Continued success for the Elstree Studios

Elstree Studios have had another excellent year with increased studio sales and a host of new contracts. With the closure of BBC TV Centre the complex is also due to host productions such as Strictly Come Dancing, Elstree already offers a home to ITV’s Dancing On Ice and Channel 5’s Big Brother.

BBC Studio and Post Production have moved into stages 8 and 9, both stages having been totally refurbished and are being equipped by the BBC for full HD production. The BBC’s move to Elstree Studios will increase the amount of television work undertaken at Elstree Studios, which will include Strictly Come Dancing. ITV’s Dancing on Ice have just finished their series in the George Lucas stages, Big Brother are gearing up for a new season and Endemol are also starting a new major TV show at the studios in early summer.

Recent feature films have included Under the Skin starring Scarlett Johansson, Hyde Park on Hudson starring Bill Murray, Brian Singer’s Jack the Giant Slayer, World War Z starring Brad Pitt and The World’s End starring Simon Pegg.

“Elstree Studios was the perfect home for The World’s End. We needed three large stages with good height and excellent lighting grids. We required spacious, fully serviced production offices, a huge variety of workshops and first class dressing rooms. All of these needed to be easily accessible from Central London by public transport and within reach of the excellent locations in Hertfordshire. As always, the team at Elstree bent over backwards to help us at every stage of the process, and no request was ever too much to ask. We look forward to returning very soon!” said James Biddle, Executive Producer, The World’s End

Elstree are also now starting the clearance of the 4 acre back lot area with a view to building new film and TV facilities on the area formerly known as The Mound.

Elstree Studios is also a sponsor, with others, of the new Elstree University Technical College for film, TV and creative industries which will open in September this year. Work has already started on the EUTC buildings which are across the road from the studios.

This month Elstree Studios, jointly with Creative England, will be hosting part of the US Familiarisation Trip (FAM) organised by the British Film Commission where US producers are invited to the UK to visit studios and facilities.

Elstree Studios Managing Director Roger Morris will also be attending MIPTV to promote the studios and encourage drama producers to take advantage of the new UK tax credits for TV Drama.

[Reported by Mike Watkins]