All the world really is a stage when it comes to recent Hollywood blockbusters with eight of the 10 top-grossing movies of all time being shot outside the United States, according to a University of Queensland academic.
UQ Professor of Media and Cultural Studies in the School of English, Media Studies and Art History, Professor Tom O’Regan, has pinpointed three reasons for major movies such as the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Jurassic Park and Titanic being filmed outside the United States (USA).
He will address the topic “Hollywood, Location and Globally Dispersed Production” at a free public seminar in UQ’s striking new James and Mary Emelia Mayne Centre on Thursday, May 20, from 2pm until 3.30pm
“Globally dispersed production has become an intrinsic and routine feature of contemporary Hollywood blockbusters even though most films still return to the US for their post-production,” Professor O’Regan said.
“As at February this year, 80 percent of the top 10 highest-grossing movies of all time were filmed outside the USA. For example, Titanic was shot on a Mexican sound-stage, The Lord of the Rings trilogy entirely in New Zealand, the two Harry Potter films — Chamber of Secrets and Sorcerer’s Stone — and Star Wars: the Phantom Menace on a London sound-stage; and Jurassic Park in Hawaii.
“Only Finding Nemo and Independence Day (numbers 9 and 10 on the list respectively) were largely or completely made in mainland USA.”
Professor O’Regan said his presentation, based on recently completed work with Australian Research Council postdoctoral research fellow Dr Ben Goldsmith, focused on three, interrelated factors influencing studio decisions to take filming offshore.
“They are: the project-based system of production which has allowed diverse inputs from a globally defined industry; increased numbers of locations now able to provide the package of studios, other facilities, services and natural and built environments necessary for blockbuster production; and the combination of the Hollywood majors’ interest in developing projects and the locations’ interest in securing projects,” he said.
“We now have interrelated dynamics of global, geographical dispersal at the level of the production shoot and concentration in Los Angeles (Hollywood) at the level of production design (and, to a great extent, post-production).”
The research was part of a larger study with Dr Goldsmith charting the role of the film studio complex in international film and television production, Professor O’Regan said.
To date, the research collaboration has resulted in a report on international trends in studio development entitled “Cinema Cities/Media Cities” for the Australian Film Commission, as well as the beginnings of a book, entitled The Film Studio, for an American publisher.
Professor O’Regan’s other books include: Australian National Cinema, Australian Television Culture; the jointly authored Cinema Cities/Media Cities and The Future for Local Content? and the co-edited books Mobilising the Audience, An Australian Film Reader, and The Australian Screen.
For more details about the seminar, please contact Lisa Gunders at the Centre for Critical and Cultural Studies (telephone 07 3346 9764, facsimile 07 3365 7184 or email: admin.cccs@uq.edu.au) or you can visit the CCCS website at: www.cccs.uq.edu.au/index.html?page=16394&pid=16094).
Media contacts: Professor O’Regan (telephone 07 3346 8739, mobile 040 022 3805, email: t.oregan@uq.edu.au) or Shirley Glaister (telephone 07 3365 3374, email: s.glaister@uq.edu.au).
