Heslington Studios Turns the Spotlight on Yorkshire

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. 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. 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 kit and post production facilities for their new feature film The Knife that Killed Me, which is being distributed in the UK by Universal Pictures. 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: “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.”

Alan Latham, Producer and Managing Director of Green Screen Productions Ltd, said: “Having just launched our new Northern film studios near York, we are excited about working with Heslington Studios to boost the profile of the region. The Theatre, Film and Television building offers us access to exceptional post production facilities and render farm opportunities.”

Heslington Studios will go live on 14 February

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.