Pinewood offers new facilities for low budget films

PA Media The front gate of Pinewood studios in Iver Heath. The word Pinewood has been fastened to a metal frame. They stand out against a grey sky. PA Media
Pinewood Studios has been used for hundreds of famous films throughout its history

A new indie film hub is set to open at Pinewood Studios to encourage more low budget UK films.

Independent film makers will be able to use sound stages, the large soundproof warehouses where films are shot, as well as production offices and workshop space on the site in Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire.

Camera hire, drone photography and post production will also be among the services available when the hub opens next summer.

The launch comes as the government’s Independent Film Tax Credit was passed into law.

It means independent films with a budget of under £15m will get a 53% tax break.

James Bond producer Barbara Broccoli said: “This is a good day for independent film.

"It is essential to the British film industry that independent films get produced and

exhibited as this will ensure the promotion of new talent both in front of and

behind the screen”

PA Media Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, dressed all in black and smiling, inspects a fantasy-style costume with grey metallic horns on her visit to Pinewood Studios. PA Media
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy met costume students when she visited Pinewood Studios

Culture secretary Lisa Nandy, who visited the studios on Tuesday, said “Pinewood’s new state-of-the-art facility will be a huge boost for the UK’s indie filmmakers, offering first-rate infrastructure and on-site expertise to bring more British productions to the big screen."

PA Media An aerial view of the sound stages and warehouses at Pinewood Studios in BuckinghamshirePA Media
James Bond, Harry Potter and Star Wars are just some of the famous films shot at Pinewood Studios

Pinewood opened in 1936 and 174 Oscar winning films have since been made there.

Recent releases included Deadpool and Wolverine, starring Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman, as well as The Little Mermaid and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.

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