Written by on Nov 1, 2013. Posted in On Location

Angelina Jolie films at sea in Queensland’s Moreton Bay for Unbroken

Angelina Jolie has been directing at sea in Moreton Bay in Queensland, Australia, for World War II drama Unbroken. The film tells the true story of downed US airman Louis Zamperini, who survived weeks adrift in the Pacific in 1943 before being captured by the Japanese.

Screen Queensland recently confirmed that Jolie will be filming partly at Village Roadshow Studios near Gold Coast. However, she has also opted for an ocean-bound shoot, converting a barge into a production centre to shoot scenes involving Zamperini and his fellow airmen drifting in the water in life rafts.

Moreton Bay lies just north of Gold Coast and is sheltered from the open ocean by an island national park.

The Australian government is under pressure to increase the Location Offset to help attract more big-budget productions.

“Unbroken is projected to contribute millions to the Queensland economy,” said Arts Minister Ian Walker when the production was first confirmed: “It will increase the skills and experience of local crews and talent and boost employment, as well as economic benefits for wider businesses and the flow on effect for tourism.

“It's a great opportunity on so many levels, including our chance to host a star of the calibre of Angelina Jolie and for Queensland to show what a great state it is for film production.”

Australia offers a 16.5% Location Offset as part of its filming incentive package for international shoots, but the government is under pressure to increase this figure to help attract more big-budget productions.

The country has also had to offer one-off payments to secure recent high-profile shoots like Hugh Jackman’s The Wolverine. A dedicated AUD20 million fund has in fact been set up to cater for these payments, which is being referred to simply as The Incentive, and productions must spend at least AUD30 million locally to qualify.

(Photos: Vince Valitutti/Paramount Pictures)