What's your background in the travel/entertainment industry, and what drew you specifically to film and TV production travel?
I actually started my career at Stage and Screen 30 years ago when the company was just founded! I was there in the early days, working directly with the original founders, learning the ropes of production travel when it was a niche specialty. Back then, we were handling everything manually - fax machines, paper tickets, and a lot of crossed fingers. I cut my teeth on some of the biggest Australian productions of the '90s. After three decades working in "entertainment travel", I realised my heart never really left production - there's nothing quite like the adrenaline and creativity of this industry.
What made you choose to join Stage and Screen at this particular moment in your career?
Coming back to Stage and Screen feels like coming home, honestly. When I left 24 years ago, we were a team handling a handful of local productions. Now I'm returning to see this incredible company - that is backed by the force that is Flight Centre and has become one of only a few go-to names for major international productions filming in Australia. It's surreal to see how the seeds we planted back then, have grown into something that's helping bring shows like House of the Dragon and Marvel productions to Australia. The industry has exploded, but the core mission - making the impossible possible - hasn't changed.
Have you worked on any notable productions or with entertainment industry clients before?
Many. From being on a remote location in Papua New Guinea with Pierce Brosnan to Harvey Keitel on the Piano (Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction fame), being able to call he and his family our family friends, it's been an amazing, rewarding and fortunate journey. My most recent experience on "War Machine" - the newest Marvel Movie filmed here in Melbourne, was truly awesome. Working on the past few Liam Neeson movies here in Melbourne was a credit to our city!
What sets Stage and Screen apart in the production travel space, especially for international crews coming to Australia?
Having been here at the beginning and now returning, I can see what truly makes Stage and Screen unique - we're not just travel specialists who happen to work with productions, we ARE production people who happen to be brilliant at travel. When I started here 30 years ago, we were already embedded in the industry in ways our competitors weren't. Now, that's evolved into something really special: we have crew members who've worked with us for decades calling us for their new projects, locations managers who trust us with their most complex logistics, and international producers who won't film in Australia without us on their team.
The difference is institutional memory combined with genuine industry passion. When a nervous first-time international producer lands in Sydney at 3 AM worried about their million-dollar equipment shipment, they're not just getting a travel agent - they're getting someone who's seen every possible scenario over three decades and knows exactly how to handle it. We speak fluent 'production crisis' because we've lived through every type of crisis imaginable. Plus, we genuinely love this industry - it's not just a job for us, it's our calling.
What trends are you seeing in production travel post-COVID compared to what you experienced in the early days?
The scale is mind-blowing compared to the '90s! Back then, a 'big' production might have had 50 crew members. Now we're handling 500+ person productions with equipment worth more than entire films used to cost. But what's really changed is the sophistication - productions now have dedicated travel coordinators, biosecurity protocols, and sustainability requirements that didn't exist before. In the early days, if someone needed to get to Uluru, we'd figure it out with a phone call. Now it involves carbon offset calculations, cultural consultation protocols, and multi-agency coordination. The complexity has increased exponentially, but so has our capability to handle it.
What's the biggest change you've seen in how productions approach Australian locations?
Thirty years ago, international productions saw Australia as 'exotic but difficult' - great for Crocodile Dundee-style outback scenes but logistically challenging. I remember spending weeks convincing a US production that yes, we do have proper catering services outside of Sydney! Now, Australia is seen as a premium destination with world-class infrastructure. Productions actively seek us out not just for our locations, but for our crew expertise (Australian crew are recognised as some of the best in the business and easiest to work with), our incentives, and frankly, our ability to make complex shoots look effortless. We've gone from 'Can you make this work?' to 'How quickly can we get there?'
With your unique perspective of Stage and Screen's evolution, what do you think sets the company apart now?
I've watched this company grow from startup to industry leader, and what hasn't changed is the 'whatever it takes' mentality. The difference now is that we have 30 years of relationships, experience, and war stories to draw from. When a production needs something unusual - like transporting a full-sized replica spaceship to the middle of the Nullarbor - we don't just say yes, we probably have a story about the last time we did something similar! That institutional knowledge, combined with cutting-edge technology and processes, creates something really special.
