Yahoo Lifestyle Pinewood Unveils Revised Studios Expansion Proposal; Scottish TV & Film Production Boost; Vortex Media & Candour Pictures First-Look; Wonder Women Mentors – Global Briefs
Pinewood Unveils Revised Studios Expansion Proposal
Pinewood Group has revised its plans to expand its Buckinghamshire site and launched a new public consultation to discuss development options. While noting that British Prime Minister Keir Starmer recently called the site “the spiritual home of the British film industry,” Pinewood said proposals include additional stages and production facilities, alongside a new data center. This would use space to the south of the existing Pinewood Studios. Pinewood Group CEO David Conway said the “reduction in global content production, combined with rising construction costs and business rates,” had triggered the review of existing planning consent. The public consultation will take place on February 25-27. Along with Shepperton, Pinewood is a fable British studio, home to huge hits including Bond movies, Star Wars and Bridgerton.
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Scottish TV & Film Production Handed $2.5M Government Boost
An additional £2M ($2.5M) of government money has been earmarked to support Scottish TV and film production as Creative Scotland unveils its multi-year funding outcome. Creative Scotland, which incorporates TV and film body Screen Scotland, said a record number of cultural organizations will receive stable, year-on-year funding via the outcome, which covers the next three years. Screen Scotland, which supports local projects like Outlander and Saoirse Ronan-starring indie The Outrun, will receive an additional £2M for its Production Growth Fund in 2025/26. “This is an extremely positive moment for culture in Scotland, bringing with it a renewed sense of stability and certainty to Scotland’s culture sector,” said Creative Scotland Chair Robert Wilson. Scottish production has hit headlines of late following controversy over the lack of local people who work on The Traitors, which is set in a Scottish castle and qualifies for the BBC’s Scottish quota. The BBC Director General was put under pressure on the matter last week during a parliamentary hearing.
Vortex Media & Candour Pictures Strike First-Look Deal
EXCLUSIVE: Toronto’s Vortex Media and Candour Pictures have entered into a first-look deal. This will see Vortex helping to finance, distribute and co-produce Candour’s made-for-TV movies and feature films. The pair had already followed the same model for Candour’s first TV movie, Trapped in the Spotlight. Vortex is handling worldwide distribution on the title, which is due to launch on Lifetime in the U.S. and Super Channel in Canada on February 15. Film stars Monique Coleman (High School Musical) as an ex-R&B star who fights to revive her career after her co-stars ends their duet tour. Fifteen years later, the pair are abducted by a superfan who forces them to complete their unreleased album while captive in his studio. “We had a great experience supporting Candour on their inaugural made-for-television movie and can’t wait to make more together,” said Vortex CCO Jesse Ikeman .“Vortex Media’s vision and expertise make them the perfect strategic partner as we grow and evolve our business,” added Candour co-founder Myles Milne.
Wonder Women Unveils Mentors
Storied British producers including Mandy Chang, Fatima Salaria and Soleta Rogan have signed up to be mentors for the Wonder Women Mentoring Programme. The 31 mentors also include Amazon commissioner Fozia Khan, Curve Media boss Camilla Lewis and ex-ScreenSkills CEO Seetha Kumar. The Wonder Women Mentoring Programme is a year-long, nationwide mentoring programme that supports diverse women at mid-senior level in their careers in Television and the Creative Industries. “We are at a significant time of change within the industry – with tightened budgets, a reduction in jobs and a decline in DE&I focus,” said Wonder Women founder Ria Hebden “It is more important than ever to provide impactful and transformative training and mentorship to help maintain the workforce, at a critical time when so many women – particularly from underrepresented groups – are on the brink of leaving the industry.”
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