Heslington Studios turns the spotlight on Yorkshire
Heslington Studios will be flying the flag for Yorkshire at its official launch at the Broadcast Video Expo 2012 in London.
Wholly owned by the University of York, Heslington Studios offers outstanding facilities for commercial hire, bringing academia and industry together in a seamless manner.
The commercial arm of the University’s new £30 million Department of Theatre, Film and Television aims to promote Yorkshire as a major film and TV broadcast production region with facilities to rank with the best.
The new Theatre, Film and Television building was designed following extensive consultation with industry professionals, academics and students and is purpose-built to support and foster interactions between the University, researchers and business.
There are enormous benefits to be gained by students from being in a professional environment, particularly through work experience and future contacts
Carole Dove
It boasts two HD broadcast TV studios, a 140-seat preview cinema, a multi-purpose sound stage, as well as superb audio and video post-production facilities.
Carole Dove, Commercial Director for Heslington Studios, said: “We’re offering something very new and different at York compared with other UK universities. The Theatre, Film and Television building was completed to the latest industry standard specification to provide opportunities for commercial partnerships with production companies. This in turn enriches the experience of our students and provides them with a competitive advantage in pursuing their careers.
“As well as offering fantastic facilities just a two-hour journey from London, Heslington Studios can provide everything from technical support to front of house, and will help broker relationships with other industry professionals.
“We have an excellent technical team of industry professionals at York able to provide support and advice, as well as competent, enthusiastic students willing to take on work experience to boost their chances of success in the production industry. Our aim is to provide seamless facilities hire and to increase the profile of the region as a vibrant production centre.”
High profile clients who have already benefited from York’s unique facilities include:
- Al Jazeera carried out post production work for the seven part series – Slavery: A 21st Century Evil at the University. Three episodes were shot on location in India, Pakistan and Haiti by David Hickman, a Senior Lecturer at York.
- Kudos Film and TV used audition and rehearsal space, plus several locations on campus for shooting the ITV drama series Eternal Law, which aired in January 2012. Around 30 Theatre, Film and Television students acted as extras, while one student worked as a camera trainee.
- Green Screen Productions Ltd are using RED camera shooting kits for their new feature film The Knife that Killed Me, which is being distributed by Universal Pictures in the UK. They are employing several Department of Theatre, Film and Television graduates to work on the film under a Knowledge Transfer Partnership agreement.
Carole Dove said: “There are enormous benefits to be gained by students from being in a professional environment, particularly through work experience and future contacts. Heslington Studios is building on the strong links the Department has already established with the media industry and creative practitioners both locally and nationally, who regularly visit the department to provide masterclasses and workshops.”
Alan Latham, Producer and Managing Director of Green Screen Productions Ltd, said: “Having just launched our new Northern film studios near York, we are very excited about working with Heslington Studios to boost the profile of the region and to support our own feature film production. The Theatre, Film and Television building offers us exceptional post production facilities and access to top level graduates particularly in the field of Computer Generated Imagery.”
The Department of Theatre, Film and Television is one of four major academic buildings in the first phase of the University’s £750 million campus extension at Heslington East, one of the biggest capital developments in UK higher education in recent years. Its development was supported by investment from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) in Yorkshire and the Humber, part of a major infrastructure project led by Science City York to extend the assets and strategic potential of York as a leading centre for science and innovation.
Heslington Studios will have a stand at the Earl’s Court BVE Expo 2012 from 14 to 16 February.
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