British Film Commission’s Post

A SOLUTION TO THE CURRENT INTERNATIONAL PRODUCTION CRISIS? I keep reading depressing articles, like those posted by British writer @PhilipRalph about how the film industry is shrinking productions in the US and the UK. Something must be done before it’s too late. A way to at least partially fix this horrid situation, is to think out if the box and explore new  production venues, which is when the beautiful city of Turin comes into play. We’re working at the pre-production of a big project there and we couldn’t be happier! To all producers and indie directors in Europe and across the pond: I highly recommend you keep Turin (Torino) on your radar, because very exciting things are happening there, things that could solve many of the current production issues we are all facing. Turin is a very central-European looking city in the extreme North West of Italy (attached to the Alps) that is living a major film industry renaissance which brought a number of major international productions to this beautiful city where, in the last five years only, were shot: “The Law according to Lidia Poët” a major Netflix success with over 85 millions of viewed hours; “The Count of Montecristo”, a massively successful France/British production for French TV; “The King’s Man” the prequel to King’s men, starring Ralph Fiennes; And, if you are, like me, passionate about vintage movies, Turin was also where the famous “The Italian Job” was shot, in 1969. In Turin you will find an abundance of talented, English-Speaking international crew with creative problem-solving in their DNA. You will also find a varied choice of locations, from the historical centre that it’s literally a period open-air set, to villas, palaces and ancient buildings still retaining all their original furniture, as well as hills, rivers and, a little further away, beautiful lakes as well as the Alps. You will also find brand-new, state of the art film studios covering a surface of over 1076391 square feet (link here:  https://lnkd.in/eKVR6rC5 . All the above for a fraction of the costs you’d pay in London, most of Germany and Paris (I worked in the industry in all of the above), not to mention the US! IF YOU ARE INTERESTED ABOUT COSTS, PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO DM! The Italian government grants a whopping 40% tax rebate for international productions and the generous Turin film commission also offers also sort of different funds to help your projects off the ground. I do hope this post can help someone, please help me spread the world! Ready to answer your questions to the best of my of capacity, keep creating you all!

FILM PRODUCTION IN ITALY PART 1 Hello filmmakers and storytellers! Last week I wrote a post about the great production opportunities offered in Italy, particularly in Turin (see my post here:   https://lnkd.in/dZ5aUYHV), stating that, if someone wanted to know more/had any questions, they only needed to contact me or via email… well, the response, here and offline, was truly overwhelming, I wasn’t really expecting such a positive reaction! Since many of the questions I was asked are recurrent, I’m going to post the answers here, INSTALMENTS, since I really got too many questions to answer in one post only, especially since the matter is rather complex and multi-layered and cannot be exposed in a few lines.  Please, if you have any questions whose answers you don’t find here, feel free to message me and I’ll clear things up for you (and will, subsequently, update this post): 1) what exactly is a “Film Commission” in Italy? It’s a public, REGIONAL entity that manages the money allocated for film productions in that very region. A film commission can also: A) put you in contact with local line producers; B) provide you with a list of potential locations for your project; C) provide you with at least some PR to advertise your project; D) put you in touch with local companies interested in product placement. IMPORTANT: NOT ALL REGIONS IN ITALY HAVE A FILM COMMISSIONS AND NOT ALL FILM COMMISSIONS ARE EQUALLY GOOD AND EFFECTIVE.   Also VERY IMPORTANT: before choosing a particular location for filming, MAKE SURE THAT THAT REGION HAS A FILM COMMISSION … why? Because even a meh film commission will be able to help you, to an extent, with funds and logistics for your project; Because where there is a film commission there is for sure LOCAL CREW. Why is this important when choosing a location? Well, first because having talented, local crew makes everything easier and second, because it makes everything CHEAPER. Of course, if you film in a region with no local crew, you’ll be forced to import it from so where else, sometimes from very far away, having to pay for transport and accommodation for weeks. It’s always recommended to ask a lot of questions and do your math because, if it’s true that you get more funds if you shoot in two different locations, the costs of “importing” the crew might very well erase said funds while logistics gets complicated and stressful: unless you really need a certain location without a film commission and local crew, avoid it like the plague! Lots of opportunities, on the other hand, can be created when your main location is a main city in a region with a film commission and you move, for instance, for the day to another council that will release funds/to another region that borders with the one you are filming in. All right, that’s all 4 now! Update, here’s part 2: https://lnkd.in/dsKnKcFb

Will New Jersey be the next Hollywood?    London financier Arpad Busson’s 1888 Studios building studios in Bayonne Busson, with help from Moore Capital and the Rothschild family, is set to build a massive entertainment campus for 1888 Studios on 70 acres of former Texaco land in Bayonne, New Jersey, the Wall Street Journal reported. The project will include 23 soundstages, which will each range from 18,000 to 60,000 square feet, as well as a loading dock and helipad. All said, the project will comprise 17 buildings totaling over 1.5 million square feet, according to the company’s website. 1888 Studios, whose tagline is “for movie makers by movie makers,” represents itself as “one of the largest entertainment developments in the country” with state-of-the-art production facilities close to New York City. Over the last few years, the film industry has been eyeing potential sites in New Jersey, thanks to its attractive incentives. Netflix has plans to turn the former site of an Army base in Fort Monmouth into a production facility, and Great Point Studios is set to convert Newark’s first public housing site, the Seth Boyden Court, into a massive film studio for its $100 million Lionsgate Newark project. But Hollywood isn’t forgetting about New York entirely. With the state’s annual film tax credit increased by the legislature this year from $420 million to $700 million, Robert DeNiro and others, including Blackstone and Vornado Realty Trust, are building production locations in the city. https://lnkd.in/eDb2qbvG

