SPOTLIGHT GUEST
LYNNE BENZIE
President Village Roadshow Studios.
The Village Roadshow Studios is a key feature of the Gold Coast, located in Helensvale on the gorgeous Gold Coast. President of the studios, Lynne Benzie, who was born and raised in northern England has recently marked 26 years in the film, television and entertainment industry. With such an impressive career and outstanding knowledge, it understandable why Lynne is a force in this industry of showbiz. Lynne began working at the studio 1990 as PA to the General Manager of the Studios, and after 5 years of being involved in the operations of the Studio Complex she was promoted to Studio Manager, then to Vice President Studios Operations and in January 2008 was promoted to President of the Studios.
What did you do before coming into the entertainment industry?
I worked in engineering in the UK before moving to Australia where I had many differing roles in a range of industries such as marketing, promotions, insurance, legal, building, record and even designed the web pages for world expo.
How do you see the industry of film industry going in the next few years on the Gold Coast?
If the Australian dollar remains low and our incentives remain competitive, there is no reason why the film industry cannot continue to grow here. With some of the most diverse and unique locations in Australia, along with world-class crews and infrastructures complementing our state-of-the-art studios, the Gold Coast is a one-stop destination for film makers. Since the Studio started in 1988 we have attracted over $2.9 billion dollars worth of production, with $1.59 billion being physically spent on the Gold Coast and Queensland.
What are the main challenges of running Village Roadshow Studio, and what type of things can occur in a day of running a studio when in full-time operation?
The main challenge of operating the Studios is ensuring that we meet the requirements of productions. In the day-to-day operations, there are numerous things that productions can request, you name it and we have probably had to do it or fix it or source it. I am fortunate that I have a great team in place at the studios and their input and expertise is very valuable in making the site work for anything productions throw at us.
What advice would you give to anyone that wanted to pursue a career in the entertainment industry?
Never give up on your dream. It is important that you have an extensive skill set and learn as many areas of the industry as possible. This will then give you the knowledge of the vast majority of differing roles in the industry and ultimately help you to achieve your goal.
Was there anyone that was a great influence in guiding you?
I have been lucky that I have had several people who have influenced me in the roles I have done over the years. Each one of these mentors has given me the knowledge and expertise which has helped me achieve and succeed in my current role.
Over the years you’ve played a big part in securing lots of films for the Gold Coast. Has this been challenging? What does it take?
At times securing productions has been very challenging, but as a business we need to be able to think outside the square and provide attractive offers to productions so they want to choose us and utilise the Studios. Securing productions also requires a joint effort with Screen Queensland and City of Gold Coast as incentives and locations play a big part in the productions’ final decision. Without this great team effort and our ability to offer unique packages, the Gold Coast film industry would not be where it is today.
For the ongoing success of the industry on the Gold Coast it is important that all stakeholders continue to share the same vision focusing on creating jobs and with money being spent in the local community.
Do you see a lot of co-productions happening in the future with other countries?
We are fortunate that with the size and diversity of our studios we are able to market our facilities to domestic, international productions and co-production countries. There are a lot of factors which contribute towards securing co-productions to Australia and it can take a bit longer for Australian Producers to put co-productions together.
However it is great for the industry that producers are branching out into these areas and the Gold Coast has some excellent local Line Producers who have previous experience working with co-productions. We always actively promote these people because of their knowledge of the industry and to help steer productions in the right direction.
What has been the most rewarding time so far during your time in working at the studio and what drives you the most?
The most rewarding thing for me is to have been able to play a part in the growth of Village Roadshow Studios as well as the film industry on the Gold Coast. When I started at the Studios in 1990, there were five sound stages but I have since been involved in project managing four new stages including the largest in the Southern Hemisphere and three water tanks which have seen the Studios become one of Australia’s premier filming locations.
Another blockbuster coming to town, Thor Ragnarok, and the studio is now being outfitted for Commonwealth Games in 2018. How does it being booked out affect the local film makers?
Village Roadshow Studios is an all purpose venue and a unique feature of the facilities is that we can tailor the stages to attract many productions to the Gold Coast domestically and internationally. We have been fortunate, over the past few years to be full, but with the help of Screen Queensland and Gold Coast City Council we have been able to find additional infrastructure around the area that can continue to support all aspects of film production. Just because the Studios are full does not mean we are closed for business! International productions have the budgets to create infrastructure of which domestic productions can benefit from. Stage 7, 8 and main water tank would not have been possible unless we had international productions.
What are your favourite films of all time?
Old classics, I would have to pick ‘Ben Hur’, ‘Gone with the Wind’, ‘Cleopatra’ and ‘Street Car Name Desire’.
Photos credits to Village Roadshow Studios.
Interviewed and complied by Caroline Russo
spotlight interviews are also on http://www.oceanroadmagazine.com.au
