Team2 Architects’ Post

It is excellent news that Eastbrook Studios London has opened its doors and is welcoming an inaugural wave of production to its stages. Created by film and television facilities specialists The MBS Group and Hackman Capital Partners, the brand new 21.5-acre campus is home to 12 soundstages ranging in size from 16,000 square feet to 32,000 square feet. The state-of-the-art purpose-built stages offer up to 50-foot clear heights, operable walls between stages to allow for interconnectivity, and gantries, along with specialised workshop, office and production support spaces. Generous backlot areas are available for exterior film sets, as well as nearby cityscapes, urban landscapes and rural locations. Read more: https://lnkd.in/d2JJBpWQ #Studios #StageSpace #London #Film #Television #ScreenIndustries #Production

Bruno Digital studios got you and all your design needs covered

I’m sure we've all had those magical moments in the cinema where the lights dim, the screen comes alive, and we're transported to a world beyond our own. It’s one of the reasons we love it! But what makes these cinematic experiences truly unforgettable? It's not just the big screen or the surround sound – it's the art and hospitality that come together to create a sense of wonder and enchantment — the most iconic cinemas are often those that combine stunning architecture with innovative design, creating a beautiful, immersive experience that's just as much a part of the show as the film itself. In the #cinemaindustry, we're seeing this intersection of #artandhospitality play out in a big way. Think about it – some of the most iconic cinemas in the world are those that have been transformed into cultural spaces, combining art, design, and hospitality to create an unforgettable experience. These spaces are not just about showing movies – they're about creating an atmosphere that immerses us in the story and transports us to a new world. The Tushinski Theatre in Amsterdam and the Electric Cinema Portobello immediately spring to mind for me; what about you? By combining art and hospitality in innovative ways, we can create cinematic #culturalspaces that inspire us, challenge us, and leave us feeling truly alive.

This #NYTimes article gives a sneak peak into Emursive Productions latest creation "Life and Trust." I was disappointed that the show was not open while I was in town for the WXO - World Experience Organization World Experience Summit (#WXS), but this article helps give insights into the new immersive theater #experience opening on August 1. It has some similarities to one of Emursive's other well-known productions "Sleep No More" in that it takes place across many levels in a #Manhattan high-rise, and is a modern #theatrical remake of a #Shakespearean plot. Here are a few key takeaways from the article that could inform the design of other immersive theater shows. Point #1 - The original #script was initially very text-heavy, but they removed most of it for movement-based work. I can not emphasize enough how important this is. In a choose-your-own-adventure free-roam #immersive theatrical production, you cannot expect everyone to be able to hear the dialogue nor to stand in one place long enough for monologue after #monologue after monologue. It's easy for a #writer to fall in love with their words, but just like a picture is worth a thousand words, so is #acting and storytelling that is effective at a distance or in distracting environments. Keep it simple. Recognize that everyone is not hanging on to your every word. This is even more important the bigger or more complex the production. Point #2 - To fill a night with the #story, and give guests a chance to catch new perspectives, they created 30 characters in 250 overlapping scenes that repeated twice a night. Each scene had to work independently - "like an advent calendar" describes the #director. Here is another imperative lesson in free-roam and choose-your-own-adventure #storytelling. Each segment or module must be its own mini-story within the bigger context. You cannot assume that the #audience caught a major plot twist in the last room the actors were in. Some may have followed, but others may join from a different thread altogether. Do your audience a favor and find a clever way to recap any major information or #plot twists that led to this scene. That way the audience can catch up and make sense of what they are seeing. Point #3 - Time-based sound cues were used to mark scene changes and scenes were padded with enough time for #actor movement and #transitions through a crowded theater. These cues are likely presented in a way that the audience would believe is part of the storyline and effects. These sounds are like a massive metronome to the #performers and #production crew, but don't have to be disruptive. It's great the actors can initiate the flow and movement, hopefully through compelling action or by directly addressing the audience, as nothing breaks the 4th wall more than having a docent or non-actor start directing traffic to try to get a crowd moving into another location.

