An estimated total of 380 jobs were created on-site at The Bottle Yard Studios last year according to our 2016 On-Site Employment Summary figures.
83% (315) of the FTE positions generated were filled by crew working on productions made at the Studios and a further 16% (60) were created by business tenants providing specialist production services on site. 5 posts were held by our small operational team, accounting for 1% of the total.
64% of posts created benefited the local workforce, with an estimated 243 positions filled by Bristol crew. Skills development within the sector was also boosted on-site, with 14% of the total positions (50) filled by trainees.
Marvin Rees, Mayor of Bristol, said: “A major part of our successful bid to become the UK’s second UNESCO City of Film was a demonstrable track record of creating employment and training opportunities in the film sector. These job creation figures show the growth we’re experiencing in the industry, fuelled in no small part by having a dedicated studio facility that draws production activity into the city. Despite the tough times we face I remain committed to delivering essential services whilst also continuing to invest in our aspirations for the city’s future. One way in which we aim to meet those aspirations is by supporting the creative sectors and generating investment in the city that in turn builds homes, creates jobs and helps lift communities from hardship.”
Site Director of The Bottle Yard Studios Fiona Francombe says: “Employment numbers within film and TV production can be inherently complicated to quantify given that crew members are almost always freelance, moving from project to project all the time. By working with productions and businesses to monitor posts created at The Bottle Yard, we can do our bit to build the picture of Bristol’s talented production workforce, whose work leads to such a significant economic contribution to the city. It’s also heartening to see the number of business tenants based here rising in number, with many companies expanding to take on extra staff. By supplying services to productions in Bristol and all around the country, they help The Bottle Yard stand out as a leading regional centre within the UK’s production infrastructure.”
Productions that created jobs throughout 2016 included Poldark (BBC One), Broadchurch (ITV), Trollied (Sky 1), Ill Behaviour (BBC Two), The White Princess (STARZ), Crazyhead (E4/Netflix), Three Girls (BBC One) and feature film We Could Be Heroes (dir. Claire Downes). Our creative hub is home to around 20 permanent tenants delivering specialist services to the production industry including creative, digital, technical and audio/visual expertise, grips, transport, structural, fire and safety assistance.
The success of Bristol as a world leader in film production, culture and education was recognised earlier this month when it was named a UNESCO City of Film. According to recent UWE Bristol research, around 3,700 people are employed by independent film & TV companies in the wider Bristol region working in natural history, animation, factual, post-production, corporate and facilities. £140.3 million was generated by the sector in 2016.