The BBC has commissioned a new drama series set in the Cook Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. Tatau will follow a young Englishman travelling with a friend to the Cook Islands, where he finds that the Maori tattoo he got in London has marked him out for a mysterious purpose.
The BBC’s adaptation of JK Rowling’s 2012 novel The Casual Vacancy starts filming today on location in Stroud, near Bristol in south-west England. Produced by Bronte Film and Television and in association with HBO, the story traces tensions in a fictional market village in rural England.
The Ciclope International Festival of Craft 2014 has opened for entries. Ciclope recognises the craft of storytelling in international audiovisual production and this year will be the festival’s fifth edition. It will take place in Berlin on 6 and 7 November, with The Location Guide as a media partner.
The BBC filmed on location in London and Morocco for new drama miniseries The Honourable Woman, doubling the African country for parts of the Middle East. Maggie Gyllenhaal stars as a woman drawn into political turbulence and intrigue as she inherits her father’s arms business.
Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden in north-west London – recently home to Tom Cruise’s sci-fi Edge of Tomorrow – is to build three new sound stages by the end of this year. The largest will be 35,000 square feet and there will also be an extra 105,000 square feet of production office space.
Pinewood Studios has announced a revenues boost for the 2013/14 financial year. The company reported an increase of 16.5% on the previous year and highlighted key developments including the completion of its new Q Stage and progress on Pinewood Atlanta Studios in the US.
Visual effects company Double Negative and India-based entertainment services provider Prime Focus World have announced a merger agreement to create the industry’s biggest visual effects company. Double Negative’s recent work has included Man of Steel and Formula One drama Rush.
Authorities in Ireland are exploring their options for developing new film studios. The Irish Film Board is working with the government to gauge private sector interest in expanding Ireland’s studio facilities and enabling the country to host more high-profile productions like Vikings.