It could be the Scottish Highlands, Manhattan, an English estate, a post-apocalyptic wasteland or even an alien planet. But it’s actually a little closer to home.

Dunedin is hoping to become the next Hollywood A-lister by catching the eyes of filmmakers, producers, location scouts and industry execs by showcasing it’s varying and conveniently close landscapes, locations and settings in a new showreel.

Launching today, the showreel, which was created entirely in-house by Enterprise Dunedin and produced by Film Dunedin lead Stefan Roesch, features Dunedin-raised comedian and actor James Mustapic playing a satirical assortment of familiar but definitely-not-the-same characters parodying famous films, with Dunedin locations standing in for the settings.

“Dunedin and its amazing locations are the lead actors, quite the ensemble, I’m just here in a sort of supporting role really,” Mustapic says.

“It was a pleasure to return to my hometown to shoot this project. Here’s hoping it’s so successful that Dunedin takes its place on the world stage, and who knows, maybe I’ll be back there to work on a blockbuster comedy or period drama.

“Not many actors can claim to have been in a New York crime drama, historical fiction, sci-fi adventures and fantasy epics all in one location for the same project. The city (and I) got to be cinematic chameleons.”

Locations used include Princes Street and the Exchange as “The Big Apple”, Blackhead Quarry as “Alien Planet”, Dunedin Railway Station as a magical train platform, Middlemarch as “Middle Realm”, and Ocean View Beach as a deserted island, to name a few.

Dunedin has a long history of being involved in filmmaking and has previously attracted film projects, from Hollywood juggernauts like X-Men Origins: Wolverine and Oscar-winners The Hobbit and The Power of the Dog to indie films like Uproar and Mārama.

Netflix’s 2022 release The Royal Treatment, which was also filmed in Dunedin, saw 42.49 million viewing hours within the first four days of its release on the platform. Dunedin is also set to have millions of eyes on it this year when Netflix miniseries East of Eden, which filmed in the city in early 2025, airs on the streamer. 

Enterprise Dunedin’s Film Dunedin lead Stefan Roesch says the miniseries, an adaptation of the acclaimed Steinbeck novel, is predicted to shine a tourism spotlight on Dunedin and Otago.

“Netflix has over 300 million paid subscribers globally. On the destination side, research into film- and TV-induced tourism shows average visitor uplifts of around 30%, with some locations seeing increases of up to 300% once a production gains traction. A recent report commissioned by the New Zealand Film Commission estimates that $2.7 billion in international tourism expenditure is linked to screen industry output.

“Our plan with the showreel is to shine a light on Dunedin’s amazing locations with the intention of attracting more productions of East of Eden’s calibre.”

Dunedin Mayor Sophie Barker says: “With the screen sector contributing $1.1 billion to New Zealand’s GDP and nearly 27,000 jobs nationally, Enterprise Dunedin and Film Dunedin is working to ensure the lower South is well positioned to capture both the economic and cultural value of screen production — supporting local talent and sharing Dunedin’s unique stories with audiences at home and overseas.

“The work Film Dunedin has done so far to attract projects from studios like Netflix and the work they continue to do to grow Dunedin’s reputation as a destination for filmmaking by showcasing the remarkable and varied locations at our doorstep is fantastic”.

[ENDS]