Industry Briefings: March 2025
Posted on Apr 18, 2025 by Admin
Green shoots
Inward investment hits £4.7 billion for UK film & TV
The UK’s film and high-end TV industry is showing green shoots, with inward investment production spending hitting a record £4.7 billion in 2024 – a 43% rise from 2023. Major productions like Bridgerton Season 4, How to Train Your Dragon and Project Hail Mary have helped fuel this boost.
US investment in UK filmmaking skyrocketed, with feature film spending up 83% and high-end television (HETV) up 25%. The British Film Commission (BFC) played a key role, supporting projects responsible for 91% of US HETV and 94% of US film investment. Adrian Wootton, CEO of the BFC, hailed 2024 as a ‘transitional year’ following the disruption of US industry strikes in 2023. With strong government backing and enhanced tax incentives – especially for VFX – the UK could be poised for further growth. Upcoming projects include Avengers: Doomsday, the Harry Potter TV series and Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, which will hopefully continue to cement the UK’s status as a global production power player.
Versa-tile solution
SilverScape launches Manchester VP company
Creative technology company SilverScape launched a VP service offering at Versa Studios in Manchester at the end of February, revealing an all-star tech stack that includes a 14x4m LED wall, disguise media servers, camera tracking from Mo-Sys, lighting provision from MBS and processing from Brompton Technology. Offering filmmakers an end-to-end solution, services span creative development, production and post-production, through to final asset delivery. The company is led by executive chairman Ian Armstrong – who brings over 25 years’ experience with Britvic, Honda and Jaguar Land Rover – and CEO Simon Binns, a creative industry innovator whose CV features global agencies BBH and Ogilvy/WPP.
Binns commented: “We’ll be working closely with producers and agencies to understand creative requirements, assess feasibility and cost requirements, providing guidance throughout every step of the process until the work is on air. AI tools will help streamline and support the creative workflow, but will not replace human creativity. The idea and script, performance and direction on-set, as well as decision-making on the final edit will remain entirely human.”
Coming up roses
Garden studios opens four new sound stages
Garden Studios has doubled its sound stage footprint lately, opening four new spaces. It now boasts 98,000 sq ft of stages, 90,000 sq ft of warehouse, 40,000 sq ft of production offices and two unit base lots over 30,000 sq ft each, making it the largest campus in central London.
Its new sound stages – Rose (15,207 sq ft), Orchid 1 (15,026 sq ft), Orchid 2 (12,863 sq ft) and Orchid 3 (7,187 sq ft) – position Garden Studios to house multiple HETV projects and/or independent features at the same time, offering each high-quality stages with accompanying workshops, offices and parking. “Garden’s growth in the last six months alone has attracted new clients seeking versatility, flexibility and high degrees of client service,” comments Bee Devine, COO. “Not to mention, our commitment to sustainability for ourselves and all clients, as well as the permanent VP stage that helps to simplify complex location shoots, reduce risk and provide production innovation.”
Short takes
Technicolor shuts down operations
In news that shocked the industry, iconic VFX company Technicolor Group – which operates brands including MPC and The Mill – has entered administration. Citing the economic headwinds post Covid-19 and the writers’ strike, the company has, sadly, made the majority of its employees redundant.
Brahma x Metaphysic
Brahma, a global AI and content technology company created by DNEG Group, has acquired Metaphysic, a leading developer of AI content creation technologies. The move looks set to supercharge Brahma’s AI-powered tools for content creators, including a photorealistic AI video creator.
Registration open for MPTS
MPTS is back at Olympia London from 14 to 15 May, featuring an all-new AI Media Zone, a Broadcast Sport Zone and conference in partnership with SMPTE, as well as a packed exhibition hall and plenty of opportunities for networking with fellow industry pros.
Read about February’s industry briefings here.
This article appears in the March 2025 issue of Definition
