hero. Chinese cinema is now one of the largest film industries in the world.
While Australia’s film industry isn’t as large as America’s or China’s, it has played an important role in co-productions, offering a wide array of spacious landscapes and consistently pleasant weather that originally attracted film productions to similar climates like Los Angeles. Plenty of Hollywood blockbusters are shot on location or in soundstages in Australia, including in Sydney and in Queensland, such as Thor: Ragnarok, The Matrix, The Wolverine, Kong: Skull Island, and Mission: Impossible 2.
Many productions in Australia are supported by government organizations and programs, including Screen Queensland and the Production Attraction Strategy. This not only bolsters Australian cinema but fosters jobs and growth for the community. According to Screen Queensland CEO Tracey Vieira, “Legend of Sun and Moon will provide approximately 300 jobs and spend over $15.3 million in Queensland.” The film will shoot at Village Roadshow Studios, one of Australia’s foremost production facilities, which consists of nine sound stages.
The use of Village Roadshow Studios is also one of the biggest advantages to studying at NYFA Gold Coast. In addition to being amidst Hollywood productions and a working international film studio, NYFA Gold Coast students also study and can shoot their own films on a professional backlot.
Located at Southport, the NYFA Gold Coast campus also has a two-level, state-of-the-art facility for students to use, situated in an ideal, convenient space close to light rail transport and student service amenities such as libraries, cafes, restaurants, shopping centers, and immigration services. In addition, the facility is located directly across from the Gold Coast Broadwater, with a popular waterfront promenade, large estuary, and attractive parklands that make for perfect filming locations.
Not too far from the campus are other diverse, incredible filming locations that students can use for their productions. Gold Coast has fifty miles of coastline and is considered a surfer’s paradise, while also home to tropical rainforests, rugged country, exciting and epic theme parks, and a modern cityscape. Additionally, the capital city of Brisbane is just a short drive away, with its museums, artistic attractions, and other cultural opportunities in students’ reach.
Along with its stunning locales and modern facilities, NYFA Gold Coast offers students the experience and guidance of a talented, knowledgeable faculty. Many of the chairs and instructors have industry awards and illustrious credits including House of Flying Daggers, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Meet the Robinsons, Mako: Island of Secrets, Inspector Gadget 2, The Dark Knight Rises, Rocky Balboa, Moneyball, Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark, and many, many more. These faculty members work closely with NYFA’s students throughout the entirety of their courses.
With such close proximity to a talented faculty, state-of-the-art facilities, the Hollywood grandeur of Village Roadshow Studios, and the majestic scenery of Queensland, New York Film Academy Gold Coast students are in perfect position to achieve their dreams of acting in and making movies. Legend of Sun and Moon will no doubt be followed by even more and even bigger international productions in the Gold Coast, and NYFA students will get to see it firsthand.
If you’re interested in studying at New York Film Academy Gold Coast, you can find more information here.
