Film Gold Coast chair Lynne Benzie says the $2million underwater tank at Warner Roadshow Studios is the biggest in Australia. The tank is believed to be the catalyst for attracting the latest Narnia epic that is just wrapping up.

“Gold Coast City has accounted for 75 per cent of all production in Queensland over the past decade and we are the third largest production centre behind Sydney and Melbourne,” says Benzie.

“It’s certainly a boom industry for the Gold Coast and (it) provides a great boost for the local economy. In fact, every $1 million spent on Gold Coast City film production results in 22 full time positions created for the local workforce.”

Past international productions to be shot on the Gold Coast include Nim’s Island, Daybreakers, Fools Gold, Singh is Kinng, The Condemned, See No Evil, Aquamarine, Peter Pan, Great Raid and Scooby Doo. Australian productions, H2O and Sea Patrol are now in production, using the Coast’s diverse locations.

Sydney-based Australian actor Anthony Kidd has just been cast in ‘Beauty and the Beast’, returning to Queensland for the second time in a fortnight to join the Limelight production.

Kidd, 28, scored a small role on the kid’s TV series K9 in Brisbane just last week and this week he is back, filming at Warner Roadshow studios on the Gold Coast.

The former Queenslander now living in Sydney has been cast as ‘Kurt’, the leader of the teenage louts.

The up-and-coming actor locks horns with Belle, played by French-Canadian model/actress Estella Warren.

“I know Estella to be a good actor who has a great deal of feature film credits not to mention her modeling so I look forward to working alongside her in a few scenes.”

“I think actor’s always learn from job to job and perfecting our craft is a constant battle. It is difficult to gain exposure in an industry that will not often try new talent so I will be grabbing the opportunity with both hands,” said Kidd.

The former NIDA student, excited at the prospect of filming on the Gold Coast, “Since going to Warner Brothers movie world as a kid I have always dreamt of working at the studios next door and this week it becomes a reality.

“I met the cast and crew yesterday and they were all very lovely. I spent an hour on set to get a feel for the period in which ‘Beauty and the Beast’ is set and I now look forward to getting on set after the rain from cyclone Hamish put the schedule back a few days.”

Other actors in the series include Vanessa Gray (The Strip), Victor Parascos (House of Wax) and Nicholas Cooper (The Strip).