We wanted to share an important update from Bristol City Council, which owns The Bottle Yard Studios. Earlier this week, approval was given for Council officers to move forward with the proposed sale of the long leasehold of The Bottle Yard Studios. (The Council will retain the freehold of the site.) Reacting to this, our Head of Film Laura Aviles, who oversees the Studios and leads our team, welcomed the decision, saying: “This marks a positive step forward for The Bottle Yard Studios and the wider film and TV industry in Bristol and the South West. The trajectory of growth we have seen in the Studios’ national and international reputation, evidenced by the increasing volume, budget and calibre of productions it attracts to the region, is clear. This upward trend can be further boosted by the private investment opportunities that will now be fully explored. "For the operational team at the Studios and the productions, business tenants, crew and companies we support on site every day, it will be ‘business as usual’ throughout this process. With a strong booking slate stretching into 2025/26, we are committed to ensuring The Bottle Yard continues to deliver for the region’s film industry as a thriving studio hub, to the benefit of local creative industry professionals working in the wide range of roles associated with film and TV production." Councillor Tony Dyer, Leader of Bristol City Council and Chair of the Strategy and Resources policy committee said: “We’re taking this approach in the full knowledge that as a regeneration project at its heart, the Studios have achieved success beyond our initial ambitions. "Like all regeneration projects, a time will always come when it’s sensible for the local authority to seek options for enabling further growth to expand the benefits available to the city. The Bottle Yard Studios has hit that point and I’m pleased fellow councillors have agreed the time is right to start the process of sale. Our initial market testing is very positive and we’re confident in securing an agreement with a purchaser that benefits the studios, the sector and the city.” Please note, this process is wholly managed by Bristol City Council - but we'll continue to share official Council updates as they become available. In the meantime, it's 'business as usual' here at the Studios, supporting the brilliant production companies, production teams and creative businesses working on site with us 🎬👍#filmedinBristol For more information read the full Council update here: https://ow.ly/y5py50TMpVk

Hello everyone! Here’s part 2 of filming in Italy! Sorry I’m late, btw, I usually post on Thursday, but last week was hectic! You people flooded me with questions since my last post (it’s pinned on my profile, in case you didn’t read it: https://lnkd.in/dsKnKcFb) and the two most recurring were: 1) How’s shooting in Rome? 2) Why do you think that shooting in Turin/Piedmont is better than shooting in Rome/Latium? Ok, let’s dive in: how’s shooting in Rome? Rome’s the capital of Italy, the Eternal City. It’s literally one of the most beautiful cities in the world and has, obviously, unique historical locations you can’t do without if you’re filming something like “The Young Pope”, for instance. Rome also offers all sort of talented, AMAZING crew: it’s MIND-BOGGLING what those people can do! HOWEVER, I personally wouldn’t recommend it. Why? Because it’s overwhelmingly chaotic and disorganised. The traffic’s crazy, public transport is very bad, therefore you need to move by car almost everywhere. It’s flooded with tourists 365 days per year. Their bureaucracy is the worst: to close a single road, you need to ask for permission AT LEAST  3 months in advance and, very often, locals will hint at bribes to speed things up (which will of course be extra, unpredicted production costs). Next year, there will be the Catholic Jubilee which has made the chaos even worst: out of 50 buildings sites opened for the Jubilee, only 4 will be closed in 2025, just to give you an idea. As for the Cinecittà studios, ask anyone who used them: they are overbooked and overpriced, they mostly sit on their reputation’s laurels, so to speak. Why do you think that shooting in Turin/Piedmont is better than shooting in Rome/Latium? Because of a number of VERY OBJECTIVE REASONS: a. Much better value for money and excellent crew; b. Excellent organization that helps everything runs smoothly, PLUS big, BRAND NEW STUDIOS that are as good as Cinecittà, if not better! c. VERY GENEROUS FUNDS FORM THE LOCAL FIOM COMMISSION; d. Plenty of fantastic locations, all within easy reach: from fantastic baroque palaces and elegant mansions, to a whole district that’s only medieval and baroque, to forests, mountains, rivers, all a stone throw from the city! Don’t believe me? Think it’s too good to be true? Well, maybe you should believe director Matthew Vaughn and his crew: THE KING’S MAN was shot in Turin almost in its entirety! Here’s his producer, Andrew Buckley telling Deadline how BLOWN AWAY they all were by Turin and the crew they hired there: https://lnkd.in/dAh4wuRn And here’s a more general article about Turin as a fantastic production location, with an interview of the heads of the film commission: https://lnkd.in/d-8E4C3c

