BBC Studios and Post Production extends its partnership with Elstree Studios

BBC Studios and Post Production extends its partnership with Elstree Studios 12 Jun 2014

On the back of positive customer feedback and the successful delivery of many high profile shows from its new consolidated London studio base in Elstree, BBC Studios and Post Production has announced that it is continuing its partnership with Elstree Studios for at least a further two years, until spring 2017.

The BBC commercial subsidiary currently hires Stage 8, Stage 9 and George Lucas production gallery space from Elstree Studios, as well as operating studios across the road at BBC Elstree. This was an initiative which was initially launched as a result of the redevelopment and upgrade of the Television Centre site, where BBC Studios and Post Production will be returning to operate Studios 1-3.

Working in partnership with Elstree Studios and co-funded by them, BBC Studios and Post Production has refurbished and updated part of the Elstree site, turning Stages 8 and 9 into fully equipped TV studios with purpose built HD galleries, laser-levelled resin floors and upgraded lighting provision. The company also installed HD galleries in the George Lucas Stages (15,825 sq ft) to support large-scale entertainment productions making it the biggest and highest studio space in Europe with permanent HD TV galleries. By using in-house technical and engineering expertise BBC Studios and Post Production was able to repurpose and reuse high-end technology and equipment from Television Centre and save on cost. Elstree Studios has also refurbished dressing rooms, green rooms and production office space for production teams and talent.

Over 45 programme titles have been delivered by BBC Studios and Post Production from both Elstree sites since it relocated its London studios business, including some of the BBCs biggest entertainment shows like Strictly Come Dancing, Children in Need and The Voice, plus high profile programming for other broadcasters including Fifteen to One and nearly 80 hours of Winter Paralympics coverage for Channel 4, BAFTA award-winning A League of Their Own for Sky and ITV's The Chase and Your Face Sounds Familiar.

Anna Mallett, CEO BBC Studios and Post Production, says: Our partnership with Elstree Studios has been really successful and has allowed us to make fantastic use of the technologies we redeployed from Television Centre whilst it is being redeveloped. Customer feedback and demand at Elstree has been strong. We've hosted some of the BBC's biggest shows here, like Strictly Come Dancing and The Voice as well as other prime time shows like Pointless, Channel 4's Fifteen to One and ITV's The Chase. We're looking forward to continuing to enhance the customer experience at Elstree.

Roger Morris, Managing Director, Elstree Studios says: This is the ideal partnership - combining the world famous Elstree Studios with the state of the art television technical production facilities and expertise of world renowned BBC Studios and Post Production. Now producers can use first class television studios at Elstree Studios. As testament to the success of the venture one only has to look at the range of television shows that have been produced using these new TV facilities and we have been very impressed by the BBC Studios and Post Production team.

Morris continues: We have just cleared, to make ready for development, the old four acre back lot at Elstree Studios and we are now appraising how we can further increase production services on the Elstree site for both television and feature film clients.

Overview of the Elstree facilities

BBC Elstree Studio D 11,200 sq ft studio, including audience seating and bespoke lighting rig. Recently upgraded to support large live event shows such as 2013's Children in Need and home to prime time entertainment shows like Sky's A League of Their Own, All About Two (for BBC Two's 50th anniversary) and That Puppet Game Show.

Stage 8 and Stage 9 at Elstree Studios two 7,500 sq ft studios, with brand new purpose built HD production galleries, professional TV studio floors and enhanced lighting provision. They have hosted a wide range of entertainment shows over the last year including BBC One's Pointless, Channel 4's Winter Paralympics and ITV's The Chase.

Brand new production galleries alongside George Lucas Stage 1 and 2 at Elstree Studios - located on the ground floor with direct access onto the 15,825 sq ft stages. Fully equipped with the latest HD technology redeployed from BBC Television Centre, as well as new technology and high-speed connectivity. Home to big entertainment shows like The Voice and BAFTA Television Craft award-winning Strictly Come Dancing.

Improved facilities for production teams and talent including refurbished dressing rooms, green rooms and production office space.

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