Frequently asked questions
The Bottle Yard Studios team works and supports all tenants and productions to make sure everyone works in a safe environment. Please contact us for more information.
Due to our confidentiality clauses, we are unable to give this information out. However, if a production has given us permission, we will be happy to share this with you.
Unfortunately not. We are a working studio and have to respect the privacy of productions based here so can’t give tours to members of the public. However if you are interested in basing a future production with us we will be very happy to show you round. Just get in touch.
We welcome productions of all budgets and sizes and are happy to accommodate bookings from charities at a reduced rate, upon application. However we are a commercial enterprise and as such regrettably cannot hire our space for free.
If you are a student and wish to access the site for a student project, please contact your university/ educational body to discuss the possibility of organising an annual contract with us, something we already have in place with University of the West of England.
Our staff work Monday – Friday so we would have to arrange attendance at weekends. Please ring the office on 0117 3576888 to discuss your requirements. We will help if we can, but please bear in mind that our staff have to be prepared to come in out of hours and will need to be paid for their time.
The best place to start is to get on to an agents book. Casting agents provide casting directors with extras, so you need to get on to an agents book.
Casting agencies based in the area include:
It is not our role to employ crew and unfortunately we cannot pass on CV’s to productions. If you’re interested in working on a particular production based at The Bottle Yard Studios then we advise you to send your CV directly to the production company in question.
We also recommend you register your details with Creative England’s free Filming in England Crew Directory here.
Sustainability is one of our core priorities. We ask all our tenants to recycle, and to make sure that they strike sets as sustainably as possible. We own a scenery store which contains reusable flatage from previous productions. Tenants using build space are invited to use this free of charge. We can also provide you with details of companies that dispose of waste sustainably. For more information about our commitment to keeping on-site activity as green as possible, visit our Sustainable Practices page.
We have a ‘digs list’ which details everything from 5* hotels to spare rooms in local houses. Contact us for more information.
Take a look at Bristol Film Office’s Crew & Facilities database which lists film friendly accommodation partners. You can also contact us to request a copy of our ‘digs list’ which details everything from 5* hotels to spare rooms in local houses.
Bus
From Bristol City Centre – Bus routes 51, 76 and 90 connect Bristol City Centre and The Bottle Yard Studios. Alight at Hengrove Park.
From Bristol Temple Meads – Bus route 51 connect Bristol Temple Meads and The Bottle Yard Studios. Alight at Hengrove Park.
For further information on Bristol bus travel visit First Group.
Taxi
Bristol Taxis – 0117 327 0029
V Cars – 01179 25 26 26
Bristoltaxi.co.uk – 0117 369 9880
Rail
There is a half hourly direct service from London Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads with a journey time of just over 90 minutes. There are also direct services that run from Plymouth, Exeter, Birmingham and Manchester. For further information about rail travel in Bristol visit First Great Western.
Air
The Bottle Yard Studios is approximately 8 miles from Bristol Airport which has direct flights from across the UK and Europe and worldwide connections with cities such as New York and Los Angeles via the hub airports of Amsterdam, Paris Charles de Gaulle and Brussels.
Film production covers a wide range of potential jobs – cinematographer, rigger, production assistant, director, sound engineer, hair and make-up designer, costume designer, animatronics technician, the list goes is endless. If you’ve yet to make your mind up which field you are most interested in, the following links might be useful.
Bristol UNESCO City of Film
Whether you’re keen to get started in a film and TV career in Bristol, looking to study or already working and interested in furthering your skills, the Bristol City of Film Who’s Who in Skills & Training directory brings together the Bristol organisations that may have what you are looking for.
British Film Institute
The BFI helps people of all ages to understand and enjoy film by running events and courses at BFI Southbank, by creating teaching resources, and by carrying out research and advocacy work. It encourages new audiences into the world of specialist, independent and archive film by sharing knowledge, techniques and critical approaches.
ScreenSkills
ScreenSkills is the industry body which supports skills and training for people and businesses to ensure the UK creative industries maintain their world class position. If you’re working in one of these industries, it has information and resources to help you take your career to the next level. If you’re just starting out, you’ll find information on the different jobs out there, to help you decide which one is right for you.
BBC Academy
The BBC Academy is the BBC’s centre for training, where you’ll find the Colleges of Journalism, Production, Leadership and the Centre of Technology. It puts training and development at the heart of the BBC and also works with the wider broadcast industry, equipping people with skills they need for a lifetime of employability in the ever-changing media landscape.
BECTU
BECTU is the UK’s media and entertainment trade union; sectors covered include broadcasting, film, independent production, theatre and the arts, leisure and digital media.
Raindance
Raindance fosters and promotes British independent film-making around the world, runs training courses and the UK’s independent film festival.
Creative England / Filming in England
Creative England is a national agency that invests in and supports creative ideas, talent and businesses in film, TV, games and digital media. Their Filming in England team assists all types of productions to find crew and facilities in any area of England outside London and manages an extensive crew database which is free to register with.
The Bottle Yard Studios offers work experience placements to students through Bristol WORKS as part of a week-long placement with Bristol Culture at Bristol Museum & Art Gallery. For more information, visit our Vacancies page.