New $150m Lakeside studio to be built in western Sydney

A new $150m film and TV studio is set to be built in western Australia to service the boom in projects filming there.

Based near the new Aerotropolis and 24/7 international airport, the state-of-the-art Lakeside Studio complex will be set over 96 acres in a former quarry in Penrith Lakes and will feature 10 sound stages, offices, screening rooms, workshop spaces, a cafeteria and a training school.

There are also plans for a massive backlot, more than 2,000 carparking spaces on site, an audience holding area, a helipad and a golf course.

Lakeside Studio will look to capitalise on the explosion in international film productions that have been produced or are presently in production in the region, including Russell Crowe’s Poker Face, Apple Tv series Roar, starring Nicole Kidman, Thor: Love and Thunder and HBO’s Days’ of Abandonment, starring Natalie Portman.

Recent enquiries from overseas filmmakers are estimated to be over AUD$2bn in production value.

Lakeside Studio development will be spearheaded by James M. Vernon as managing director, an industry veteran who has 35 credits as executive producer and producer including Hacksaw Ridge, The Kings Daughter and Predestination. He is joined by his daughter and fellow producer Kristy Vernon (Gabriel, Sweet River, Rising Wolf) in the role of director studio operations, and former Warner Bros. International President Wayne Duband, who will serve as the international studio consultant.

Vernon said: “As streaming platforms race to produce original content, surging demand for studio sound stage space has created a worldwide shortage of studio facilities. Featuring extensive purpose-built digital production facilities, Lakeside Studio is set to become a new powerhouse of creative production to attract international film and television productions and deliver a world-class studio environment.”

Duband added: “Australia’s film industry is thriving and over the last decade has developed a global industry reputation with a slate of productions that have had an overwhelmingly positive shooting experience. This was further fuelled by the way the country handled the global pandemic with an unprecedented boom in both local and international film production. Combined with financial incentives, a wealth of talent, a range of locations, Lakeside Studio will be perfectly positioned to meet the demand.”