As excitement builds for another Hollywood production filming in our region, the Tarrangower Times wanted to find out all about the behind-the-scenes processes involved.

Emily Owens is Executive Producer and CEO of Toffee Studios, which has recently been host to the filming of the new Netflix show, Apple Cider Vinegar and the 2025 AACTA (Australian Academy of Cinema, Television and the Arts) award-winning film, Better Man. Emily has extensive film and television production experience; she speaks passionately about the industry and the unique opportunities created when filming in country Victoria. She was happy to give the TT [Tarrangower Times] her expert, insider information about how location filming works.

“It’s really important that everyone’s on board and everyone understands the process,” Emily said, explaining that Mount Alexander Shire Council (MASC) has a department to help manage permits and expectations for residents. “You’ll have people working in council that are representing residents, they will work with the people that will be affected by the filming.”

The MASC website outlines the requirements for film, television and advertising shoots, which include permits to use council- managed land including roads, lanes, paths and parks.

“There’s so much paperwork,” Emily said. “Film crews have to work so hard with mud maps (site plans) and traffic management plans, there’s a whole department and they will be working with the council to work it out. Council may also have been on the site visits to choose the shooting locations. Then they have to do what is reasonable and fair for the local residents – your council might request a physical meeting or a letterbox drop. It will be mandated by the council as to how the residents should be informed.”

For various reasons, not least of which is the privacy that must be shown to a Hollywood star, not all information about a film shoot will be made publicly available.

“They have duty of care so there may be some ‘cloak and daggers’ involved. They may have some flexibility in case they can’t film due to changes in the weather, for example, and they are not going to inform everyone about every step,” Emily said. In situations where residents may be inconvenienced, the crew is required to keep the community informed. “It will be really low impact compared to something like construction, but the people that are affected, the crew is going to let them know. If people haven’t been told, it may be because they won’t be affected.”

Emily spoke about the reasons why particular locations will be chosen, saying: “Place tells story, they’ve come here for a reason. But many other places are fighting for this business.” She said producers, who were hit hard by Covid and have struggled to rebuild the local industry, want to work in regional towns where the process is smooth.

“The thing is for film crews, they want ease, they want logistics to be worked out. It’s highly stressful to work out things like truck access, three-phase power and billeting for crew. It’s a major responsibility and they want to be conscientious.” She said locations are often an extra ‘character’ in a film and they can inspire the feel of the film and then the region shines through.

And as for the benefits of having Hollywood come to our hometown? According to Emily, they might start with the shoot itself but then continue.

“Local services will be used in those areas,” she said, pointing to catering, props, traffic management and accommodation as examples.

“It attracts a lot of attention to a place, think of Bondi Rescue and Bondi Vet. And with Lord of the Rings, people who trained in New Zealand have now gone on to work in Hollywood.”

Overall, Emily believes that a local film production is immensely positive, particularly for tourism.

“The benefit is far-reaching. And it’s exciting; it’s beyond financial. If you get it right, it becomes part of the tapestry of the region. We want to step in a place where we know our stars and our heroes have stepped, because we want to be part of that.” 

This article appeared in the Tarrangower Times, 14 February 2025.
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