Creative Industries

Queensland Government estimates that their Creative Industries are worth $3.4 billion annually and generate approximately $1.1 billion in annual export sales. A $60 million Creative Industries Precinct at the Queensland University of Technology is dedicated to the co-location, development and promotion of the creative industries in Brisbane.

Brisbane is the unquestionable hub of games development in Australia. Low production costs, fresh creative talent and a high development environment (compared with other centres globally) are drawcards for publishing giants Sony, Electronic Arts, Nintendo and Microsoft. Established games developers based in Brisbane include The Creative Assembly (Sega), Pandemic Studios (Electronic Arts), Krome Studios and Auran.

The convergence between creative industries and ICT will continue to be a focus for sourcing investment into Brisbane from major markets such as the UK, USA and Asia. Games development, digital media and digital content will provide outstanding opportunities.

Sectors

Interactive games development

The highest concentration of game developers in Australia is in Queensland. Over 20 companies enjoy low production costs and access to fresh creative talent. Their work has attracted the attention of global publishers such as Sony, Electronic Arts, Nintendo and Microsoft. They include:

• Auran – developer of the international success ‘Dark Reign’
• THQ – a global games development business employing up to 50 people
• Creative Assembly – leading UK game developer
• Pandemic Studios – global developer of software for Playstation 2, Xbox, gameCube and PC
• Krome Studios – largest game developer in Australia with an impressive catalogue of acclaimed titles and over 120 staff in Brisbane

Multimedia

Following the lead of a strong e-commerce industry, the multimedia sector in Brisbane has shown substantial growth and proven itself as a major force in the economy. The sector is well supported by the education sector, including the Griffith University Queensland College of Art. KPMG ranks Brisbane 4th among 121 cities for competitiveness in multimedia.

Film and television

Film production expenditure in Queensland has increased 900% over the past decade. The support of the Pacific Film and Television Commission, an initiative of the Queensland Government, has helped the industry play on the international stage. Recent productions include Scooby Doo, Crocodile Dundee in LA, Flipper, The Thin Red Line.

• Cutting Edge – a leading post-production facility servicing local, antional and international markets
• Warner Roadshow Studios – one of the largest studio lots in the Southern Hemisphere
• Liquid Animation – one of Australia’s leading animation and digital production studios

Why Brisbane

A creative labour pool

Brisbane’s creative community is well experienced and well educated. Currently, local universities have over 18,000 students enrolled in information technology and engineering related tertiary studies.

Cost-competitive environment

Labour costs are on average 10-15% lower than in Melbourne and Sydney. Taxation is generally lower, including Australia’s lowest payroll tax.

Infrastructure

Significant investment in the creative iIndustries and strong government support has resulted in a robust sector. Key facilities include:

• Three universities offering creative industries courses, with graduates recognised internationally
• A $60 million Creative Industries Precinct at the Queensland University of Technology dedicated to the co-location, development and promotion of the creative industries
• QANTM, a multimedia ICT training facility with a focus on software development, web construction, animation and games development
• iLab – a facility created to accelerate growth of high tech business by bringing investors, innovators and entrepreneurs together
• Brisbane Technology Park
• The research and training Creative Industries Research and Applications Centre (CIRAC) at the Queensland University of Technology
• The CRC for Smart internet technology operation delivering internet based innovations

Government support

As part of the Smart State initiative, all levels of Government are physical and financial supporters of the sector, including:

• The Queensland Government’s $2 million skills development investment in the games industry
• An $800,000 Interactive Games Industry Package to help promote the games development sector internationally

Cluster initiatives

To consolidate the strengths of individual creative industries operators, industry clusters have been established with the backing of local and State governments.

The Creative Assembly

Major UK games developer The Creative Assembly conducted a worldwide search to find the perfect location for its second studio and chose Brisbane. The lifestyle, low operating costs and talented population of computer and games design professionals were major attractions.

General Manager George Fidler said, “It came down to a hunt for the best talent and the most committed staff in the world, and Australia topped the list.” Government support and access to support agencies were also major factors when considering Brisbane. “Queensland is the most progressive in the value it places on developing new intellectual property over the next millennium,” Mr Fidler said.

Rome Total War, produced in Brisbane, won best strategy game at E3 in 2003, and was rated as the second best game of the year in 2004 by Time Magazine. The follow-up title Medieval II: Total War, was the winner of IGN’s Best Strategy Game of E3 2006. Having identified the skills of The Creative Assembly, Sega purchased the company in 2005 and has plans to increase the size of the Australian studio from 55 to 100.