Clockwise from top left: The Forsytes (image:5/PBS), The Seven Dials Mystery (image: Netflix), Towards Zero (image: BBC), Boarders (image: BBC)
The economic impact of filming on location in Bristol and at The Bottle Yard Studios rose by 55% in 2024-25 to an estimated £46.6 million, according to the latest annual figures from the Bristol Film Office.
29 major productions were assisted by Bristol Film Office and The Bottle Yard Studios throughout the 2024-25 financial year (including three feature films and 26 High-End TV productions) with a total of 736 filming days supported in the studio and on location. The economic impact of this production activity is valued at an estimated £46,645,000, an increase of £16.6 million (55%) on the previous year. In total, 689 filming permits were processed by the Film Office in 2024–25, permitting filming to take place on council-owned streets, properties and green spaces.
The year also saw more of Bristol’s best-loved visitor destinations directly benefitting from income brought in by filming, after being connected to productions by Bristol Film Office. Historic boatyard Underfall Yard – which has been fundraising since 2023 to complete recovery and reinstatement works following a devastating arson attack – and inner-city community hub St Werburghs City Farm, are two examples of local charities that hosted extensive filming last year.
Councillor Tony Dyer, Leader of Bristol City Council, said: “Bristol’s film industry plays a significant role in the growing strength of our local and regional economy. The substantial growth in economic impact these latest figures demonstrate underlines just how important this sector is to our city, not just in terms of jobs but also exposure to a global audience. This impact, combined with that of other culture and creative sectors in the city, is driving an economic impact worth £892 million a year to Bristol and makes us a city that investors have increasing confidence in with an estimated £88 leveraged by arts organisations for every £1 invested.” *
Laura Aviles, Head of Film, Bristol City Council, says: “A 55% increase in the economic contribution generated by film and TV productions hosted by The Bottle Yard Studios and supported by Bristol Film Office, in just one year, is outstanding. Not only are we seeing the number of productions opting to film in Bristol remain strong, we’re also seeing the size and length of those shoots increase. Thanks to the outstanding service from The Bottle Yard team and the gold standard of logistical liaison provided by the Film Office on location, productions are spending more time prepping and filming bigger, more ambitious shoots here. This is leading to more employment for regional scripted freelancers and companies, and more local spend in the economy.
“It’s so rewarding to also see more of Bristol’s charities and community groups benefit from valuable new income streams by hiring their unique spaces out as locations, which we hope will in turn lead to further screen tourism benefits in future. With new releases like Young Sherlock, The Seven Dials Mystery, The Dream Lands, Inheritance and The Forsytes on the horizon – as well as others still under wraps – it’s clear that our studio, locations, crew and companies are keeping Bristol at the top of its game, as one of the most successful regional cities for scripted filming in the UK today.”
A total of 17 major productions were filmed at The Bottle Yard Studios throughout the year, eight of which had the biggest presence in the city by also filming on location with assistance from Bristol Film Office. These eight were: upcoming Sky Original thriller Inheritance starring Gugu Mbatha Raw and Jonny Lee Miller; upcoming Channel 5/PBS period drama The Forsytes starring Millie Gibson and Joshua Orpin; upcoming Netflix Agatha Christie thriller The Seven Dials Mystery starring Mia McKenna-Bruce, Helena Bonham Carter and Martin Freeman; upcoming BBC coming-of-age relationship drama The Dream Lands starring Pascale Kann and Anna Friel; upcoming feature film Bad Apples starring Saoirse Ronan; series two of BBC comedy thriller Am I Being Unreasonable written by and starring Daisy May Cooper; and series two of BBC comedy drama Boarders.