Albuquerque just got a new addition to their growing production infrastructure with ABQ Castle Studios, the city's first Virtual Production stage - https://lnkd.in/gjNY-q5P

The rise of New York studio space is a potential challenge to Hollywood's dominance. A recent surge in soundstage construction across New York City and its surrounding areas is attributed, in part, to a significant increase in tax credits offered by the state legislature. This initiative has fueled speculation about whether New York can supplant Hollywood as the center of the entertainment industry. However, concerns remain regarding potential oversupply of studio space, particularly in light of consolidation within the entertainment industry. Can New York's tax credit incentives and strategic investments effectively lure filmmakers away from Hollywood and establish a flourishing entertainment hub on the East Coast? https://lnkd.in/eckkuHJK

Production has commenced on 🛥️ Titanic Sinks Tonight with BBC and Stellify Media (a Sony Pictures Entertainment TV company) at Studio Ulster located in the heart of Belfast—the city where the iconic liner was built.🍀 Declan Keeney, CEO, Studio Ulster 💭 “We are thrilled that Stellify Media has chosen Studio Ulster for the groundbreaking BBC docu-drama Titanic Sinks Tonight. This landmark project redefines docu-drama filmmaking and highlights Belfast’s capability to deliver world-class productions on the global stage.” Simon Young, Head of Commissioning, History 💭 “This is a completely fresh and original take on the most iconic maritime tragedy in history. And the result will give new insights into the anatomy of the doomed ocean liner as this disaster unfolded, as well as the key decisions which made the difference between death and salvation for its passengers and crew.” Eddie Doyle, Head of Commissioning, BBC Northern Ireland 💭 “This ambitious new series from Stellify Media will give new insight and understanding to the final hours of the ill-fated Titanic. It is sure to be visually arresting, using the latest state-of-the-art technology to tell the story in an engaging way for our audiences.” Richard Williams, Chief Executive Officer of Northern Ireland Screen 💭 “Studio Ulster will be a game changer for the local screen industry, and we are thrilled to support Stellify Media’s upcoming drama documentary, which will be entirely produced in Northern Ireland using cutting-edge Virtual Production technology. By opting to utilise Studio Ulster’s state-of-the-art facilities, Stellify Media can tell this iconic Northern Ireland story more sustainably, while maintaining the highest quality for viewers.” Kieran Doherty, CEO and co-founder Stellify Media 💭 “Docu-drama is an exciting new space for Stellify, and we feel privileged to be working in it. All credit goes to an incredible piece of commissioned research, and the trust shown by our backers BBC Specialist Factual, BBC NI, Northern Ireland Screen, and international funders Arte, SBS and SPT. Titanic Sinks Tonight is an ambitious retelling of a story rooted in Belfast, and we are very proud to be the Belfast company telling it.” Additional Credits: Commisioned by Jack Bootle Commissioning Editors, Fiona Keane & Simon Young Exec Producers, Kieran Doherty & Matthew Worthy Head of Production, Michelle Walsh Director, HUGH BALLANTYNE DOP, Duane McClunie Producer, Steffan Boje Production Manager, Monica McNally #virtualproduction #icvfx #docudrama #northernireland #belfast #bbc #titanic #filmmaking #studioulster

With all that is going on: LA's production numbers hit alarming lows in 2024 according to FilmLA, with shoot days falling well below expectations and even dipping under 2023’s strike-impacted levels. As more studios chased generous tax incentives in places like Georgia and overseas, California watched the exodus with growing concern. Gov. Gavin Newsom is trying to stop the bleeding by boosting California's film tax credit to $700M, but some heavy hitters aren't waiting around to see if it works. Case in point: The Los Angeles City Council just unanimously greenlit a massive $1B expansion of the iconic Television City studios. Yesterday’s approval marks a major vote of confidence in Hollywood's hometown, especially as production days hit record lows in 2024. The Television City mega-project includes: • Expanding from 8 to 15 soundstages • Adding 1.4M square feet of new development • Preserving four original 1952 stages • Completing everything before the 2028 Olympics But that's just one piece of LA's studio building boom. Here's what else is cooking: • Hackman Capital's dropping another $1B on the historic Radford Studio Center (where ‘Seinfeld’ and ‘Will & Grace’ once called home) • Warner Bros. is pumping $500M into their Burbank Ranch (wrapping late 2025) • East End Studios has $230M cooking in the Arts District • Bardas and Bain Capital are transforming a former Sears into Echelon Studios • Even San Diego's getting in on the action with an $85M virtual production complex Why are they so confident? Hackman's Zach Sokoloff puts it simply: “We are confident these cycles will work themselves out and Los Angeles will continue to be the global capital of media.” Translation: This might be a rough patch, but Hollywood's not going anywhere. Looking ahead... With 3.5M square feet of new soundstage space in the pipeline for greater LA, these companies are betting the house that "runaway production" will eventually run back home. After all, you don't spend billions on new studios unless you're pretty sure the cameras will keep rolling.

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