Written by new-contact on Sep 9, 2011. Posted in General Interest / On Location

From the Editor: Week in Review

One of our popular stories this week has been news that the second series of Game of Thrones will be filmed partly in Croatia, which is great for the eastern European country. In other news production has started at Fox Studios Australia on Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby and the Mojave Desert has again proved its popularity as a convenient dramatic wilderness.

On Location - Mojave Desert

The continuing appeal of the Mojave Desert as a filming location for TV commercials was reiterated this week by Chevrolet. Two separate airfields only a few hours’ drive from Los Angeles were used to show off the brand’s rugged model line-up. To have such striking landscapes within a relatively short distance of Hollywood is a real blessing for the West Coast industry.

On Location - South Africa

South Africa has also demonstrated its enduring appeal as a filming location, with Australian mobile operator Optus spending a day on location near Johannesburg to shoot their fun 30-second spot showing an elephant being lifted into the air by a flock of birds.

On Location - Croatia

Getting Game of Thrones is a coup for Croatia as the show has been a big hit for HBO and many of Dubrovnik’s landmarks will be showcased to a global audience when the series airs next year some time. The combination of the high-profile project and incentive plans set for the start of 2012 could attract a lot of attention for the country that’s already on many producers’ radars as an effective double for more expensive places like Italy.

On Location - Fox Studios Sydney

Fox Studios Sydney has been in the headlines for hosting The Great Gatsby and a series of spectacular sets will recreate 1920s New York. In the hands of anyone other than Baz Luhrmann would the project have filmed in New York itself? Perhaps, especially given that the US state’s incentive scheme has delivered a stellar TV pilot season in recent weeks, not to mention a host of upcoming high-profile features. The studio will also be competing with California as a performance-capture facility when Paradise Lost sets up shop in the near future.