It was a particularly busy year for Bristol Film Office, which assisted 19 major productions on location throughout the year. In addition to those listed above, titles included: Guy Ritchie’s upcoming Prime Video series Young Sherlock starring Hero Fiennes Tiffin and Colin Firth; upcoming BBC/Disney+ Doctor Who spin off The War Between Land and Sea starring Russell Tovey and Gugu Mbatha Raw; upcoming second series of Channel 4 cyber thriller The Undeclared War starring Hannah Khalique-Brown and Simon Pegg; upcoming feature Mother’s Pride starring Martin Clunes (in cinemas 26th September 2025); upcoming feature film H is for Hawk starring Clare Foy and Brendan Gleeson; Paramount+ thriller The Crow Girl starring Eve Myles and Doug-ray Scott; and BBC Agatha Christie thriller Towards Zero starring Anjelica Huston.
Major productions filmed at The Bottle Yard Studios only (without city locations) included: upcoming BBC comedy Can You Keep a Secret? starring Dawn French and Mark Heap; Enid Blyton CBBC series Malory Towers and The Famous Five, CBeebies series Andy’s Global Adventures: Baby Animal Missions and upcoming Sky Kids series Jaime’s Treetop Tales.
How are the figures calculated?
Figures are calculated using the Average Local Production Spend Rate Card launched by Creative England’s Filming in England team in 2023. The Rate Card is part of a Local Economic Impact Toolkit, designed to help local authorities in England more accurately calculate and report on the average local economic impact of location filming activity in their region. It analyses total production expenditure based on where it was spent and the classification of a local authority’s location.
A significant number of resources are required to create a film or TV production. Every film crew that works in Bristol needs accommodation, food, transportation, security and other services. A single feature or high-end TV series can spend hundreds of thousands of pounds locally, boosting the revenue of local businesses including hotels, guesthouses, cafes and restaurants, taxi and car rental services and retail stores. Securing part or all of a shoot in Bristol results in varied levels of expenditure flowing into the local economy, with the range of spend depending on the type of project, what services and resources the project needs to access, and the budget range.
The Rate Card takes all these different types of spend into consideration, including Screen-Production Specific (e.g. crew’s wages and specialist suppliers of local film/TV equipment and services) as well as other categories of Business Support, Construction, Digital Services, Fashion & Beauty, Hospitality & Catering and Local Labour. It provides a frame of reference to gauge the average amount of daily expenditure that can be expected from a specific type of production, depending on the designated classification of the location and the budget range into which the project falls. This is then applied to data of all productions supported by Bristol Film Office and Bottle Yard Studios, to calculate the overall estimated economic impact. For more information, visit www.filminginengland.co.uk/local-economic-impact-of-filming
Boosting screen tourism
As well as creating short term opportunities for local crew and specialist companies and knock-on spending in wider business sectors, films and TV shows made in a city have been proven to have a positive longer-term impact on tourism and the visitor economy. Iconic locations featured in popular productions become screen tourism attractions, drawing visitors from around the world. Rising numbers of Bristol venues, charities and businesses are working with Bristol Film Office to be introduced to productions as potential filming locations. Being hired for filming helps venues, businesses and community spaces create valuable new revenue streams, and in the longer term can lead to increased footfall after a TV show or film’s release. Past examples include Aerospace Bristol (featured in Disney+ hit Rivals), St Werburghs Farm (featured in BBC/ Prime Video comedy thriller The Outlaws) and The Georgian House Museum (featured in ITVX period drama Sanditon).
* For more information about the wider economic impact of culture and creative sectors in Bristol, see: ‘Culture in Bristol bringing major benefits to our city’ (Bristol City Council, 3 July 2025)
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Earlier this year, Bristol Surf Cinema launched its very first event – a night dedicated to celebrating surf storytelling on the big screen. What started as a small, DIY project to bring people together around meaningful surf films quickly grew into something bigger, with almost 250 people buying for the inaugural screening in April.
The idea was simple: create a space to showcase surf films that go beyond the highlight reels, beyond the big brand edits – stories that dig into the social, political, and environmental threads woven through surf culture.
As a camera assistant working in film and TV and a lifelong surfer, I (Theo) set out to build something that connected those two worlds. In a time when the industry was unusually quiet, Bristol Surf Cinema gave me a creative project to get stuck into and a chance to pour energy into something that mattered. It was also a way to genuinely support filmmakers, every film we screen is fully licensed and paid for, and £1 from every ticket is donated to The Wave Project to help fund surf therapy for young people in the UK.
