Written by new-contact on Oct 7, 2011. Posted in General Interest

Editor’s Weekly

It’s been a big week for the UK film industry with the launch of Creative England, the organisation that’s designed to replace the UK Film Council. Then there’s Kristen Stewart’s new film shooting in Wales and the Bond franchise making plans to film in Istanbul. We also spoke to Stefan Teuber, a Location Scout based in Austria.

There was uproar throughout the international film industry last year when the British Government announced the closure of the UK Film Council. Clint Eastwood was among the high-profile filmmakers who wrote to protest. The council’s replacement, dubbed Creative England, opened for business this week and will be supporting audiovisual projects filming anywhere in England outside London.

The UK is firmly established as one of the world’s leading production hubs but it’s very important that Creative England hits the ground running; it needs to prove itself very quickly as a model of efficiency.

It’s far too early to predict whether this will be more successful than the UK Film Council, but it has a lot to live up to at a crucial time in the British industry’s history. On an annual budget of GBP15 million the Film Council helped fund more than 900 films in ten years. The UK is firmly established as one of the world’s leading production hubs but it’s very important that Creative England hits the ground running; it needs to prove itself very quickly as a model of efficiency.

Major studio interest in the UK continues, with Universal’s Snow White and the Huntsman filming with Kristen Stewart on location at the popular Marloes Sands in Pembrokeshire, Wales. It’s another case of a production team choosing a location that’s convenient and film-friendly, as the project’s based at Pinewood Studios.

Westside's new commercial Endless Possibilities spotlights Czech Republic’s ability to provide what you might call generic background culture; the city looks nice but could be any number of places in Eastern Europe, which is exactly the intention.

Sticking with the UK theme, the new James Bond film will be shooting in Istanbul in the coming months for Sam Mendes’ addition to the franchise. It’s a smart choice, given that the city has an exotic feel that suits the Bond brand, as well as offering experienced local crews.

Location Scout Stefan Teuber gave us some great comments about filming in Austria. He drew attention to the conserved ruins and castles available in Lower Austria and pointed out the great appeal of the country's alpine regions.

In the commercials industry Czech Republic has once again proved a pull, this time for the Indian market. Retail brand Westside dodged the tourists in Prague and headed instead for the town of Liberec. Production company Good Morning Films was looking for an historic setting to stand in for an otherwise anonymous city.

The spot has a retro, energised feel to it and combined with visuals that were spiced up with a motion control camera, it should serve the brand well. It spotlights Czech Republic’s ability to provide what you might call generic background culture; the city looks nice but could be any number of places in Eastern Europe, which is exactly the intention.