How does it feel to be back as the industry reaches new heights?
It's incredibly emotional, actually. I helped book travel for some of the crew members who are now major producers and directors in their own right. I'm seeing the children of people I worked with 30 years ago now coming to Australia as department heads on major productions. The industry has become this incredible web of relationships and talent, and Australia is right at the centre of it. Being back at Stage and Screen as we enter what feels like a golden age for Australian production - it's like returning to your hometown just as it's being discovered by the world. And to return to a company that still has travel managers working for them from its inception, is a credit to our company.
What's your favourite memory from the early Stage and Screen days?
A standout was working with Rufus Sewell - another shoot in the primitive parts of New Guinea in the 90's. We charted an aircraft specifically for him and Rufus commented - the aircraft had to have gold taps in the onboard bathroom. Thank goodness the aircraft was from the UAE, so gold taps were a given. I still remember assisting with the unloading of the freight from the belly of the aircraft on the tarmac in Rubal, watching my carefully curfewed hair turn into a ball of frizz! That's the Stage and Screen DNA - we get our hands dirty (or hair) to get the job done; we create solutions that become legends.
What advice would you give to someone just starting in production travel today?
Embrace the chaos and remember that every 'disaster' becomes a great story later. I've learned more from the productions that went sideways than the ones that went smoothly. Also, invest in relationships - this industry runs on trust and reputation. The assistant you help today might be the executive producer calling you for their $200 million production in ten years. I'm living proof that careers in this industry come full circle in the most wonderful ways.
Which Australian locations are you most excited to help international productions discover?
Having seen how locations have evolved over 30 years, I'm fascinated by the 'new discoveries.' Places like the Grampians are having their moment - we used to think of them as 'nice for hiking,' but now they're doubling for everywhere from Scottish Highlands to alien planets. I'm also excited about urban locations that have completely transformed. Melbourne's laneways weren't even a thing when I started - now they're instantly recognisable backdrops. But honestly, I'm most excited about the locations we haven't fully unlocked yet - there are mining towns in Western Australia that look like Mars, and tropical locations in Far North Queensland that could be the next 'White Lotus destination.'
How do you see the connection between Australia's incentive programs and the travel/logistics support that makes productions successful?
Back in the '90s, we had to sell Australia purely on beauty and crew quality. Now, with the enhanced incentives and PDV rebates, we're seeing productions that might have gone to Eastern Europe or Canada choosing Australia instead. But here's the thing - incentives get them interested, but logistics get them back. A production might save millions on rebates, but if their travel experience is a nightmare, they won't return. We're the bridge between the financial incentives and the practical reality of making those savings work. When a production saves 30% on their budget but loses three shooting days due to travel disasters, that's not success.
What's your approach to building relationships with international production companies?
Thirty years ago, I built relationships over long dinners and handshake deals. Now it's more complex, but the fundamentals haven't changed - you deliver on promises and you become indispensable. I'm often reconnecting with people I worked with decades ago who are now running studios or major production companies. There's a shorthand there - they know I understand their world because I helped build it. For new relationships, I focus on understanding not just their immediate travel needs, but their long-term production strategies. The conversation starts with travel but evolves into strategic partnership.
What's one piece of advice you'd give to international productions planning to film in Australia?
Start the conversation early and think beyond the obvious. Yes, Sydney, Melbourne and Gold Coast areas are incredible, but some of our best success stories have come from productions brave enough to explore unexpected locations. Also, remember that Australia isn't just one destination - it's an entire continent with vastly different climates, cultures, and logistics. A beach shoot in Queensland requires completely different planning than a desert shoot in South Australia. Work with people who understand these nuances. Having seen productions succeed and fail over three decades, the ones that thrive are those that view Australia as a creative partner, not just a cost-effective location.