IT IS an £11.9million project which will lead to the creation of Glasgow's Kelvin Hall as the Scottish hub for major TV broadcasters and production companies and will help meet the growing demand for TV shows in Scotland.
Due to open its doors next Autumn it has been jointly funded by the Scottish Government and Glasgow City Council is set to be a catalyst for growth in Scotland’s screen sector.
And today the operator can be revealed for the first time. The 10,500 sq ft studio will be operated by BBC Studioworks, a commercial subsidiary of the BBC providing studios and post-production services to companies including the BBC, ITV, Sky, Channel 4 and Netflix.
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Kelvin Hall in Glasgow’s west end, will become the Scottish hub for major TV broadcasters and production companies and comes after the city has earned itself the reputation as a film city with several major Hollywood blockbusters choosing to film here over the past few months.
As well as fuelling the growth of the sector, Kelvin Hall is expected to boost local jobs and support the development of a skilled and diverse Scottish workforce. Through their Across the UK Strategy, the BBC is expected to spend an extra £700m cumulatively across the UK by 2027/28.
Glasgow's film and TV studio at Kelvin Hall is due to open next Autumn
Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture Angus Robertson said: “Our level of investment in Kelvin Hall, £7.9m, reflects the confidence we have in our fast-growing screen industries. There is unprecedented interest in Scotland as a production hub and Kelvin Hall will be a welcome addition to the growing range of studio space being used by film and television productions.
“We are working with partners to maximise the opportunities offered by the studio to develop expertise in the entertainment genre and build on existing skills and training schemes to further develop a sustainable creative economy.”
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Andrew Moultrie, CEO BBC Studioworks said they were thrilled to have been appointed as the operator of this new facility in Glasgow. He said it provided much needed purpose-built studio space in Scotland and meeting growing industry demand to produce there.
He added: “Drawing on our decades of expertise and unrivalled customer service, we will help grow the local workforce to deliver more local productions and support the continued development of sector-specific skills in Scotland.”
Councillor Susan Aitken, Leader of Glasgow City Council, said the announcement was fantastic news for the city.
Ms Aitken said: "The announcement that BBC Studioworks will be the tenant operator of the Kelvin Hall is fantastic news for the city. BBC Studioworks will draw on their wealth of experience in the industry to develop Kelvin Hall as an important and attractive film and television location, continuing Glasgow’s rise in this sector.
“The Kelvin Hall will be a nationally significant production facility that will enable productions and jobs to stay and grow in the city, further driving the development of our thriving creative industries, and adding to Glasgow’s economic growth.”
Glasgow's film and TV studio at Kelvin Hall is due to open next Autumn
David Smith, Director of Screen at Screen Scotland said: "It is almost two years since we first met with BBC Studioworks to discuss their ambitions for an entertainment focused studio outwith London. We have worked with them, alongside the fantastic team at Glasgow City Council and the Scottish Government since early 2020 to land this opportunity for Scotland.
“We look forward to working with BBC Studioworks on training and skills development opportunities around the Kelvin Hall studio, and with the BBC’s commissioning team on all of the new programmes and series from Scotland that will be made in the decades to come.”
Earlier this week filming got under way in Glasgow for HBO Max film Batgirl.
George Street was turned into snowy Gotham as fake ice covers cars on the set, where production is underway.
Glasgow welcomed the biggest film crew it has ever seen when Indiana Jones arrived. Hundreds of crew members were in town to shoot the fifth instalment in the popular series as Glasgow was transformed into 1960s New York City.
The Indiana Jones crew had surpassed the one brought when Brad Pitt zombie horror film World War Z was filmed in the city.
Glasgow City Council said the key to the city’s success is “a one-stop shop with a large portfolio of locations and the capacity to work closely with other parts of the council."
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