The Bottle Yard Studios was proud to welcome key senior decision-makers from the North American television industry last week, when it played a key role in the British Film Commission’s latest Familiarisation (‘Fam’) Trip.

Designed to boost business and cement the UK’s status as a world-class production hub, the week-long trip saw execs travelling the length and breadth of the country. Delivered in partnership with Creative England, Creative Scotland, Film London, Northern Ireland Screen and Wales Screen, it was the first Fam trip to visit all of the UK’s regions and nations.

Guests included representatives from FremantleMedia North America, Pivot, eOne Television, Skydance Television and Universal Television.

The trip stopped off at The Bottle Yard on 21 April. Senior US execs were given a comprehensive tour of the Studios, the largest dedicated film and TV production space in the West of England, which is enjoying a rise in profile amongst the international television production community since it recently hosted major international titles Galavant (Disney/ABC Studios) and Wolf Hall (Playground Entertainment/Company Pictures).

Fiona Francombe, Site Director of The Bottle Yard Studios, said: “It was fantastic to be a part of the British Film Commission’s Fam trip. Delegations like this are a valuable chance to give international VIPs first-hand experience of what we have to offer. It’s hard to convey the flexibility and sheer volume of the space we have here, but you can instantly appreciate it as soon as you stand in one of our vast Tank Houses. We’ve shown that we’re more than able to accommodate major international productions on the scale of Galavant, and we hope to welcome more US productions to film with us in the future.”

The trip left a positive impression on its guests, with Susan Dale Ross, SVP Production for Universal Television, commenting: “It was the trip and experience of a lifetime. I have a whole new understanding of production in the UK”. Debra Bergman, SVP Scripted Production for Fremantle Media North America, said: “The Fam Trip provided invaluable insights into UK film and television production, showcasing their infrastructure, talented crew base, locations and regional subsidies.”

To read more about the Fam Trip, visit the British Film Commission website.