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Record breaking year for
filming in Liverpool
A recorded number of film and TV
productions were made on location in Liverpool over 2015. A report going to the
Culture and Tourism Select Committee, on Tuesday 9 August reveals during 2015,
257 film and TV projects came to the city, resulting in 1,067 filming days and
bringing in £11.5million to the local economy.
This is a 50% increase on the previous year, with the main rise being the number
of days of filming per project. 1 of the major productions filmed in 2015 was:-
'Fantastic Beasts and Where to
Find Them' – a 'Harry Potter' prequel, written by J.K Rowling and starring Eddie
Redmayne. Liverpool was the only non-studio location used, and key scenes were
filmed inside:- St George's Hall and the Cunard Building. The Warner Brothers film
hits cinemas in November 2016, and during its time here more than 1,000 cast and
crew stayed in 10 City centre Hotels, resulting in over 5,000 bed nights and
generating more than £1.5million directly into the local economy.
Other production highlights included:-
► Rocky spin off, Golden Globe winning and Oscar-nominated Creed saw filming take
place in Goodison Park.
► Florence Foster Jenkins starring Meryl Streep
and Hugh Grant turned Water Street in to 1920's New York.
► Peaky Blinders returned to the
City for its 3rd season filming at New Brighton, Croxteth Hall and the Welsh Streets.
► Stephen Poliakoff BBC 2 drama Close to the
Enemy will air later this year, and saw stars Freddie Highmore (Charlie and the
Chocolate Factory 2005),
► Angela Bassett (American Horror Story, ER,
What's Love Got to Do with It) filming in and around the City.
► Acclaimed Sky1 drama The Five, which was written by bestselling author Harlan
Coben, shot scenes for all ten episodes at locations across Merseyside,
including Old Hall Street, Crosby Beach and Lark Lane.
And the success continues as Liverpool's small
Film Office team predict that 16/17 will be another bumper year; so far 147
productions have been filmed resulting in 312 film days. One of the most
high profile films to be shot in the City so far this year is:- 'Film Stars Don't
Die' in Liverpool which saw actors Annette Bening and Jamie Bell in Liverpool
last month.
More money is now being generated by the Film Office thanks to the introduction
of the 'Income and Commercialisation Strategy'.
For the first time, the collection of fees was centralised which made using
council services much easier and more efficient for production companies when
booking road closures, parking in the city, street cleansing and filming in
council owned properties such as the Cunard Building, St George's Hall and the
Town Hall. This resulted in a direct income for the council of £468,619, meaning
for the first time the City council received an economic impact directly from
filming activity.
There are also future plans to:-
► Introduce a film permit based on best practice of the London Boroughs which
facilitate filming. It is predicted this will generate an additional £10,000 of
revenue.
► Develop new guidelines and work with all
residents around the high volumes of filming in the Georgian Quarter which
includes Hope Street, Falkner Square and Rodney Street.
► Work more collaboratively with both Wirral and
Sefton Council's, to exploit opportunities which would benefit the whole region.
Mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson, said:- "Camera crews are getting to be a
regular sight on our streets as we are one of the most filmed cities outside of
London.
Liverpool has a huge amount to offer production companies; amazing and diverse
locations and a dedicated Film Office that is overflowing with local knowledge
and a can do attitude which sees directors and producers return to the City time
and time again.
The development of a £25million film studio on Edge Lane is testament to the
creative boom what we are currently experiencing; the demand is there for us to
facilitate more filming in the city, so this is perfectly timed.
And more than ever, it's essential that we look to our City region neighbours
and see how our success can be shared with them, and working together in the
future is key to this.
It's fantastic news that the momentum is continuing and filming days are already
at a high this year; so we'll be seeing a lot more of Liverpool on the big and
small screen."
Film Office manager, Lynn Saunders, said:- "A huge amount of work goes in
to attracting production companies to the city, and then working with them in
the run up to, during and post filming to make sure all aspects run as smoothly
as possible and they have a positive experience of the city.
The number of TV programmes, adverts and films we are securing here is testament
to our commitment to making sure Liverpool is at the forefront of Director's
minds when they are considering where to film.
It's important we don't rest on our laurels though and we are looking at doing
things differently in the future which will improve the way we work and generate
more funding and exposure for Merseyside as a whole."
For more information about Liverpool Film Office, or to see a special film
showcasing some of their work, visit:-
LiverpoolFilmOffice.TV. |