But perhaps what stood out most from the first event was how the Bristol surf community (and the wider ocean-loving crowd) showed up. Feedback from the night wasn’t just about the films, it was about the feeling in the room. People supported the event and made it clear they would like to see more. They wanted a space where all surf stories could be told, with better representation, better balance, and an even stronger connection to the community.
That’s where our second event comes in. On Saturday 12th July at Watershed Bristol, Bristol Surf Cinema returns with a matinee screening of Point of Change, a powerful documentary by acclaimed director Rebecca Coley. The film tells the story of Nias, Indonesia – a surf paradise that was ‘discovered’ in the 1970s and the environmental and cultural impact that unfolded for the local community as surf tourism in that area grew.
It’s a film that makes you think about the consequences of surf tourism — and we’re lucky to have Rebecca joining us on the day for a Q&A to explore those themes in more depth. Rebecca will be answering questions on her filmmaking process, handling delicate themes within documentary and the impact of tourism on the earth and native communities.
Alongside the feature, we’ll also be screening two UK-made short films:
Surfaced by Paul Stevenson, telling the story of Nick Corkill’s journey through addiction and mental health, and the grounding role that surfing and photography play in that journey.
Seb: A Surf Therapy Journey by Matilda Thompson, a beautifully observed short following a young surfer with ADHD and autism as he experiences surf therapy with The Wave Project Bristol.
For those who can’t make the main event, we’ll also be running a catch-up screening on Wednesday 16th July — same films, just without the Q&A.
Both events will offer the opportunity for networking and drinks at the Watershed bar after the event so you can minglew with like-minded film or ocean enthusiasts.
Bristol Surf Cinema was never meant to be a one-off. The ambition is to keep this platform going – to continue curating thoughtful, story-first surf films and to keep building a space where filmmakers feel supported and audiences feel connected.
Looking ahead, there are exciting plans for a national tour to bring these kinds of surf screenings to other UK cities and coastal towns. The vision is to grow Bristol Surf Cinema into a national platform, while always staying true to the ethos: supporting independent surf filmmaking, elevating underrepresented voices, and creating community-led spaces where ocean & surf centred stories, of all kinds, can be seen, heard, and shared.
Want to come along?
Tickets for the July screenings are available now via the Watershed website: https://www.watershed.co.uk/whatson/13320/bristol-surf-cinema-point-of-change
To stay up to date with future screenings or to get involved, follow @bristolsurfcinema on Instagram.
The much anticipated creative industries sector plan has been published by the government.
With the creative industries one of the key sectors of focus in the government’s industrial strategy and the West of England one of the government’s priority areas for the creative industries, there is much of interest in the plan to creative businesses in our region.
Here’s a round-up of what’s in the creative industries sector plan:
Bristol and the wider region is mentioned several times in the plan. That includes a reference to Bristol as a “strong regional creative hub” and home to “cutting-edge createch“. It also references the BBC Studio’s Natural History Unit in Bristol which it says “has led to the region being known as ‘Green Hollywood'” which “not only boosts the region’s economy but also adds vital social value”.
A map of the creative industries in different regions has this for the West of England, with references to Bristol Creative Industries members Channel 4, The Bottle Yard Studios, and Aardman Animations.
The West of England is one of six areas getting a share of £150m to “design interventions that work for the creative businesses and freelancers in their region” as part of the new Creative Places Growth Fund. The government said this could include providing access to mentors, expert guidance, and connections to suitable investors.
The other areas are Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region, North East, West Midlands, and West Yorkshire.
The fund will also support the development of a West of England-South Wales Creative Corridor.
Highlighting the West of England, the plan said the region is the UK’s third-largest production hub, a global centre for natural history filmmaking, and film tourism. It also referenced the region as being home to the the BBC as well as Bristol Creative Industries members Channel 4, The Bottle Yard Studios, and Oscar-winning Aardman Animations.
