Fox Studios Australia

Fox Studios Australia is a major movie studio located in Sydney, Australia, occupying the site of the former Sydney Showground at Moore Park. Since opening in May 1998, the studio has been involved in the production of a number of blockbusters, including "The Matrix", "Moulin Rouge!", "Mission Impossible II", ', ' and "Superman Returns".

Features

Located ten minutes from the Sydney city centre, the 132,000 square metre (32 acre) site includes eight stages, production offices and heavy industrial workshops, and a community of over 60 independent businesses. These businesses provide services such as equipment hire, travel and freight, casting, postproduction, and explosives/pyrotechnic factory, adjoining residential properties.

Fox Studios Backlot was a theme park that was purportedly based on Universal Studios in Los Angeles and Orlando as well as Disney's Hollywood Studios. The headline attraction was based on the James Cameron film "Titanic". It was called Titanic: The Experience. It was a part exhibit, part amusement ride which offered two scenarios. In one, guests were shown to a lifeboat housed in a huge water tank. In another, guests were guided through the ship's steam room. Both sections featured actual actors performing the roles of Titanic's crew. Housed next to the Titanic attraction was the TV Tour, a walk-though attraction that showcased the sets from TV programs like "The X Files", "Water Rats", "Home and Away" and "NYPD Blue". Another attraction was The Simpsons Down Under based on "The Simpsons". It included a walk-through of some of the Simpsons' "live" sets, such as the family's lounge room and sofa. It then featured a motion capture session on stage where a Simpsons' character on the screen copied the movements of a host in a specially designed suit. Finally, a special version of the episode Bart vs. Australia is shown where Bart makes a long-distance call to a boy in the Australian outback, asking about how the water spins as it goes down a sink. There was also the Babe set, a walk-by of the set from the Babe sequel, which was shot at the professional studios. The Hall of Cool Stuff provided look at some of the costumes and props from some of the most popular 20th Century Fox films, such as the Alien series and Baz Luhrmann's "Romeo + Juliet". The Star's Dressing Room featured costumes from films like "Titanic", "Crocodile Dundee", and "Mrs. Doubtfire". There was also a session with a make-up artist that involved audience participation. It showed how scratches and bruises are created, as well as transforming someone into a monster. The Sound Stage was a three-part attraction that showed the role of sound and sound effects. First was a video session demonstrating how technicians record and then alter sounds. Second was an aural experience in the Dark Theatre, where multi-directional sound effects simulate anything from a car screeching to the crack of lightning. Third was a foley effects show in the Vox Theatre. There was also a stage show titled "Lights! Camera! Chaos!" Originally park entry was $37.95 per adult ticket.The theme part was closed by the end of 2001, the official reasons cited were the subsequent drop in domestic tourism caused by the collapse of Australian airline Ansett and the effect of the September 11 World Trade Center attacks in terms of international tourism.

An adjacent precinct provides restaurants and cafes, a retail complex, parklands, entertainment venues, and sporting facilities. The adjacent precinct was previously known as simply 'Fox Studios Entertainment Precinct', however has since been renamed 'The Entertainment Quarter'. When this area opened it was originally called 'Bent Street' and among its original tenants were Esprit, Sony Central, Hoyts, Sanity and Dymocks.

Ownership

Fox Studios Australia is owned by the media conglomerate News Corporation, under the terms of a 99-year lease from the New South Wales State Government.

Films

The studio has been involved in a number of movies including:
*"Dark City" - 1996-1997
*"" - 1998
*"The Matrix" - 1998
*"Farscape" – Series 1 - 1999 ("TV")
*"" - 1999
*"Holy Smoke" - 1999
*"Moulin Rouge!" - 1999-2000
*"La Spagnola" - 2000
*"" - 2000
*"Kangaroo Jack" - 2001
*"The Quiet American" - 2001
*"The Matrix Reloaded" - 2001-2002
*"The Matrix Revolutions" - 2001-2002
*"The Night We Called It a Day" - 2002
*"BDA Sydney- 2003-present
*"" - 2003-2005
*"Son of the Mask" - 2004
*"Stealth" - 2004
*"Superman Returns" - 2005
*"Australian Idol" - 2007-Present
*"Australia (2008 film)" - 2008
*"" - 2009
*"Accidents Happen" - 2009

External links

* [http://www.foxstudiosaustralia.com Fox Studios Australia]
* [http://www.entertainmentquarter.com.au The Entertainment Quarter]

Fox Studios Oz overhauls Backlot strategy
* http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117788613.html?categoryid=19&cs=1