where was clickbait filmed?
Co-creator Tony Ayres says Clickbait is a truly international show – a genuine amalgamation of Australian talent and American talent.
“Netflix hadn’t done a show set in America but shot in Australia before, this was a first for them,” he said.
Starring Adrian Grenier, Zoe Kazan and Betty Gabriel, Clickbait follows father and husband Nick Brewer (Grenier), who is abducted in a crime with a sinister online twist. Those closest to him, sister (Kazan) and wife (Gabriel), race to uncover who is behind his disappearance and why.
While locations around Melbourne doubled for Oakland, California, the Brewer house which features in many scenes was just one of a number of sets created at Docklands Studios Melbourne.
“Docklands Studios Melbourne is a one-stop shop – we had great production facilities, fantastic space for the art department and wardrobe, and we were seconds away from where we needed to be at any given time,” Ayres said.
The eight-part series also showcases the talent of Melbourne-based key creatives and crew, with local directors Emma Freeman and Ben Young working behind the camera on the series alongside lead director Brad Anderson.
Clickbait was produced by Melbourne-based Matchbox Pictures and Tony Ayres Productions together with Heyday Television for Netflix. All three companies are part of NBCUniversal International Studios, a division of Universal Studio Group.
The series was supported by the Australian Government’s Location Incentive program and attracted to Melbourne through Film Victoria’s production incentives. The Victorian Screen Incentive (VSI) provides competitive grants to projects that spend at least AU$3.5 million on production, or production and post-production, in Melbourne and/or regional Victoria.
Want to find out more about VSI or be introduced to one or more of the state’s talented creators?
Contact Film Victoria’s Manager of Production Attraction & Support Joe Brinkmann at
Most of “Clickbait” was shot in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. In fact, many of the houses where the “Clickbait” characters live are in the quaint Melbourne suburb of Broadmeadows. Another recognizable building in “Clickbait” that you'll find in Broadmeadows?
Thought “Clickbait” was filmed in Oakland, California? Think again!
Most of “Clickbait” was shot in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. In fact, many of the houses where the “Clickbait” characters live are in the quaint Melbourne suburb of Broadmeadows.
Another recognizable building in “Clickbait” that you’ll find in Broadmeadows? The Broadmeadows Town Hall is actually the police station in the series!
Rogue’s Bar from “Clickbait” is a real place! But you won’t find it in Oakland — or Broadmeadows, for that matter. The exterior of Rogue’s Bar is actually the Tramway Hotel in Fitzroy, Australia. And while it’s called a hotel, this location is actually a bar that hosts a variety of great music and low-key pub food.
However, you may notice the inside of this bar looks nothing like the interior of the bar in “Clickbait”. That’s because the crew used another bar in Fitzroy to shoot the interior scenes — The Gem!
And the bars aren’t the only recognizable locations you’ll see in Fitzroy. Wander around downtown to see sights from several of the busy outdoor street scenes in “Clickbait” too!
In Roshan’s episode of “Clickbait”, we see him praying inside a mosque. This scene is not just a “Clickbait” filming location — it’s an actual Mosque in Australia!
The “Sunshine Mosque” in Melbourne is the largest Mosque in Victoria, according to the Mosque’s website. You can even book a time to tour the Mosque online — it’s open to all schools, community groups, and the general public. Just fill out an enquiry form online to schedule your booking.
Clickbait’s co-creator and producer Tony Ayres is from Australia and says Melbourne almost reminds him of a sister city to Oakland.
In a Marie Claire article, Ayres is quoted as saying, “pragmatically, we needed to find a place which we could double in Melbourne… When I drove through Oakland, I felt like I’d come home to Melbourne.” In this video posted by VicScreen, Ayres also explains one of the great things about filming in Melbourne is the diversity of locations to achieve a variety of different looks. “I’m always happy when I get to film here,” he says.
COVID-19 pandemic protocols forced much of the “Clickbait” filming into the studio. In the VicScreen video, Ayres explains that the crew chose to film at Dockland Studios in Melbourne, “because having a world-class studio makes it possible for us to replicate what we need to replicate, particularly around our interiors.”
The Dockland Studios includes six stages, production offices, a workshop building, and more. “It was an incredibly easy sort of place to work,” said Ayres.
While the “Clickbait” filming location is mainly in Australia, you will see glimpses of Oakland throughout the show. Ayres even posted a picture of the crew filming near the Oakland Bay Bridge on his Instagram account. You’ll also spot some shots of the Tribune Building in the series, too.
Tony Ayre’s Instagram page is a great place to see other shooting locations in “Clickbait” too. For example, are there any guesses as to where he might have captured this beautiful shot while filming “Clickbait?”