Helen Godwin, mayor of the West of England, said:
“I promised to work with the government and invest in the West. To have our creative industries recognised with this funding is a real vote of confidence in our region. People are drawn here from all over the world, whether it’s for our balloons and street art or the city so historic that UNESCO listed it twice. Creativity in the West knows few limits – or equals.
“Culture is part of who we are, whether it’s Oscar-collecting Aardman Animations or treble-winning Bath Rugby. It’s also a big part of the West of England’s economy, and it’s growing. Now we can invest in the future through the Industrial Strategy: helping businesses to grow, bringing through the next generation of creatives, and driving economic growth.”
The British Business Bank (BBB) will “significantly increase” support for UK creative businesses with debt and equity finance. It will be provided with £4 billion of Industrial Strategy Growth Capital to support investment and growth in the Industrial Strategy eight key sectors which includes the creative industries.
The British Business Bank will also launch a ‘Cluster Champion’ programme, with ‘Champions’ with deep expertise and local knowledge to support investment in 10 city regions, including the West of England.
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) will “significantly increase” public funding for the creative industries, including support for commercialisation and technology adoption.
A £100m UKRI investment will “support the ambitious next wove of R&D creative clusters in new sub-sectors and locations throughout the UK”.
UKRI will publish a new creative industries R&D strategy later in 2025, enhance and streamline the funding support journey through Innovate UK, and support access to Horizon Europe funding.
The government wil investigate specific measuresto tackle barriers to lending to IP-rich SMEs in the creative industries.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) will fund the £25m Creative Futures programme to add five new CoSTAR R&D labs and two showcase spaces across the UK.
HM Revenue & Customs will publish revised guidance for the R&D tax reliefs. It will clarify that “where a project in the creative sector seeks an advance in science or technology, arts activities that directly contribute to the advance by resolving scientific or technological uncertainties are within the definition of R&D for the reliefs, and their qualifying costs, such as salaries, can qualify for relief”.
The guidance will be published in 2025 and will clarify that eligible interdisciplinary innovation can be supported by R&D tax relief.
Protection of copyright in the AI age has been a conversial issue in the creative industries. The government said it “will ensure a copyright regime that values and protects human creativity, can be trusted, and unlocks new opportunities for innovation across the creative sector and wider economy. It said is analysing responses to the consultation on delivering a copyright and Al framework and “recognises the need for this to be done properly and carefully in a considered, measured and reasoned way, to develop any future proposals”.
The government will establish a Creative Content Exchange (CCE) to be “a trusted marketplace for selling, buying, licensing, and enabling permitted access to digitised cultural and creative assets”.
An independent review will be published in the autumn which “seeks to deliver a curriculum that readies young people for life and work, Including in creative subjects and skills”.
The government will launch a new National Centre for Arts and Music Education in England in September 2026.
A new UK-wide £9m creative careers service will be launched “to equip the next generation of young people withthe ambition and knowledge to work in the creative industries”.
The government will launch a new DCMS and Skills England led Creative Sector Skills Forum and the Digital Skills Council, an industry-led advisory body.
DCMS, Department for Education and Skills England will work with industry to support increased access to quality specialist creative education provision acrossEngland to strengthen the supply of highly trained creative students.
The government will refine and develop the growth and skills offer to deliver apprenticeships and skills training that recognises the particular needs of the creative industries.
The government will allocate £132.5 million to increase disadvantaged young people’s access to enrichment opportunities, including in arts and culture, aimed at improving wellbeing and employability.
UKRI will provide resources and support for technology adoption, as well as an online directory of facilities across the UK where creative businesses can access cutting-edge technology.
Creative UK will work with chief technology officers from the sector and other technology leaders to identify next steps to accelerate the adoption of responsible AI.
The government will upskill creative businesses on security through guidance from the National Protective Security Authority and National Cyber Security Centre .
The government will appoint a creative freelance champion, to advocate for the sector’s creative freelancers within government and be a member of the Creative Industries Council.
