CREATIVE ENGLAND SUMMIT EXPLORES BENEFITS OF BEING A FILM FRIENDLY REGION

Last week we hosted Creative England’s ‘Filming In England’ Summit – please see below for their press release about the event:

As industry giants, Netflix and Amazon look to make more content in the UK, Creative England convenes inaugural ‘Filming in England’ summit to explore economic & profile benefits of attracting filming in the regions …

On May 16th Creative England presented the inaugural “Filming in England” Summit which saw over 100 attendees gather at Space Studios Manchester to discuss how the English regions can capitalise from on-location film & TV production.

Delivered in partnership with the British Film Institute, the Filming in England Summit provided local authorities with the opportunity to meet film and TV industry professionals; ascertaining their criteria when choosing filming locations and hear essential guidance on how to make the most of what their region has to offer.

Film and TV is historically one of England’s most successful exports. Our homegrown talent is recognised as world leading and our diverse geography provides some of cinema’s most iconic locations.

Industry giants such as Netflix and Amazon Prime are increasingly looking to produce more content in this country; attracted by the quality of our facilities and the expertise of our workforce. The deal is made even sweeter thanks to the very generous UK Film Tax Relief.

Creative England Head of Production Services, Hayley Armstrong said: “The economic benefits of on location filming for a region cannot be underestimated; not only in terms of the jobs created for local crew but the products and services which surround a film production such as accommodating large casts, catering, set building, transport and equipment hire; all of which need to be provided locally. The impacts are far reaching with both immediate and long-term benefits”.

Caroline continues, “Long-term benefits for the regions come in the form of film tourism. England’s smallest city of Wells for example, still welcomes thousands of visitors every year keen to see the location used as the village of ‘Sandford’ in Edgar Wright’s HOT FUZZ, despite the film being released over 12 years ago.”

Space Studios hosted the Filming in England Summit. The local authority owned purpose-built studio facility for high end film, TV and commercial production boasts 85,000 sq. ft. of high spec stages. The facility has fast become a driving force for production in the North West, attracting major titles such as SKY TV’s recent 8 part series CURFEW, starring Sean Bean and Billy Zane.

Creative England and Film Office partners across the North were instrumental in supporting the making of CURFEW, providing on the ground knowledge of locations and crew. The production services team receive both domestic and international enquiries from high end film and TV producers all year round looking to make new content in the UK.

With the belief that talent is everywhere but opportunity is not, Creative England’s mission is to enable every region in the country to capitalise on the economic benefits presented by the creative industries sector, which is currently worth over £100 bn to the country’s economy.