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The hit international reality MTV franchise that produced Jersey Shore and Geordie Shore is now set for an Australian edition with filming to start this month in Cairns.
The production Aussie Shore between Paramount+ and MTV Entertainment Studios was secured through Screen Queensland’s Production Attraction Strategy, and is expected to contribute more than $3 million to the state economy and provide approximately 100 crew and cast roles during production.
Aussie Shore will be the first production to use the newly completed $12.6 million Screen Queensland Studios, Cairns facility at Portsmith.
Screen Queensland CEO Jacqui Feeney says the series will not only broadcast the stunning natural beauty and exciting tourist attractions of Far North Queensland to the global Paramount+ audience, but also foster new advantages for local businesses.
"Reality series like Aussie Shore engage a wide range of services and suppliers, including tourism operators, local guides, catering, security, hospitality, transport and accommodation," she says.
"This production will also highlight the region’s culinary scene, nightlife and adventure activities to new international markets."
While principal photography will largely be on location, cameras will roll at Screen Queensland Studios, Cairns and the series will also utilise the facility’s production offices, post facilities and more.
"Our studio facility will ensure that the region has a strong base for producing homegrown stories as well as building a pipeline of projects attracted from interstate and internationally that, over time, will create more long-term career paths for locally based screen practitioners," adds Feeney.
Paramount Australia's senior vice president of content and programming, Daniel Monaghan, says the region is the perfect setting to deliver a "distinctly Australian take on this much-loved global reality hit".
"The region’s mix of iconic locations, unique experiences, skilled local crew, capable businesses and suppliers, as well as key infrastructure like the new studios, makes it the ideal place for our production of Aussie Shore that will be unforgettably entertaining for local and international reality TV fans on Paramount+," Monaghan.
Arts Minister Leeanne Enoch says the potential for fast-charging Far North Queensland’s reputation as an emerging screen industry powerhouse is "enormous".
"Not only is the new state-of-the-art Cairns studio primed to generate new jobs and cultural tourism, it’s also an opportunity to elevate unique Far North Queensland stories whilst attracting national and international screen projects," Minister Enoch says.
The State Government believe the Cairns film industry is poised to parallel the success of the Gold Coast, which has emerged over many years to become a leading global production hub with a renowned crew base thanks to backing from the Queensland Government through Screen Queensland’s competitive incentives.
"This exceptional studio marks the dawn of a new era for the Far North Queensland screen sector, a testament to the remarkable achievements that can be realised when passion and purpose align," says Aaron Fa’Aoso, Screen Queensland board member and part of the Studio Implementation Committee.
"Today, as we celebrate this significant milestone, we lay a solid foundation upon which to build a vibrant future for our industry.
"Let this be a reminder of the boundless possibilities that lie ahead, and let our shared vision inspire generations to come. Together, we shall continue this incredible journey, fuelled by our unwavering dedication and the promise of a thriving future for the screen industry in Far North Queensland."
Screen Queensland says the facility already has four screen businesses as inaugural tenants, solidifying the studio's role as a catalyst for local industry growth.
The creative tenancies have been secured by three local Cairns businesses - acclaimed First Nations production company Lone Star Productions, casting agency Platinum Talent Management and AV specialists Wallfly - and expanding interstate business, camera and equipment provider Lemac Film & Digital, which will begin moving into the facility at Plath Close, Portsmith from May.
Tenants’ services will complement the studio facilities, which include a 1,070-square-metre sound stage, production offices, editing suites, a sound recording studio, construction and wardrobe spaces, as well as an event space.
"These studios aren’t just soundstages, they are incubators of creativity, empowerment and economic growth, poised to propel Queensland’s screen sector to new heights," says Feeney.
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