I was hired to help with this project. They had an existing metal building (mill for the existing 8 studios) which they wanted to disassemble, move about 1500 feet, and reassemble. It was designed using an older code and would have to be updated to meet the current codes. It was a fun job that took me twice to Albuquerque. I excel at analyzing existing metal buildings and helping clients modify them without breaking the bank. #preengineeredmetalbuildings #pemb #metalbuildings #netflix #structuralengineering #construction #buildings #engineering

Untold Side of the Restructuring Process Much has been shared about the restructuring process at Cineworld, but few posts touch on the immense technical and operational challenges involved—particularly the removal of all assets from closed cinemas in an incredibly short timeframe. The reality is that, until the final hour, no one truly knows which cinemas will close, leaving little to no preparation period. Once the process begins, the sheer scale and complexity of the task become clear. The volume of assets in each cinema is far greater than expected, and the challenges pile up quickly: - Storage: Where can we store thousands of items, and at what cost? - Tracking: How do we manage the movement of thousands of assets efficiently? - Cost Control: How do we meet strict handover deadlines without exceeding budgets? Key Lessons and Discoveries: - There’s more unused space in existing cinemas than you realize—until you look for it. - Technology can be a game-changer. We used Asset Infinity, which proved invaluable for tracking and managing assets. - Treating this process as a construction project rather than a simple “move” allowed us to leverage tools and strategies that kept costs under control. What We Accomplished: Despite the tight timelines and high stakes, the team delivered outstanding results: - Successfully managed five simultaneous closures last year and are currently advancing on final five. - Cleared each cinema in an average of two and half weeks. - Printed and distributed over 10,000 asset tags to nearly 100 users. - Organized 10 satellite storages for temporary asset holding. - Stored over 3,000 cinema chairs, ready to be reused in older sites. - Salvaged and allocated key equipment, including two chillers and plenty of Trane AHUs, for use in future projects. - Recovered countless spare parts essential for maintaining older buildings. A huge shoutout to Ryan Cronin for his exceptional project management skills and to the rest of the Cineworld team for their dedication and resilience during such a challenging time. While this process is about logistics and operations, it’s also deeply personal. The closures meant saying goodbye to beloved cinemas and, for many, the places they called their workplace. To everyone affected, your contributions to Cineworld are valued and appreciated beyond words.

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

In today’s world of streaming platforms, the demand for new content continues to grow, driving the need for modern studio spaces that cater to content producers' unique needs. In a recent article in NAIOP’s Development Magazine, our Partner Nikolette Huberman Jacob discussed the extensive renovations of BLT Studios, a 25,000 SF Hollywood film studio. “The details matter,” noted Christina Lamison, General Manager Sales & Marketing at BLT Studios. “Our goal is to provide every client with an ideal studio experience so that we can develop and nourish long-lasting relationships.” For the renovation, BLT aimed to preserve the studio’s legacy while improving the rentable spaces by adding modern amenities like outdoor areas, improved lighting, and efficient air conditioning, benefiting all types of content producers, from online influencers to filmmakers and everyone in between. Robert Solomon, BLT’s President noted that the company's “philosophy was measure twice and cut once. The last thing we wanted to do was to have to call a client and tell them they couldn’t film on the date we had told them they could.” Before these renovations, BLT had acquired and renovated a 200,000 SF creative campus, rebranded as The Hollywood Exchange in 2021. This historic property, formerly known as Television Center and the original Technicolor headquarters, boasted a rich Hollywood pedigree but required modernization. Read more about BLT Studios’ history and renovations below: https://lnkd.in/g2RvvvPx #CommercialRealEstate #FilmMaking #Entertainment #Hollywood #LosAngeles

The Final Episode of The Making of OMA V – Featuring Antony Iredale🎬 For the grand finale of our "The Making of OMA V" series, we sit down with none other than the Founder himself. Antony talks us through the incredible journey from launching a location agency in 2007 to establishing our studio business in 2019, as well as the highs and lows of building world-class studio facilities. Antony reveals that OMA V was a more complex challenge than OMA One and OMA X, owing to the massive engineering feat that was the removal of the giant columns running through the middle of what would become the largest of the three stages (32,534 sqft) and replacing them with a huge goalpost structure to create an uninterrupted soundstage. Since the birth of OMA Studio Group, all three of our studio facilities – OMA One, OMA X, and OMA V – have undergone significant upgrades including: ⚡ Power Boost – Enhanced capabilities for high-end productions 🏢 Ample Office & Support Space – Designed for seamless workflows 📏 30ft+ Working Heights – Delivering the scale productions need OMA V Film Studios - https://lnkd.in/eTSFJgPn For more information on OMA V or availability across OMA Studio Group, please contact kelly.jones@location-collective.co.uk // 07932 429 140 #OMAVFilmStudios #FilmStudios #SoundStages #Construction #ProjectManagement #Innovation #OMAV #TVProduction #FilmProduction