Региональные австралийские киностудии и локации вытесняют Голливуд в борьбе за международные проекты

It's been decades since Crocodile Dundee hit the big screen and forty years on it still stands as the number one box office success in Australia.  Regional Australia has been key to so much of Australia's cinematic success. Despite major competition from Hollywood producers, regional film makers are working hard to keep it that way.   Credits Image Details Rachel Mealey: It's been decades since Crocodile Dundee hit the big screen and 40 years on it still stands as the number one box office success in Australia. Regional Australia has been key to so much of Australia's cinematic success. Despite major competition from Hollywood producers, regional filmmakers are working hard to keep it that way. Sinead Mangan has the story. Sinead Mangan: It's been 40 years since Mick Dundee burst onto the silver screen. He's got a knife. Mick Dundee: That's not a knife. That's a knife. Sinead Mangan: Crocodile Dundee not only charmed audiences around the world, but the movie put Australia's outback on the map, generating billions in tourism dollars since its release in 1986. Magpie Pictures founder Lois Randall says it's a success story that is yet to be surpassed by Australia's film industry. Lois Randall: Crocodile Dundee, 80 years later, is still the number one box office success in Australia, which is incredible. Sinead Mangan: Regional Australia has been key to so many of Australia's cinematic triumphs. And emerging filmmaker James McIvor from far north Queensland believes the next box office hit could be created in the regions. James McIvor: The only thing stopping the next Mad Max happening in Australia is the will to push boundaries and invest in filmmakers who have these ideas and there's many around me. You ask is it possible, I say yeah, of course it's possible. Sinead Mangan: Recognising the tourism potential of Australia on screen, the WA and Queensland state governments have tipped millions into building film studios to facilitate international and local productions. The $300 million Perth Film Studio will open its doors to the public on Friday to allow taxpayers to see what goes on behind the curtain. And Screen Queensland opened a smaller state of the art studio in Cairns two and a half years ago. Chief Executive Officer Jacqui Feeney says the Cairns studios has strengthened the region's film industry with 12 productions so far making use of the facility. Jacqui Feeney: I think one of the things that we're most pleased about is how we've been able to not just attract work to far north Queensland but really build and invest in stories that showcase far north Queensland as itself like Black Snow did where the story was actually set in Cairns and shot in Cairns. Sinead Mangan: Last financial year the film industry spent more money than ever on drama productions in Australia, a whopping $2.7 billion. But most of the extra spend was from Hollywood spurred on by tax offsets. Tasmanian TV director Shaun Wilson believes competition between states to attract international productions to film locally is healthy. I Shaun Wilson: think the more we have to hassle our governments to put their money where their mouth is and get the benefit of these productions the better in a sense. Sinead Mangan: Despite advancements in film technology and CGI, Mr Wilson says nothing will ever beat the real outback locations we see in iconic films like Crocodile Dundee. Shaun Wilson: This is where location can do magical things. You know something that's really great about cinema and TV is that there's a reason they can't get away with making all these films and TV shows in big sheds in Los Angeles. I think that's where Australian stories have done really well is when we've done something that is really truly of place. Sinead Mangan: And producer Lois Randall agrees. Lois Randall: And I think that gives us a fantastic opportunity to find fresh and unique and so far unseen worlds that we can explore and unseen points of view that we can explore and Australia, regional Australia has just so much richness. Rachel Mealey: Film producer Lois Randall ending Sinead Mangan's report with additional reporting from Christopher Testa.