Investment in UK Film & TV Brings Opportunities
Friday, February 12, 2021
Despite a tough year for everyone, we’ve had some encouraging news for the film and TV industry in the UK in recent months! Investment in several projects around the country brings a lot of job prospects for those keen to join a unique industry at an exciting time.
There has been disruption to filming in production over the past year but during the second lockdown TV and film production remained open, with the rise in streaming services meant there have been more and more career opportunities available. At Iver Makeup Academy, we pride ourselves on giving our students a pathway straight into work and increasing investment gives even more chances for our graduates to move onto their dream careers!
There are big plans ahead for projects all across the country, but we’re going to focus on the major developments heading our way in the South East – including at our home, Pinewood Studios – over the next few years.
Pinewood plans to open up Visitor Experience
We’re really proud to be able to call Pinewood Studios the home of The Iver Makeup Academy. Given its history as one of the major hubs of global film, it’s a thrill every day you arrive to work or study here.
There are now plans to bring the Pinewood experience to the general public with a £450m expansion that will include a major new visitor attraction. The development will be called Screen Hub UK and is estimated to bring:
- 3,500 jobs
- £200m to the economy
- £125 to the tourism industry
- Pinewood Experience – a 350,000sq ft film-inspired international visitor attraction
- New production facilities
- Skill and business growth hubs
Planning is in the early stages but it’s even been rumoured that the experiences available might include visits onto a working set!
As Pinewood Group Chairman Paul Golding said: “We have been looking at a visitor experience for some time and feel that now is the right time to bring it forward. The project will strengthen UK film and bring much needed jobs and spending.”
Hollywood coming to Reading with Shinfield Studios
More investment is expected to come from Atlanta-based movie studios firm Blackhall Studios, which is hoping to create a state-of-the-art £150m film studio in Reading.
Plans for this were released at the start of 2021 with the studio expected to be built at the Thames Valley Science Park, which is owned by the University of Reading. This is expected to create up to 3,000 further jobs in the local area, including up to 1,500 jobs on site at the new studio.
Blackhall’s US studio has been the setting for huge box-office productions like ‘Venom’, ‘Jumanji: The Next Level’, and ‘Godzilla: King of the Monsters’. Warner Brothers, Sony and HBO have all used their facilities so it could be exciting times ahead in Reading for the film business!
It is estimated that it will bring £500m to the UK economy every year and is another addition to the “creative corridor” for the UK which is developing across the Thames Valley.
Dagenham Development adds to South East expansion
Another Hollywood firm, which owns studios that have been home to productions like ‘The Sopranos’, is coming to England with plans to build a £300m production complex in East London.
Hackman Capital Partners is hoping to begin production at the new studios by mid-2022 and will provide:
- 1,200 jobs
- Six sound stages totalling 140,000sq ft
- Flexible accommodation nearby for production and hair and makeup
- Pre and post-production offices
- £35m a year to the East London economy
London Mayor Sadiq Khan said of the development: “This is a very special moment for Dagenham, our capital and all those who have been working hard to realise this bold vision of bringing a new world-class film studio in East London.”
Our Principal at The Iver Makeup Academy, Liz Tagg-Wooster, echoed the enthusiasm for these advancements in UK film and TV, saying: “After a really tough year for so many industries, it’s great that the future of film and television production in the UK is looking so bright. We pride ourselves on the career pathways we put our students on after they graduate, and the added opportunities that could be available to them in the future with this investment in the industry is incredibly exciting.”
If you are interested in forging a career at a time when the industry looks set to thrive, find out more about the courses we offer and feel free to contact us to discuss what options might suit you.
