Welsh Government has today confirmed that the media investment Business, Great Point has entered into an agreement to lease and manage Seren Stiwdios near Cardiff.
Great Point will manage the studio for 10 years, with an option to acquire and expand the large studio complex. The agreement, which came into effect this week, closely follows Great Point’s recent announcements of the building of Lionsgate Studios in Yonkers, NY, as well as a second studio complex in Buffalo, New York. This third studio signals Great Point’s commitment to expanding its efforts to build and manage state-of-the-art production facilities in key production cities, where pressure on existing studio space is ever-increasing.
Seren Stiwdios in Cardiff, Wales, was built and developed by the Welsh Government in 2015. It has four large stages totaling 74,000 square feet, in addition to copious production office and ancillary space. Nearby locations are spectacular and diverse, with cityscapes, coast and countryside all easily accessible. Film and TV productions which have shot at Seren include The Huntsman: Winter’s War, Sherlock, Show Dogs, The State, A Discovery of Witches, The Crown and Doctor Who.
Great Point, which is run by Jim Reeve and Robert Halmi expects to exercise its option to acquire Seren Stiwdios sometime next year and has developed plans to expand the complex and site. In addition to updating the existing studio space, they plan to introduce an additional 150,000 square feet of stages, offices and backlots as well as a range of integrated services including equipment rental, catering, cleaning and security. In addition to creating local jobs, Great Point expects this will attract additional first -class productions to Wales.
Seren Stiwdios will be the third studio complex under management by Great Point. Construction on their US-based Lionsgate Studios in Yonkers, NY has resumed after a four-month Covid-19 hiatus, and they are currently in discussions with numerous television companies that are considering the role of anchor tenant for the Buffalo Studios in Buffalo, NY.
Great Point’s London based co-founder Jim Reeve said, “The Seren Stiwdios complex has a rich history and offers the finest production facilities in the region. We are thrilled to explore its possibilities.” GP Chairman and co-founder Robert Halmi added, “In addition to the superb shooting space on site, the city of Cardiff and the surrounding countryside offer beautiful, varied and compelling settings for location filming.”
Welsh Government Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism, Lord Elis-Thomas, said: “We are delighted to welcome Great Point to Wales with the establishment of their first studio complex in the UK as they bring with them access to a global network of industry contacts and exciting opportunities. Great Point’s approach to supporting and developing the local supply chain along with their commitment to education and mentoring will further enhance the creative sector in Wales. Great Point Seren Stiwdios will enhance Wales’ reputation as a preferred location for productions and further improve career and employment opportunities.”
