Production revenue for Bristol hit over £20m last year
Bristol Film Office has released production revenue figures for 2022, marking the company’s 20 years in operation.
The figures show that film and TV production was worth £20.1m to the local economy in the 2022-23 financial year.
The amount is only slightly lower than the previous 12-month period, which had been the highest in a decade at £20.8m.
The total of £20,134,750 generated in 2022-23 was across 220 recorded productions. Other stats released show there were 838 filming days on location assisted by the Film Office or at The Bottle Yard Studios, and 502 licences were issued by Bristol Film Office, permitting filming to take place on council-owned streets, properties and green spaces.
Since the Bristol Film Office was founded in 2003 by Bristol City Council, it has (along with The Bottle Yard Studios) assisted TV & film production worth an estimated £322 million to Bristol’s economy. Its operations have generated more than £2.1 million income for Bristol City Council through filming permits and charges.
Councillor Craig Cheney, deputy mayor and cabinet member for finance, governance and performance, said: “We are proud that Bristol is home to the largest studio hub for film and TV production in the West of England, the heart of a sector worth over £320 million to our local economy since 2003. Our city is one of the most competitive filming cities outside of London.
“Over the past 20 years Bristol Film Office has played a vital role in attracting and assisting high levels of filming on location in Bristol, generating over £2.1 million of income for the council. The latest annual figures demonstrate the continued value of the film and TV industry for our city, and the ongoing success of our filming facilitation services.
“We were proud to secure £12 million for TBY2’s expansion, strengthening our solar-powered Hollywood in Hengrove, delivering 1,000 new jobs by 2032.”
Rain Dogs filming in Bristol
Senior film manager Laura Aviles (Bristol City Council): “It’s fantastic that inward investment generated by film and TV production held strong in Bristol at over £20 million last year, a similar value to 2021-22 which included the post-pandemic surge in filming. This is proof that Bristol is maintaining its competitive edge as a leading UK filming city, thanks to services provided by Bristol Film Office, expanded facilities at The Bottle Yard and our skilled local crew.
“As we mark 20 years of Bristol Film Office, it’s clear that the impact this service has had over two decades is incredibly far reaching for such a small team. From its early days assisting shows like Teachers and Skins, it has provided a bespoke service to productions that has been reliable and consistent whilst the city’s filming infrastructure has grown, through the creation of The Bottle Yard Studios to its expansion last year”.
The Killing Kind filming in Bristol
Major TV projects to have filmed with assistance from Bristol Film Office recently include: The Lazarus Project S2; Doctor Who anniversary specials; Black Cake; Truelove; Sex Education S4; Before We Die S3; The Sixth Commandment and War of the Worlds.
Titles filmed at The Bottle Yard and on location with Bristol Film Office assistance included: Rivals; Alex Rider; The Killing Kind; The Flatshare; Rain Dogs and Dodger.
Laura Aviles (Senior Bristol Film Manager), Natalie Moore (Bristol UNESCO City of Film Manager), Adela Straughan (Bristol Film Office Manager), Janine Jones (Film Liaison Officer), Bristolian actor Joe Sims (Ruby Speaking, Broadchurch) and David Johnson (Location Manager) at the Bristol Film Office’s birthday event
Photo credits: Rain Dogs via Sid Gentle/BBC; The Killing Kind via Paramount+; Bristol Film Office group shot via Bristol Film Office.
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