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The North
The North of England is the ideal location for hosting our complete motion picture production ecosystem
History & Heritage
The North of England, long defined by its legacy of innovation, craftsmanship, and industrious spirit, is reclaiming its place as a creative powerhouse, with Northern Lights Studios leading the charge in transforming the region into a world-class motion picture hub that honors its proud history.
Location
The North is a prime filmmaking location, offering diverse architecture, stunning landscapes, and proximity to London, the world’s second-largest film hub, ensuring access to top-tier infrastructure, facilities, and talent.
Education
The North’s top universities and colleges provide a steady pipeline of talent, and Northern Lights Studios collaborates with them to recruit, train, and offer long-term career opportunities, attracting national and international students while strengthening the region’s film industry.
Unlimited Potential
Northern Lights Studios’ unified production ecosystem taps into the vast, untapped potential of the North of England, unlocking significant growth and expansion opportunities, ultimately positioning the region as one of the world’s top three motion picture production hubs alongside Los Angeles and London.
Cost Effective
Filming in the North is significantly more cost-effective than Los Angeles and London, with lower living costs, reduced transport and accommodation expenses, and Northern Lights Studios’ seamless production ecosystem eliminating inefficiencies and maximizing resources.
Ecosystem
Leveraging an extensive network of industry experts with deep knowledge and experience, Northern Lights Studios unifies the North of England’s existing yet fragmented resources into a fully self-sufficient and self-sustaining ecosystem capable of meeting every high-end motion picture production need, establishing the region as a global filmmaking powerhouse that surpasses London in cost-effectiveness and availability of facilities while rivaling the top-tier production quality of Los Angeles at a fraction of the cost.
Perfect Timing
The enhanced British Film Tax Rebate will attract more productions to the UK, and when combined with the North’s lower costs, Northern Lights Studios offers the world’s best high-quality, cost-efficient filmmaking. This aligns perfectly with Manchester’s rapid investment growth, ensuring top-tier working and living standards for visiting productions and talent.
Talent
Northern Lights Studios will harness the North’s skilled film workforce, nurture new talent through the Northern Film Fund, and collaborate with top film schools to develop future industry leaders. By enabling Northern professionals to return from London and attracting global talent, we will establish the North as a premier film hub.
Dynamic Urban Locations
Northern cities like Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, and Newcastle offer a unique mix of historic and modern architecture, making them highly versatile for filmmakers. From Manchester’s Victorian streets doubling as New York to Liverpool’s waterfront, Leeds’ arcades, and Newcastle’s iconic bridges, the region provides an authentic and diverse cinematic backdrop.
Northern Powerhouse
Northern Lights Studios will have a profound and far-reaching impact on the North of England, attracting substantial global and local financial investment, revitalizing the region’s creative industry, and stimulating a wide range of supporting sectors such as accommodation, catering, transport, hospitality, and technology; creating numerous jobs within the motion picture industry, enabling skilled cast and crew to build lasting careers and futures in the North while strengthening the regional economy; and generating positive global publicity that will establish the North as a premier destination for filmmaking, innovation, learning, and investment, ultimately driving even greater long-term growth and opportunity.
Convenience
The North offers London’s advantages—top talent and facilities—without the high costs, while our partnership with Screen Manchester ensures easier film permits than in crowded hubs like Los Angeles, New York, and London.
Stunning Natural Landscapes
The North of England boasts breathtaking natural landscapes for filming, from the Lake District’s rugged beauty to the Yorkshire Dales’ timeless charm and Northumberland’s dramatic coastal vistas. With national parks, heritage sites, forests, rivers, and mountains, the region offers filmmakers a diverse and stunning backdrop for any story.
Community
Northern Lights Studios is deeply committed to supporting local communities in the North, not only boosting local economies and talent but also dedicating at least 50% of its income to charitable causes. We actively partner with prominent charities, including the NHS Christy Hospital Foundation, The Royal Marsden Hospital Charity, Maggie’s, Make-A-Wish, and World Child Cancer, extending financial and emotional support to those in need.
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