With its world-class facilities and easily accessible versatile locations, Victoria continues to attract productions from all around the globe, with BBC’s highly-anticipated psychological thriller The Cry being the latest to film in and around Melbourne, the state’s capital.

Starring Jenna Coleman (Victoria, Doctor Who) and Ewen Leslie (Top of the Lake, Safe Harbour), The Cry is a four-part drama directed by Victorian Glendyn Ivin (Gallipoli, Seven Types of Ambiguity) and produced by Scottish-based Synchronicity Films for BBC One.

The Cry follows the story of Joanna (Coleman) and her husband Alistair (Leslie) as they travel with their baby from Scotland to Australia to fight for custody of Alistair’s daughter against his Australian ex-wife, played by Asher Keddie (X Men: Origins, Offspring). However, when they arrive in Australia, the couple is forced to face an unthinkable tragedy that changes their lives and their marriage forever.

Jenna Coleman and Asher Keddie on The Cry

The production team from Synchronicity Films made the most of Melbourne’s inner city neighbourhoods and Victoria’s regional areas during filming.

Conveniently located in close proximity to Melbourne and to the Docklands Studios, Williamstown provided a perfect backdrop for the series. A vibrant and historic seaside town with architectural characteristics ranging from 1860s to modern, Williamstown is located in film-friendly Hobsons Bay City Council.  The interiors of the Western Harbour Anglers Club, Presbyterian Church and the Jawbone Fauna and Flora Reserve were among the locations selected for the shoot.

Williamstown

The period streetscapes and quaint charming coastal villages of the Bellarine region also hosted the production, which filmed at the retro streetscape of Queenscliff and iconic Point Lonsdale Lighthouse.

Point Lonsdale Lighthouse

Due to being featured widely in international productions, the secret is out about Victoria’s Little River and Werribee regions. Their small rural townships surrounded by desolate-looking countryside, with the dramatic You Yangs Regional Park in the background creates an iconic Australian outback aesthetic. Combined with their proximity to Melbourne, those regions are highly sought-after filming locations for productions like The Cry.

You Yangs Regional Park

On the hunt for picturesque coastlines, wild beaches, rolling hills and agricultural settings, the locations team looked no further than Mornington Peninsula, selecting St Andrews Beach – nestled among the sand dunes between Gunnamatta and Rye.

St Andrews Beach Photo Credit: Cassandra Meehan

The Cry’s Melbourne-based location manager Nicci Dillon said: “I was tasked with finding the locations that would not only work to Jacqueline Perske’s amazing adaptation, but also ones that visually juxtaposed the vast horizons and big blue skies of Australia against the grey skies and cooler landscapes of Glasgow. We are incredibly lucky in Victoria to have so many varied landscapes within an hour and a half of the city. Film Victoria must be thanked for their early work in securing this production for Victoria and showcasing how numerous, accessible and adaptable our locations are to fit international requirements.”

Claire Mundell, Executive Producer for Synchronicity Films said: “We could not be more thrilled to be shooting the show in the incredible Australian light of Melbourne, and contrasting that with the beautiful West End of Glasgow.”

The Cry was supported through Film Victoria’s Production Incentive Attraction Fund and Regional Location Assistance Fund.

For more information on Victoria’s filming locations and production incentives contact Joe Brinkmann, Manager – Incentives and Investments: [email protected] or visit www.film.vic.gov.au