Black Hangar Studios

And now for something completely different!  Well, a little bit different.  I had the pleasure of visiting a new film studio outside London a few weeks back, and this piece of writing was the result:

Black Hangar Studios
(This article on FilmJuice.com)

Black Hangar Studios offers a beacon of hope to all those jaded by the apparent, and often misleading news proclaiming the waning of the British film industry.  From the closure of the UK Film Council to the only recently reversed doom of Twickenham Studios, the morale of British filmmakers has of late taken hit after hit.  But fear not!  Raise your weary heads and take a look at the new hope thundering its way onto the scene: the bold and exciting Black Hangar Studios is open for business.

Further dark tidings on the British celluloid shores included the government’s disappointing decision to block the planned expansion of Pinewood Studios back in January, which would have created almost one thousand jobs.  Black Hangar aims to fly right in the face of such grim events; even before its official opening on the 3rd of May, business was booming (this year’s Salmon Fishing in the Yemen was one of the first productions on site), so much so that completion of the Basingstoke based studios’ brand new facilities had to be postponed, as filmmakers couldn’t resist the services on offer.

The project was conceived and funded by a group of private investors, who saw an opportunity in the UK to offer a top quality studio to rival even the long-established major studios.  Value for money is one of the facility’s primary objectives, as the investors realised that the host of talented filmmakers resident in the British Isles needed a reason to perk up, and keep making movies in good old Blighty.  Underlining the infectiously positive vibe of this new venture, Black Hangar’s CEO Carole Siller said, “I don’t think there is a threat to the industry here, the UK has great film technicians.”

The main studio, as one would expect, is a former aircraft hangar (yes, it is black).  With 32,000 square feet of studio space, and a 5,000 square foot outdoor water tank, the studios can cater for a wide range of needs.  ‘Flexibility’ was one of the watchwords when the studios were designed (by filmmakers, reassuringly) with the site also featuring a complex of offices, kitchens, screening rooms and multifunction spaces, enabling clients to use the facilities however best suits their needs.

The impressive water tank has two shooting platforms for filming either under or above water, and the main studio is more than large enough to accommodate multiple sets, enabling a full feature film or television series production to be wrapped on site.

Situated at Lasham Airfield, a mere forty minutes from Central London, clients can, with permission, access aircraft landing facilities to bring in the stars.  Additionally, the range of local World War Two era buildings could save legwork for a client’s location department.

The real icing on the cake though, and a real bonus for productions, is the on-site team of renowned filmmaking professionals.  From legendary special effects supervisor Digby Milner (Star Wars, Harry Potter) to award-winning art director Simon Lamont (Casino Royale, The Dark Knight) any customer of Black Hangar Studios will be able to draw upon decades of experience and expertise to ensure their productions are completed to an impeccable standard.

The studios offer a refreshingly positive outlook on what some have cynically called a dying UK film industry.  With business certain to take off before you can say “Digby’s your uncle”, plans to expand and a business model designed to keep costs down and professionals employed, Black Hangar looks set to earn a place in filmmakers’ hearts and film history in no time.


http://www.blackhangarstudios.com/