What Docklands Studios Melbourne does

Docklands Studios Melbourne (DSM) is a purpose-built film and television production facility located at 476 Docklands Drive in Melbourne's Docklands precinct, Victoria, Australia. Established in 2004 and operating as a privately held entity, the facility delivers dry-hire studio rental to international and domestic film, drama, broadcast, and commercial productions. The physical campus comprises six sound stages (Stages 1–6), of which Stage 6 — the 'Super Stage' at 3,700 m² with 17m grid height and a permanent 4.5m-deep water pit — is one of the largest in the Southern Hemisphere. Stages 1 and 3 house LED Volume screens operated by NantStudios, with the Stage 1 installation (6,000+ LED panels, 12m high x 30.7m wide) marketed as the world's largest.

The supporting campus exceeds 6,000 m² of workshop space, 1,600 m² of production offices, a dedicated costume department, a refurbished central mess hall, and dedicated water filming infrastructure. Operations are powered by 100% renewable electricity from SEC Victoria, with carbon-storing Durra Panels across 30,000 m² of stage walls and ceilings; DSM is a founding member of Sustainable Screens Australia. The facility operates as a 'filmmaker-first', project-by-project dry-hire venue, with revenue generated through quote-based, contractually negotiated rentals rather than publicly disclosed pricing. Distribution is executed via a hybrid channel: direct enterprise engagement with production companies augmented by VicScreen (Victoria's screen development agency) and Ausfilm (international offices in Sydney and Los Angeles), which collectively market Australia's federal Screen Production Incentive Scheme (Location Offset, PDV Offset, Producer Offset). Notable productions hosted include Paramount's Better Man, NBCUniversal's All Her Fault (Peacock's biggest-ever series debut), Netflix's Thrash and War Machine, Apple TV+'s Shantaram and Last Seen, AMC's Preacher, and Stan's Windcatcher. Sustained multi-year production bookings from tier-1 streamers and the 2026 Global Production Award (Cannes) for Sustainable Production corroborate the facility's positioning as a premium hub for international screen production in Australia.

Name

Docklands Studios Melbourne

Legal name

Docklands Studios Melbourne

Website

https://dsmelbourne.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Docklands Studios Melbourne is a privately held, purpose-built film and television production facility in Melbourne, Australia, operating six sound stages — including the world's largest LED Volume screen — for dry-hire rental to international and domestic film, drama, broadcast, and commercial productions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Film and Television Production Studio Facilities

NAICS

Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries (512)

SIC

Services-Allied To Motion Picture Production (7819)

akta.pro primary industry

Production Office Space & Support Facilities (MPADAIAD)

Keywords

• Film production facility
• Sound stage rental
• Virtual production studios
• LED volume filming
• Water filming infrastructure

Headquarters

HQ city

Melbourne

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Stage and Facility Rental: Dry-hire studio facility providing sound stages, production offices, workshops, and support facilities to film, television, and commercial production companies. Productions pay for access to studio infrastructure including stages, water facilities, LED volume technology, costume bays, mess halls, and workshop space.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Docklands Studios Melbourne is a dry-hire film and television production facility operating six sound stages, including Stage 6 (Super Stage, one of the largest in the southern hemisphere), Stages 1 and 3 with the world's largest LED Volume virtual production screens operated by NantStudios, purpose-built water pits, a 6,000+ sqm workshop building, production offices, costume facilities, and mess hall. It serves international and domestic film, television, commercial, and broadcast productions through quote-based stage and facility rentals, with no hidden commercial tie-ins.

Product overview

Docklands Studios Melbourne is a purpose-built film and television production facility offering a portfolio of six sound stages, supporting infrastructure, and virtual production technology. The flagship Stage 6 (Super Stage) spans 3,700 m² with 17m-high ceilings and a permanent water pit, while Stages 1 and 3 feature world-class LED Volume screens operated by NantStudios—the Stage 1 LED Volume being the world's largest at 6,000+ panels. Supporting services include workshop facilities (6,000+ sqm), production offices, costume departments, and mess hall amenities. The studio positions itself as a 'filmmaker-first' hybrid production campus with a focus on virtual production capabilities, water-based filming, and sustainable operations powered by 100% renewable electricity.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Stage 6 (Super Stage) The flagship sound stage at Docklands Studios Melbourne, one of the largest in the southern hemisphere, spanning 3,700 m² with 17m grid height and featuring a permanent 4.5m-deep water pit for underwater filming, available for hire by film and television production companies.
• Stage 1 - LED Volume by NantStudios Sound stage home to the world's largest LED Volume screen, built and operated by NantStudios, consisting of more than 6,000 LED panels stacked 12m high and 30.7m wide, designed for virtual production filmmaking, available for hire by film and television productions.
• Stage 3 - LED Volume by NantStudios Sound stage featuring a smaller LED Volume screen operated by NantStudios, measuring 8m high and 21m wide, used for virtual production and LED volume filming, available for hire by film and television productions.
• Stage 5 - TV Broadcast Centre Television studio managed by Gravity Media, equipped for entertainment, game, panel, lifestyle and live-audience television shows with 743 m² area, 9.7m grid height, motorised lighting hoists, silent air-conditioning, and soundproofing, available for hire by broadcast television productions.
• Water Facilities Interior water facilities for underwater or surface filming, including waterproof pits in Stage 1 (18m x 12m x 3m deep) and Stage 6 (20m x 10m x 4.5m deep), with capability for productions to install temporary above-ground pools in other stages, available for hire by productions requiring water-based filming.
• Workshop Building Spacious workshop spanning more than 6,000 sqm with eight bays for set construction, costume, storage, and stunt choreography, including five mezzanine offices, available for hire as part of the production campus.
• Production Offices More than 1,600 sqm of furnished office space including open plan and partitioned areas with high-speed internet and telephone connectivity, available for hire by productions during their engagement at the studio.
• Costume Department Ample costume storage and fitting spaces adjacent to art department offices, equipped with laundry facilities, dye vats, fitting rooms, and kitchenette, available for hire by productions requiring wardrobe support.
• Mess Hall Building Newly refurbished central mess hall with three modern areas, outdoor garden spaces, air-conditioning, bathroom facilities, and catering truck parking, available for use by cast and crew during their engagement at the studio.