The Department for Business and Trade will increase funding to facilitate meetings and showcasing at major creative trade shows and events, including South by Southwest, Cannes Lions, Game Developers Conference and International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions Expo.
DCMS will invest in the British Fashion Council’s NEWGEN programme for emerging UK designers with funding for London Fashion Week showcases and business mentoring.
The government said createch will be a central part of UKRl’s new strategy for the creative industries launching later this year. UKRI will bring together stakeholders to tackle barriers and accelerate createch growth, reporting to DCMS and Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) ministers with recommendations by the end of 2025.
Describing createch, the plan says:
“Createch combines creative innovation and cutting-edge technology to generate novel products, services and experiences. Createch businesses have the same growth potential as other technology firms and are expected to generate £18 billion in gross value added (GVA) and 160,000 jobs over the next decade.
“They are found in every creative sub-sector, with an estimated 13,800 creative businesses leveraging technologies including robotics, engineering biology, and XR. 3D printing has revolutionised sustainable fashion, AI is reshaping video games and performing arts, and gaming technologies are used in mental health therapeutics, aeronautics and engineering.”
A new £75m Screen Growth package over three years to develop independent UK screen content, support inward investment, and showcase the UK and International film. It includes a scaled-up £18m per year UK Global Screen Fund from 2026-2029 to develop international business capabilities, enable co-productions and distribute independent UK screen content.
The government will provide £10m to expand the National Film and Television School. It said the investment will unlock £11m of private investment, including from the Walt Disney Company, the Dana and Albert R. Broccoli Foundation, and Sky.
The government will scale up the BFI Film Academy to support 16-25 year olds from underrepresented backgrounds to enter the film industry.
New funding of £30m will be launched to suport start-up games studios and talent.
The UK Games Fund (UKGF) will be enhanced by providing support for new UK titles and skills over 2026-29 attracting match-funding for every supported project.
A new UK Video Games Council of industry representatives will work with the government and the Creative Industries Council to support growth of the video games sector.
Up to £30m in funding over the next three years will be launched with the aim of helping more UK emerging artists break through on a domestic and international stage.
A new ticket levy on arena and stadium gigs will deliver up to £20m annually through the LIVE Trust, with the aim of bolstering the UK’s grassroots music sector, supporting artists, venues, festivals and promoters.
The goverment said it is “working towards an industry-led agreement on music streaming, which will boost earnings for creators.
Ad tech businesses will be supported with accelerator programmes, to upskill founders towards International expansion and connect them with key investors.
The government will launch the BBC Charter to “ensure the BBC is empowered to continue to deliver a vital public service funded in a sustainable way, delivering a BBC that can maintain the trust and support of the public in difficult times, support the wider ecosystem, and that isset up to drive growth in every part of the United Kingdom”.
The government will ask the CMA and Ofcom to set out how changes in the sector – such as the convergence of broadcast, on-demand and video sharing – could be taken into account as part of any future assessment of television and advertising markets. This would include when considering any potential closer, strategic partnerships or possible consolidation between broadcasters which may benefit their financial sustainability and audiences.
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Bristol Creative Industries was delighted to be part of the Culture and Creative Industries Summit organised by the University of the West of England at Bristol Beacon. The event brought together people from cultural and creative businesses and organisations from across the region to discuss the government’s UK creative sector plan which will be published soon.
Officials from Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and Sir Peter Bazalgette, co-chair of the Creative Industries Council which advises the government, set the scene including outlining how the West of England is one of the government’s priority areas for the creative industries.
A panel (Ben Shorrock from techSPARK, Charlotte Geeves from Bristol Old Vic, Fiona Matthews from Super Culture, and Nimesh Joshi from ITV News West Country, chaired by Annabel Smith from Centre for Progressive Policy) then discussed the key issues, before, grouped into tables, delegates discussed ideas for strengthening the economy in the west.
The conversations have been summarised into the brilliant list of ideas below. It has been shared with DCMS and West of England Combined Mayoral Authority.
