Docklands Studios Melbourne opens 40,000sq ft super stage

Docklands Studios Melbourne has opened the city's first super stage, Stage 6, at 40,000sq ft, increasing the total capacity by more than 60%. 

One of the largest stages in the southern hemisphere, Stage 6 will enable the city to host bigger productions. The Robbie Williams biopic, Better Man, directed by Michael Gracey (The Greatest Showman), will be the first production to film at the facility.

Docklands Studios Melbourne has five existing stages ranging from 743 to 2,323sq ft.

The A$46m expansion includes a 900,000 litre (240,000 gallons) 4.5m (15 ft) deep water tank for underwater scenes; full soundproofing; two equipment hoists, each with a load of 500Kg; dressing and audition rooms; a three-storey annexe with production offices plus refurbishment of the studio’s mess halls.

Docklands Studios Melbourne has hosted Netflix thriller Clickbait, Paramount Television’s Shantaram and NBC drama La Brea in the past two years. The studio’s 2022 slate includes the second season of La Brea and sci-fi thriller Foe, produced by AC Studios, I Am That and See-Saw Films for Prime Video.

Danny Pearson, Victoria’s minister for Creative Industries, said: “With some of the best production staff and talent in the world, epic shooting locations and now the addition of Sound Stage 6, Victoria is a creative beacon for the biggest film and television projects at a global scale. Productions filmed here are creating thousands of local jobs, boosting local businesses, and injecting millions of dollars into our economy, this new super stage will see a significant increase to those benefits across the state.”

Caroline Pitcher, CEO of VicScreen, added: “The global screen industry has grown exponentially in recent years, and the launch of this cutting-edge super stage will allow Melbourne and the state of Victoria to house even more phenomenal productions.