Quantifiable outcome

• Productions can achieve zero waste by diverting 95% of waste from landfill (demonstrated by All Her Fault art department)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NantStudioscoreTechnology or IntegrationNantStudios operates the world's largest LED Volume screen at Docklands Studios Melbourne. Stage 1 features a screen with more than 6,000 LED panels stacked 12m high and 30.7m wide. A smaller screen (8m high x 21m wide) is operated in Stage 3. The LED volume technology enables filmmakers to display pre-shot footage or digitally created scenes as backgrounds while actors perform in the foreground.
• SEC Victoria (State Electricity Commission)coreOthersSEC Victoria provides 100% renewable electricity generated by solar and wind projects around Victoria to power Docklands Studios Melbourne, reducing dependence on fossil fuels and supporting sustainable production practices.
• Sustainable Screens AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDocklands Studios Melbourne is a founding member of Sustainable Screens Australia, a national framework that embeds sustainability into all aspects of screen production by providing tools, education, and resources to recognise and reduce the environmental impact of filmmaking.
• VicScreencoreOthersVictoria's creative and economic screen development agency that negotiates project-specific incentives as grants upon delivery of completed projects. VicScreen can assist with location scouting, script breakdowns, local budgets, end-to-end logistical advice, crew introductions, and introductions to post-production and VFX houses. Contact: Joe Brinkmann, Manager – Production Attraction & Support.
• AusfilmcoreOthersAusfilm supports international filmmakers and studios to find what they need in Australia, connecting them to Australian crew, talent, and screen service businesses. Head office in Sydney, USA office in Los Angeles. Markets Australia's Screen Production Incentive Scheme comprising Location Offset and Incentive, PDV Offset, and Producer Offset. Contact: Erin Stam, VP International Production, Ausfilm USA.
• Gravity MediacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGravity Media manages Stage 5 (TV Broadcast Centre) at Docklands Studios Melbourne, equipped for entertainment, game, panel, lifestyle, and live-audience television shows. Stage 5 features motorised lighting hoists, silent air-conditioning, soundproofing, and support annex with production offices, make-up room, dressing rooms, green room, showers and bathrooms. Contacts: Marcus Doherty and Ben Madgwick.
• Durra PanelsminorOthersDurra Panels supplies eco-friendly building materials made from reclaimed wheat straw from Victorian farms. Used for walls and ceilings in all Docklands Studios stages. Each panel stores around 8.5kg of carbon, with 255 tonnes stored in 30,000 sq m of panels installed at the facility.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sky Studios Elstree: Sky Studios Elstree is a 13.5-acre UK studio complex with 13+ sound stages built specifically for premium television. It competes directly with DSM and other large facilities for global streamer commissions (Sky/NBCU).
• Cinespace Studios: Cinespace operates large film and television studio campuses in Toronto and Chicago, with 40+ sound stages. It is a direct peer in scale, business model (dry-hire facilities), and customer base (US/Canadian productions and international co-productions).
• Sunset Studios (Blackstone/Blackstone Real Estate): Sunset Studios is a Blackstone-owned network of large-scale film and television production facilities across the US (Hollywood, Atlanta, Brooklyn, etc.). It is a global benchmark for studio real estate scale and competes with DSM for premium Hollywood tenants.
• Shepperton Studios: Shepperton is one of Europe's largest film studios with 14 stages and a long history of hosting tentpole features. It competes with DSM for the same pool of Hollywood productions, particularly those seeking UK tax reliefs and European incentives.
• Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden: Leavesden is a major UK studio complex operated by Warner Bros., featuring multiple large sound stages and purpose-built production facilities. It is directly comparable to DSM as a long-term home for franchise film and high-end television production.
• Pinewood Studios: Pinewood is the UK's flagship film and television studio complex, operating 20+ sound stages including the world-renowned 007 Stage. Like Docklands Studios Melbourne, it is a dry-hire production facility serving major Hollywood and streaming productions, with comparable scale and global customer base.
• Trilith Studios: Trilith Studios in Fayetteville, Georgia is a 935-acre purpose-built film and television production campus with 18+ sound stages. It is a direct comparable in business model, scale, and customer mix, and has rapidly captured share of Marvel-era Hollywood productions.

Regional players

• Auckland Studios: Auckland Studios is a New Zealand-based production facility that, like DSM, serves a Pacific-region film ecosystem and benefits from national film incentives. It is a comparable regional peer for international productions weighing trans-Tasman options.
• Fox Studios Australia: Fox Studios Australia (now renamed) is a 12-hectare film and television production facility in Sydney directly competing with DSM for Australian productions. It is the most direct Australian competitor, also offering dry-hire stages to international productions.
• Village Roadshow Studios: Village Roadshow Studios on the Gold Coast is a major Australian production facility with large sound stages and water tanks, comparable in capability to DSM and competing for the same domestic and inbound international productions.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@docklandsstudiosmelbourne3445
• Facebookfacebook.com/Dsmelbourne-172393641062081
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/docklands-studios-melbourne
• Instagraminstagram.com/docklands_studios
• Xx.com/ds_melbourne

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Docklands Studios Melbourne