How a permanent TV and film studio in Bradford could help economy

Professor David Wilson, director of Bradford UNESCO City of Film, made the comments as a part of his pitch for a permanent studio similar to Pinewood in London, where James Bond was filmed.

He claimed a state-of-the-art studio set-up would put Bradford on a par with other northern film-making rivals, Manchester, Leeds and Liverpool.

According to Historic England, there are more than 2,000 listed buildings in the Bradford district – creating plenty of scope for atmospheric and picturesque shoots.

Professor Wilson said: “We’ve got a temporary studio at the moment in the old tax office, just outside of Bradford, in Shipley, which is being used for an ITV medical drama, plus the one in Little Germany.

“But they are just pop-up ones.

Lights on Little Germany as it turned in to a film set earlier this year

"What happens then, is that the production has to travel to Manchester or London for the studio shoots. When you’re talking about transporting 60 to 100 crew members, excluding actors and extras, that’s very expensive.

“What we really need is a space where you can build any set you like, from recreating a 19th century police station to a hospital set.

“If Bradford invested in a set build space and studio space, we would double the number of filming days overnight.”

The leading expert has a vision of Bradford as a “film-making capital”.

This year alone, Bradford has hosted a raft of big name productions including Netflix’s royal drama The Crown, Channel 4 series Ackley Bridge, BBC’s Happy Valley and ITV factual drama ‘The Hunt for Raoul Moat’.

Filming for medical thriller Malpractice in Bradford city centre outside City Hall. Pictures: Mike Simmonds, Newsquest (Image: Mike Simmonds / Newsquest)

Other filming includes Netflix’s eight-part murder mystery, ‘Bodies’ and Amazon romcom ‘Upgraded’.

• Read more: All the TV shows and films shot in Bradford during 2022 so far

The director, an Honorary Fellow in Film and an Honorary Doctor of Technology at the University of Bradford, said: “In the first six months of 2022, we had more productions filming in Bradford than in the whole of 2021.

“There has been an unprecedented demand.

“This is by far the busiest summer the Film Office has experienced since it was reborn in 2012.”

Describing Bradford’s prospects, the professor added: “When the BBC moved to Salford, all the other companies around TV and film started opening up in MediaCity too, from prop stores to companies that hire lenses for cameras.

Film crew and local residents gather to watch Happy Valley filming (Image: Unknown)

“A whole ecosystem starts to build.

 “Bradford doesn’t have to be in the shadow of Manchester or Liverpool or Leeds.

“There are disused buildings available and we have built a reputation as a film-friendly city.

“With Bradford being City of Culture in 2025, now is the time to cement our position as a film-making capital.”

• Read more: Casting for new Channel 4 film comes to Bradford (and no acting experience is needed)

is giving a talk - Bradford: The World's First UNESCO City of Film’ – at the University of Bradford (Image: Newsquest)

Professor Wilson is giving a talk - Bradford: The World's First UNESCO City of Film’ – at the University of Bradford on Saturday, September 24.

Tickets are available via bradford.ac.uk/events/alumni/

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