Planning approval has been granted for the expansion of Sky Studios Elstree, Sky’s state-of-the-art film and TV studio, financed and developed by L&G. The approval, which would allow a further 10 stages at the complex in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, unlocks development that is expected to create over 2,000 jobs and attract £2bn of production investment to the UK within the … Read more
Sky announce a brand-new initiative aimed at supporting diverse-owned and diverse-led independent production companies in developing programmes for its factual channels. Sky’s goal is to widen the playing field, ensuring they hear from a diverse range of voices as they pursue best-in-class boxsets and premium feature documentaries. It’s through that diversity that Sky aims to … Read more
In 2022, Sky commissioned Naked, a Fremantle label, to make The Unofficial Science of Home Alone. This was a fun project to be director of photography on as it called for a crossover between shooting some straight TV entertainment content and recreating some drama elements mimicking scenes from well-known films Home Alone, Die Hard and Indiana Jones. The … Read more
Last month, documentaries produced by dozens of local students from across Elstree and Borehamwood received a premiere screening at Sky’s European headquarters, attended by parents, teachers and industry guests. The event was the culmination of an 18-month partnership between Sky Studios Elstree and local college, Elstree Screen Arts, which saw Sky provide industry mentors, insights … Read more
Nine of the UK’s main broadcasters and streamers have joined forces to help improve access for disabled talent across the TV industry. The TV Access Project (TAP) has been created by the BBC, Channel 4, Britbox International, Disney+ UK, ITV, Paramount, Prime Video, Sky and UKTV, with support from industry body CDN (the Creative Diversity … Read more
MATERNAL INSTINCT Kate Reid BSC stays flexible when lensing HBO’s limited series The Baby. “When I finished reading the pilot script of The Baby, I didn’t really know what to make of it,” says cinematographer Kate Reid BSC. “And that’s always really exciting, getting sent material that surprises you.” The eight-episode HBO limited series, which … Read more
The Lazarus Project is a Sky Original time-bending thriller starring Paapa Essiedu, Caroline Quentin and Tom Burke. Written by acclaimed writer Joe Barton (Girl/Haji), the series follows George (Paapa Essiedu), a man who wakes up reliving a day from his past but with some exceptions — his success at work and his marriage to the … Read more
Sky announced that Noel Tovey has been appointed to the role of managing director at Sky Studios Elstree, Sky’s brand-new state of the art film and TV studio. In this new role Tovey will take on overall responsibility for the management of Sky Studios Elstree as it becomes home to a range of productions from … Read more
Sky Studios Elstree is on the search for local candidates to fill 12 fully paid, year-long placements as part of Sky’s Content Academy, aimed at launching young people into careers in the film and TV industry. The Studio, which is set to open later this year, is looking for eight school leavers and four recent … Read more
Sophie Turner Laing, former CEO of Endemol Shine and MD of Sky, has been appointed chair of the National Film and Television School’s board of governors. She becomes the School’s first female chair, succeeding Patrick McKenna, founder of Ingenious who will step down at the end of his term in August, having held the post since 2013. During his Chairmanship, the NFTS … Read more
The CEOs of the UK’s largest media brands will gather at the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow to issue a rallying cry to the global industry to do more and better climate storytelling on screen across all genres. In an industry first, 12 broadcasters and streamers have signed up to The Climate Content Pledge1. The signatories … Read more
IBC has announced a comprehensive content programme for IBC Show 2021 which for the first time in IBC’s history will be free for all to access. Attendees can watch the sessions in person in Amsterdam or online via IBC Digital, which will launch on 21st October. This year’s content programme will focus on five key … Read more
Led by VFX Supervisor Jean-Claude Deguara, Milk created 850 shots across eight episodes delivering a broad range of work, spanning planet and complex city environments featuring well known landmarks; an FX focused desert storm, a spaceship crash and a submerged planet; a space walk including complex water and bubble elements; and hyperspace travel, in addition to creatures and character … Read more
Based on Deborah Harkness’ hugely successful novel, A Discovery of Witches follows the compelling, forbidden love story between a witch and a vampire, set in current day Oxford, United Kingdom. Produced by Bad Wolf and Sky Productions, the series premiered on Sky One in September 2018 with a second season arriving in January 2021. With an … Read more
The second series of Sky TV’s much-loved A Discovery of Witches takes the viewer time-spinning between a contemporary world to period Elizabethan London; blending a mystical narrative between the two. Starring Matthew Goode (Matthew Clairmont) and Teresa Palmer (Diana Bishop), REALTIME provided on-set support, pre-vis and an array of VFX magic to help the show’s creators translate … Read more
A new fund which will address skills gaps and shortages in unscripted television across the UK and build a bigger pool of off-screen crew and talent in the nations and regions is announced today by ScreenSkills with broadcasters, SVoDs and Pact. The new Unscripted TV Skills Fund will invest matched contributions from broadcasters and productions to … Read more
Psychological thriller The Third Day is a six-part visceral drama and a theatrical event, set on the mysterious British island, Osea, a captivating and distortive world where all is not as it seems. The first three episodes, Summer, written by Dennis Kelly and directed by Marc Munden, see Sam (Jude Law), drawn to a mysterious … Read more
Subjects matter GBCT News / Tim Potter Subjects matter GBCT News / Tim Potter Much has been said by many a pundit in recent months that the great success of our industry is skewing the market for film and television production in the UK. Success is definitely true. Feature film production crossed the £1bn mark … Read more