Regional Production Fund and screen agency: Establish a dedicated fund and agency to match creative funding levels in other UK nations. Functions include soft money support, local employment stimulation, retention of post-production services, and enabling regional intellectual property (IP) ownership.
Addressing funding gaps: Ensure long-term, strategic investment to overcome inconsistencies and short-termism in current funding models.
Public-private partnerships: Promote and expand collaborative investment models, taking cues from Creative Wales. Encourage cross-sector funding initiatives.
Bristol Music Fund: Introduce a regionally managed fund sourced from a small percentage of ticket sales to bolster the music sector.
Creative tech investment: Develop a sustainable, large-scale funding pipeline for creative technology ventures beyond the pilot stage.
Cross-sector collaboration: Encourage stronger relationships among creative organisations, universities, local governments, and adjacent sectors.
Higher education partnerships: Foster collaborative projects between higher education institutions and the creative industries, overcoming resistance to commercial partnerships.
Shared data strategy: Develop coordinated, standardised data collection and impact measurement across the sector.
Creative cluster hub: Create a physical and strategic hub to promote connectivity, knowledge-sharing, and sector resilience.
Creative education reform: Advocate for more modular, skills-based learning at further and higher education levels, with links to primary/secondary outcomes.
Freelancer support: Fund paid development and training opportunities to support freelance creatives.
Film/TV entry pathways: Clarify and promote inclusive, sustainable pathways into screen industries.
Talent retention: Tackle affordability and infrastructure issues to retain local talent.
Place-based storytelling: Highlight regional strengths such as the BBC Natural History Unit, social innovation legacy, and cultural diversity.
Unified regional narrative: Promote a cohesive story across urban, coastal, and rural areas to avoid intra-regional competition.
Valuing creative process: Emphasise the importance of creative processes and R&D alongside final products.
Global positioning: Market the region internationally as a cultural hub with strong geopolitical and creative links.
Creative innovation culture: Elevate visibility of values-driven, socially-conscious innovation. Align with broader innovation strategies.
Creative health: Support initiatives at the intersection of arts, health, and policy for societal benefit.
Cultural placemaking: Embed creatives in city planning and infrastructure development.
Creative tech coordination: Improve storytelling, infrastructure, and investment strategies to scale regional creative tech.
Sustained leadership: Build consistent leadership in both civic and business sectors to guide long-term cultural strategy.
Regional coalitions: Establish strategic alliances across key geographic hubs like Bristol, Cardiff, and Cheltenham.
Devolved powers: Advocate for devolved powers in cultural development to local and combined authorities.
Civic engagement: Pilot a Citizen’s Assembly for Culture as a model for inclusive, democratic cultural strategy-making.
Funding complexity: Simplify access to funding, reduce reporting burdens, and diversify beyond dominant bodies like Arts Council England (ACE).
Inclusion gaps: Prioritise equity-focused strategies to support underrepresented groups.
Leadership fatigue: Address burnout and recruitment issues within the creative sector.
Infrastructure deficits: Invest in new and upgraded venues, studios, and support spaces.
Get your networking hat on in May, June and July! We have some brilliant networking opportunities over the next few months. They are free or discounted for Bristol Creative Industries members.
Our second screen industries meetup focuses on skills and opportunities for people in the industry, and the challenges for finding work or moving to different sectors.
The event is £5+VAT for BCI members, £8+VAT for non-members. Tickets include food and drinks. Register here.
BCI’s free members’ lunches are the perfect opportunity to catch up with fellow members and the BCI team which enjoying a delicious Mediterranean buffet lunch too.
Open to freelancers and those who engage with freelancers, join this event to widen networks, make new connections, discuss common problems, and discover potential opportunities for collaboration.
The event is free with a free drink for BCI members, or £5+VAT for non-members.
A great opportunity for members to make new connections whilst getting some much needed fresh air! This event is for BCI members only and costs £10+VAT.
BAFTA albert, the leading authority on environmental sustainability in the screen industries, has released its 2025/26 Studio Sustainability Standard Report and The Bottle Yard Studios’ TBY2 facility is officially the highest performing studio of the year – making it the most sustainable film and TV studio in the world.
