STUDIO FACILITIES INDUS TRY.
accessible to anyone who wants to use it. The first digital video cameras cost hundreds of thousands of dollars and were inaccessible to 99% of creators. Now, nearly every person on earth has one in their pocket, in the form of a smartphone. A studio model will always be necessary for stories told on a grand scale, but as we evolve, we can’t wait to see a new generation of storytellers leverage our technology to push the limits of what’s possible. That’s what will make us better.” WEST LONDON FILM STUDIOS Specialising in feature films and HETV drama, West London Film Studios has a total of six stages. Five are dry hire, ranging from 5300 to 9400 sq ft. One is a standing set, run by its tenants, The Hospital Location. It has all the traditional supporting spaces, such as workshops, offices and ancillary rooms for MU, costume and dressing rooms – and the hospital offers a variety of medical sets, including a GP’s office, A&E, operating theatre, ward and morgue. There are other tenants on the lot, including Plank Ltd, a film and TV construction company; IMC, who specialise in medics for set builds and shoot days; and Well Suited Services, who provide security for studio and location shoots. “We are unique in that we are independently owned. We offer our clients a personal experience and remain one of the only studios to allow for greater flexibility – as we are not tied to any other companies. This means productions can choose which lighting company, catering service, crew and post-production facility, they want to use. This is important to our clients, as they often spend years cultivating their own relationships with suppliers and we want to ensure they can work with who they want. Additionally, we have The Hospital Location on-site, “We can’t wait for storytellers to leverage our tech, to push the limits of what’s possible”
READY FOR ACTION Space Studios Manchester’s 30,000 sq ft sound stage (above) in Studio 06 aims to attract world-class talent
which is one of the only standing hospital sets in the country,” says Wylie. WLFS is in the process of expanding. It is set to break ground on a further four stages, with supporting workshops, offices and ancillary rooms. The expansion is in keeping with the current studio site, as the stages will be between 11,000 to 15,000 sq ft in size. Wylie explains: “With this new project we’re aiming to improve our sustainability across the board, by decreasing our waste and emissions, as well as utilising sustainable resources. We will continue to assist our clients in recycling everything, from unused food, right through to unwanted costumes. At present, we work closely with Trinity Homeless Projects to achieve these goals. Productions are working hard to become more sustainable and this will become a main focus for projects, as well as their suppliers.” SPACE STUDIOS MANCHESTER Space Studios Manchester is a purpose- built facility for large-scale TV and
film production, with six acoustically treated stages, prop storage/workshops and production facilities. The site has more than 80,000 sq ft of high-spec stages, plus purpose-designed dressing and makeup facilities, laundry, prop storage/workshops, on-site catering and secure parking. Commercial director Rob Page is under no illusion that to build business it is essential to go the extra mile: “Besides Space Studios, we also offer Screen Manchester’s services. This is the city’s film office, which helps our clients secure locations, efficiently cutting through the red tape which can slow down production. We are now in the process of launching a new crew and facilities database, introducing the world of production to the fantastic indigenous industry talent based here in the north. Everything we do is designed to make our service the most comprehensive on offer, and we constantly reappraise and update accordingly. As a result, we are about to build two new stages to help meet demand for facilities.”
43. NOVEMBER 2021
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