Filming in Bristol up 10%
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The most recent annual figures released by the Bristol Film Office show a 10% rise in filming days on last year’s count with more than 1,140 recorded.
The statistics cover the 2017-2018 financial year across film and television, and show that the amount of productions using the city contributed £15.2m towards Bristol’s economy.
More than 383 productions were issued with filming permits during the 12-month period with 1,141 filming days at Bristol locations and/or at The Bottle Yard Studios.
Accompanying figures released by The Bottle Yard indicate that for every broadcast hour of on-screen drama made at the facility last year, an estimated 14 FTE (full-time equivalent) jobs were created. A total of 470 FTE jobs is estimated to have been generated by all productions (including drama and entertainment) and tenant businesses at The Bottle Yard Studios in 2017-18.
In the 15 years since the Bristol Film Office has been operating, it has assisted film and TV production – in partnership with The Bottle Yard Studios – worth more than £235m to the city.
Bristol Film Office’s Natalie Moore added: “As we celebrate 15 years of promoting Bristol as a film-friendly city, we’re delighted to look back on another strong year for TV and film production. £15.2 million is a significant total and the 10% rise in filming days shows that Bristol is more than maintaining its popularity as a leading filming destination outside London.
"The fact that we can host four major features and ten TV productions in one year is proof that Bristol does filming really, really well.”
Four feature films were shot in Bristol last year. In April 2017, the Laurel and Hardy biopic Stan & Ollie starring Steve Coogan and John C Reilly, and Mike Newell’s The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society starring Lily James and Matthew Goode, used the city’s historic harbour and iconic ship The Balmoral as key filming locations.
Iain Morris’ comedy feature The Festival, from the creators of The Inbetweeners, filmed on sets at The Bottle Yard Studios and on location at Colston Hall, Hengrove Park and Ashton Court in the summer.
Neil Marshall’s Hellboy: Rise of the Blood Queen starring David Harbour used Waring House, a council block in the city’s Redcliffe area, for night shooting of major scenes last September.
The year saw a variety of high-profile TV titles filming in the city. Sky drama A Discovery of Witches doubled Bristol locations for Oxford, while the third series of Fortitude recreated Svalbard, Norway, as sets at The Bottle Yard Studios.
Poldark’s fourth series built a record 18 sets at the same studios, including a scale replica of the House of Commons. Others included Channel 4’s Kiri and BBC Four’s Morecambe and Wise biopic, Eric and Ernie.
Stan & Ollie photo: eOne
Poldark photo: BBC and Mammoth Screen
Discovery of Witches photo: Sky One
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