TBY2 is rated Outstanding with an overall score of 97%, the highest of 31 global studios and a 4% increase on last year’s score. Meanwhile The Bottle Yard Studios’ main site (TBY1) is rated Excellent with a score of 83%, a significant improvement on its previous Very Good rating (78%).
Laura Aviles, Head of Film (Bristol City Council), says: “We are extremely proud that The Bottle Yard’s TBY2 facility is the highest performer in this year’s Studio Sustainability Standard and equally delighted that our main site has shown such significant improvement too. As a dual-site complex, The Bottle Yard Studios accommodates productions working at a range of budgets with differing needs – but our commitment to sustainability is consistent across our entire operation. Our state-of-the-art TBY2 facility has sustainability embedded into every element of its design, including its 1MW community-owned solar rooftop, whilst our main site continues to drive forward a regime of improvements and our operational team makes every effort to help productions work more sustainably with a particular focus on supporting a circular economy here in Bristol. We remain fully committed to continuing this important work going forward.”
April Sotomayor, Head of Industry Sustainability at BAFTA albert says: “Studios from across the globe have stepped up in our industry’s fight against climate change. This year we’ve seen more investment in innovation, more support for local communities and vital education programmes being implemented to train people on how they can tackle environmental impact in their roles. Studios play such an important role in the production of content and it is reassuring to see so many are committed to making a difference for the future of our planet.”
The Studio Sustainability Standard is a global, voluntary scheme designed by BAFTA albert and Arup to help studios measure and reduce the environmental impact of their facilities. The scorecard takes a holistic approach and assesses studios based on their impacts and policies across six themes; climate, circularity, nature, people, management and data. It looks beyond carbon impacts and also explores how studios interact with biodiversity on site and how they embed sustainability principles for staff and productions to build a culture that supports the transition to net zero. Participating studios receive a bespoke performance report as well as a grade which allows them to benchmark their own progress as well as compare themselves to other studio facilities across the globe.
The largest film and TV studio in the West of England, The Bottle Yard Studios offers 11 stages across two sites. Eight stages are located at its main site (TBY1), and three premium soundproofed stages at TBY2, its £12 million expansion facility backed by West of England Mayoral Combined Authority investment, which has hosted a steady stream of High-End TV bookings since opening in 2022, including Disney+ hit Rivals.
Sustainable features at TBY2 include a sophisticated building management system that controls built-in heating, cooling and ventilation in all stages, whilst optimising energy conservation. TBY2’s power supply is supported by 1MW solar array funded by Bristol Energy Cooperative, believed to be the largest community-owned rooftop PV installation in the UK, which is connected to Bristol’s groundbreaking City Leap network. The rooftop array won the Sustainable Initiative Award at the 2023 Global Production Awards.
Sustainable measures enjoyed by productions at both include a comprehensive Sustainability toolkit (including local green suppliers directory and accommodation list), a full waste management strategy supported by Bristol Waste, EV charging and cycling facilities, single use plastics policy and active links with community and industry partners to assist the repurpose and reuse of everything from sets and office furniture to work clothing.
The Bottle Yard Studios is currently shortlisted for Studio of the Year at the 2025 Global Production Awards which celebrate outstanding and sustainable work in the world of film/TV production, locations and studios. The awards take place on 19th May at the Cannes Film Festival.
The Bottle Yard Studios, the largest film and TV production facility in the West of England, has been shortlisted for Studio of the Year at theGlobal Production Awards 2025, which take place next week (Monday 19th May) at the Cannes Film Festival.
Presented by Screen International, the prestigious annual industry awards were launched in 2023 to celebrate outstanding and sustainable work in the world of film/TV production, locations and studios.
The Studio of the Year Award will go to “the studio that through its body of work can demonstrate delivering to the highest level for productions, innovating and at the same time delivering for the local community it works in.” Judges will be looking for “evidence of a studio’s professionalism, attraction to customers, creativity, customer service, sustainability and community focus.”
