Chapter 1: What are the connections between real estate and the film industry on the Gold Coast?
It's The Real Estate Podcast, brought to you by Ray White, the largest real estate and property group in Australasia. And welcome to another episode of The Real Estate Podcast, available on iHeartRadio and also Google and Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast from. Well, as we know, the Gold Coast has been fortunate enough to play host to a lot of big budget films shooting there.
And the real estate in many ways is intertwined with the A-listers when shooting a film. And the A-listers get to stay in some of the more palatial homes that look every bit of the Hollywood Hills mansions.
And there is a local production that will be shooting soon where a Broadbeach Waters mansion is going to be used for its impressive rooftop, which will show off the backdrop to the city of the Gold Coast.
Chapter 2: How did Alex Fleri transition from construction to film production?
Well, I've got the producer online with me, and it's a very good morning to Alex. How are you doing, Alex? I'm very well, thank you Craig and thank you to you for having me on the show and good morning to you. Yeah, so you're the producer but what I didn't mention is that you're also the local real estate agent. So how did that happen?
Yeah, so actually movie production was something that Victoria and I were moving into a few years ago and we were moving out of actually a construction company that we owned and we were going into movie production because some of our friends were in fact Hollywood A-listers. And so that was to do with my background in the stunt world.
And in amongst COVID and all the shutdowns and productions getting shut down, a local real estate boutique agency offered us a position to come and work for them. And so we took them up on that, but on the caveat that should movie productions pick up again and our opportunity present itself again, we would be dipping our toe back in the market for movie productions.
Chapter 3: What challenges does Alex face in finding filming locations?
And I could see the look on the guy's face thinking, as if that's ever going to happen. You must be on drugs or something sitting in my office telling me you're going to be a movie producer. What are you doing? But of course, that's exactly what's happened. And so now you quite aptly put it, the two are totally intertwined. So is there more money in being a real estate agent versus a stuntman?
Well, you get hurt less as a stuntman than as a real estate agent.
Chapter 4: How does Alex's real estate experience influence his film production?
I would imagine so, but that would help you, right? Like, this is going to help you find... Because the locations, you're currently looking for more locations... for your movie, which isn't as easy as it sounds. The location has to fit the story that you're telling, presumably with a mansion. It has to convey the opulence of the lifestyle the protagonist or the antagonist is living.
So how challenging has that been? Or is this, again, where all that real estate experience comes in to help you? It is challenging, even for us with numerous and limitless contacts in real estate.
It's not challenging just because of the location, but it's challenging also because the location has to have a family who's willing to either move out of the home or accept a location fee, or in some cases just say, look, we don't care about the location fee. You can just keep that. It's a bit beneath us.
So to give you an example, I know we're talking real estate, but I've got currently three people all arguing over whose Mustang we should use for the lead actor. Same on the real estate side, but in real estate, it's more difficult because you have a family, they've got school kids, they've got work commitments, they've got businesses, they've got travel commitments now that COVID's over.
So you have to work all of that in and it has to fit the profile, as you say, aptly for the correct location and storyline and the character.
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Chapter 5: What is the storyline of the upcoming film 'Sons of Summer'?
So it's quite a challenge. I guess the sort of person that you need is probably somebody who loves films and filmmaking, who wants to possibly be on the set, maybe standing next to the director offering advice on the best way to capture their home with angles and framing. It sounds like you've been doing my job, Craig. Have you been out and about looking for locations?
That sounds exactly the way we go about it. And tell us a little bit about the production, because you're soon to be filming Sons of Summer, which I understand is the sequel to Summer City, which starred Mel Gibson, is that correct, which was released way back? Yes, it was released way back, and I'm working with the original producer, Phil Avalon.
Chapter 6: How has COVID-19 impacted the real estate market on the Gold Coast?
who's something of a legend in Australian movies and TV. So Phil Avalon launched, in his day, launched Mel Gibson, although Mel Gibson would probably argue that. And Phil's been behind a lot of the big stars over the years, John Jarrett, Steve Beasley, the list would go on and on. So Phil Avalon and I actually met a few years ago.
So Sons of Summer came about as a conversation between Phil and I, where he'd written a script, which was a sequel, and it really read like a bit of a Point Break-style movie. And I added a twist to it in reading the script. And I said to Phil, have you seen The Country? No Country for Old Men. Javier Barden's a great villain. You've got this cat and mouse game going on.
And so really, Sons of Summer has become Point Break meets No Country for Old Men.
Chapter 7: What is the future of Alex's career in real estate and film production?
And that's probably the way I'd pitch it. Wow. I tell you what, that's a big call, throwing in no country for old men. I mean, that's an Academy Award winner. So yes. And just coming back to real estate though. So, you know, real estate, how is that going at the moment on the Gold Coast?
You mentioned that when the COVID turned up, you sort of took a bit of a stock take and decided, right, let's jump now into this opportunity of being a real estate agent. So how has that all sort of panned out for you? Yes. So of course, no one knew how COVID was going to affect the market. And Victoria and I were fortunate enough that we'd finished some of our larger construction projects.
We'd sold some of our own sites and development sites and investment properties. So we were, I suppose, cash positive and we were in a comfortable position. So we were able to take that risk. So for us, it's panned out very well that we've picked the market correctly. Stock is tight. Every agent will tell you that. But at the same time, prices are high.
To me, you're probably doing the same amount of work, but you're getting a better yield on each property. To me, I'd rather have, say, six or seven good listings that are going to sell at a higher price rather than, say, 20 listings that you're chasing down the price and trying to drive down prices to meet the market on a lower price point. To me, I'd rather sell the premium product.
And that's where Victoria and I have scored. We get a lot of prestigious listings and with prestigious listings come to higher price points and also a higher profile. So that's helped us considerably. And then that's translated obviously back into the movies where we then reinvest into the movies ourselves. That will then give us a higher profile and that results in more listings.
So it's a cycle for us that works quite well. Now, Alex, I've done you a little bit of a favour here possibly with getting the word out about your movie. What I'd like you to do for us is when you have that red carpet moment on the Gold Coast, flick me half a dozen tickets and we will give those away to our Gold Coast listeners and they can go along and watch your movie. How does that sound?
Is that a fair enough deal? That sounds good. But why don't we let you know when we're doing what we call a volume scene with lots of backgrounds and extras. And so one of those scenes might be the rooftop party at the mansion. And we have a couple of other volume scenes and we could actually invite those listeners to be part of the movie. Doesn't that sound a bit more fun?
Oh, well, why not do both? Both it is. Okay, Craig, you've got me. Both it is. All right. Well, look, good luck with the movie and also good luck with selling those listings on the Gold Coast and good luck with the stuntman activity as well. Are you still continuing with the stuntman? Yes.
you for that yes i do train we've got a team of new recruits at the stunt camp at the moment stunt academy at the moment we've got a team of about 10 who started this week so i train regularly at the stunt academy here on the gold coast and then from there you diversify into a smaller group so there's one out at coomera there's one in brisbane there's one down south and so you'll find your own kind of little entourage of stunt coordinators and men that you and men and women that you'll work with so at the moment i'm training at the stunt academy in the rang and then the one in coomera
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