Laura Aviles, Head of Film (Bristol City Council), says: “It is incredibly rewarding to see The Bottle Yard Studios shortlisted for this prestigious award – particularly after it won the Sustainable Initiative Award in 2023 for its TBY2 solar rooftop, and went on to be a central part of Bristol’s success in winning the City of Film Award in 2024. Having The Bottle Yard in the running for Studio of the Year puts Bristol’s film and TV production industry firmly in the international spotlight for a third consecutive year, which is a huge boost for the city’s global profile. Well done to the whole Studio operations team.”
The other shortlisted studios in the category are: Cinespace Studios (Canada), NFI Studios (Hungary), Shinfield Studios (UK) and Vancouver Film Studios (Canada).
For more information about the awards, visit www.globalproductionawards.com
All Set West, a bold new skills package designed to power up careers, grow connections and unlock opportunities behind the camera for underrepresented talent across the West of England, is officially underway – with applications now open for the first round of free All Set West Training designed to get industry newcomers set ready for entry-level scripted production roles.
Funded by a £245k award from the BFI National Lottery Places Fund: Skills and Training, All Set West is delivered by The Bottle Yard Studios, Bristol UNESCO City of Film and Bristol Film Office (the three teams within Bristol City Council’s Film Services) in partnership with the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority (MCA).
All Set West was officially launched – with its new website www.allsetwest.co.uk – to members of the region’s production industry, education sector and community leaders at a special showcase at Watershed in Bristol on Wednesday (30th April). All Set West Training Ambassadors were also on hand to share insights into how the training’s pilot in 2024 has benefitted them.
In addition to free Training, the skills package includes free Membership (opening for registration soon) to the All Set West Hub – a new, inclusive online home for all kinds of opportunities, events and resources relevant to local scripted film/TV production entrants or those progressing through their first few credits – and All Set West Outreach activity being taken into schools, colleges and communities to demystify the industry and widen awareness of careers in the region’s fast-growing scripted production sector. Additional consultation will analyse regional industry skills gaps and set a future strategy for addressing workforce development and retention challenges.
All Set West is funded by the BFI Places Fund, which aims to help develop new and emerging production centres across the UK. It is providing targeted funding to organisations, including Bristol City Council’s Film Services, to pilot new skills and training activity in the region and develop strategic plans that seek to cultivate and encourage more film and television production in the area.
Alex Roxton, Senior Skills Programme Manager at the BFI, says: “This partnership between Bristol City Council Film Services and West of England Combined Authority brings a wealth of industry knowledge and expertise, as well as insight into skills gaps and the local growth potential. We believe that together, they can develop a sector skills strategy and training pathways that realise a skilled and representative local workforce.”
What is All Set West Training and how can I apply?
All Set West Training focuses on confidence-building, set etiquette and work-readiness, communication skills and teamwork, wellbeing and resilience, as well as digital and financial literacy and how to find work as a freelancer.
Support is targeted at underrepresented groups including Disabled People (including those with a longstanding physical or mental condition and those identifying as D/deaf or neurodiverse), People from the Global Majority, Women, Those identifying as LGBTQ+, People from a Working class background, Asylum seekers/refugees, Carers/Care Leavers. An Access Fund is available to any participants who face a financial barrier to taking part.
All Set West Training was piloted at The Bottle Yard in 2024/25 under the Film/HETV TV Workforce Development Programme backed by the West of England MCA’s Mayoral Priority Skills Fund. Of the 47 trainees that participated, 32 have since gone on to some kind of paid work in the industry.
Round one of All Set West Training takes place over five weeks in June and July 2025. Applications are open until 31st May 2025. For more information and to apply, visit www.allsetwest.co.uk/training
Free membership to the new All Set West Hub opens for registration soon. Be notified by adding your details at: https://allsetwest.co.uk/sign-up
Visit www.allsetwest.co.uk and follow All Set West on Instagram (@allsetwest) and LinkedIn (@all-set-west).
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