It is that time of year again when all the awards are won for the fantastic films that have been made during the last 12 months. It has been a fantastic and groundbreaking year, with the likes of 'Avatar', 'The Hurt Locker', 'Precious' and 'Up' all being widely received as some of the best films of 2010!
The British Film industry has been represented brilliantly with some fantastic talent both young and old! 'An Education' and its leading actress, Carey Mulligan has drawn high praise and her performance which has won her nominations for both a Bafta and an Oscar! At last night’s Bafta’s ceremony she was the lucky recipient of the Best Actress role, while also being up for best newcomer. We predict a bright future for this young, British Starlet!
While Ms Mulligan was filming the award winning ‘An Education’, Unitbase.co.uk was on hand to help out with its production by sourcing a location for a one week shoot. Inglis Barracks was perfect for scenes were based at a Heathrow hotel and to get this period style look, Inglis was perfect! The officer's mess at Inglis Barracks was used for these scenes and Camilla Stephenson, the location manager, thought it was a perfect location!
Unitbase.co.uk was also involved in some of the other British success stories of last night’s Bafta’s. ‘In The Loop’ was nominated for Outstanding British Film, but unfortunately lost out to the amazing ‘Fish Tank’ Nevertheless, Operations Director of Unitbase.co.uk, James Crawley oversaw ‘In The Loop’ utilise some brilliant locations a the Swakleys House, a magnificent manor house that doubled for areas of 10 Downing Street and some UK governmental offices. ‘In The Loop’ also built a huge set in the studio at Inglis Barracks, which became home to some American CIA offices and Mr Soprano himself, James Gandolfini.
The British Film industry is as strong as ever and Unitbase.co.uk loves it!
Unitbase.co.uk is delighted to be now representing Land Securities and their whole portfolio of locations for filming, photography and events. Why do their locations work so well for filming? Well, besides the fact that they love having filming at their properties, their portfolio of properties covers a huge range. Unitbase.co.uk can offer an unbelievable selection of dressed, open plan, or empty offices, along with unused, modern or vacant buildings. It is not just commercial buildings that are available as great filming and photographic locations, but as a developer, Land Securities acquire great sites to be developed on. A quarry in Ebsfleet is a great example of this, acres and acres of land that can provide producers and directors from all areas of the industry with great backdrops and scenery, just the other side of the Dartford Bridge.
Unitbase.co.uk has been lucky enough to represent one of Land Securities properties, since 2005, Thomas More Square in Wapping, London. The success of filming and photography has been unparalleled. With a brilliantly versatile location and fantastic on site management and security, filming has been carried out successfully at the site for a number of years now. The types of filming at Thomas More Square outlines its versatility, with the feature film 28Weeks Later, using the site for 1 week, Block Party filming a music video on site, along with a commercials for The Sun Newspaper and TV drama Identity. All filming durations varied from half a day through to around 2 months, with every production being allowed to exhaust all the possible locations that are available to them on the site.
So, what is in the pipeline for Land Securities and Unitbase.co.uk? Well, with new British and American feature films planning to shoot in London in 2010, Unitbase.co.uk are excited about the possibilities that the Land Securities portfolio offers the film and television locations industry. We will keep you posted!
Plus, Unitbase.co.uk are always on the hunt for new and interesting locations OF ALL TYPES. So please call 020 7239 8906 or email info@unitbase.co.uk
2010 is off and running and to start the year we are very excited to present to the industry, The Royal Haslar Hospital, under the Exclusive representation of Unitbase.co.uk Ltd.Located within 1 and a half hours from London, this recently vacated NHS hospital has so much on offer it is truly staggering!With a fully dressed hospital on site, plus nightingale style wards and even a full A&E unit, your production will be spoilt for choice!The site has over 150 buildings which means you could shoot a whole production here and we really mean it! The location has halls, gyms, corridors, wards, offices buildings, town houses, air raid shelters, dressed surgery’s, empty roads, a water tower, industrial buildings, plus workshops, set build space and storage facilities.It doesn’t stop there, it has high spec accommodation on site which would make a happy home for your crew!Quite simply this staggering place has it all, so forget moving from location to location and simply set up shop at The Royal Hasler Hospital!
The Original Hospital,
An imposing and institutional style building, greats you as you enter the Royal Haslar Hospital.The building spreads itself impressively over the centre of the site and could double as a school, prison, military barracks, or of course....a hospital!The institutional style building can be used however you wish and will provide a great backdrop for a feature film or TV production!
Empty Hospital Wards,
With dressed and vacant hospital wards, the scope for a production with a medical theme is vast.Whether your production needs a period location, or something more contemporary, The Royal Haslar has the lot.After being built in the 18th Century for injured sailors and marines, the hospital has been constantly added to and so, whatever look you need it will be on this site!
Accident and Emergency Hospital
Not an A&E ward, not even an A&E wing, the Royal Haslar Hospital has its very own A&E Hospital!Starting with its own emergency drive-through unloading area, the hospital is simply a fully dressed A&E set ready to go!Main reception desks, waiting rooms and treatment booths all remain in place and would be ready for a production to start immediately!
Out Patients
Such a big hospital meant that nearly all facilities and treatments were offered.Now it is closed, we have to opportunity to offer these great filming locations, such as X-Ray rooms, consultation rooms, plaster rooms, treatment rooms, day wards, fracture clinics...the list goes on (and on).
Officers Mess
With a military past this hospital looks, in part, just like a military barracks or base.The site has a medical mess, which could double as an officer’s mess with ease.Large living spaces with open fires, bars, residential rooms and long corridors these buildings are great all rounder’s!Surrounded by ornate lawns and stunning sea views, these outbuildings provide that something extra!
Town Houses
It does not stop, the different locations on this site just keeps going.Have a look at these brilliant Georgian town houses, seemingly out of place within hospital grounds.But, never mind, it just provides your production with yet another option at this ultimate filming location!
What about the rest...
Production offices, set build, unit base parking, power and water.All the practical elements are in place so that you can arrive and begin your production immediately!Boring lunch breaks will be a thing of the past as you can relax on the seafront, with a stunning sea view. Plus at the end of the day, no horrible rush hour traffic, just stroll to the onsite accommodation and get you head down!Just another day filming at The Royal Haslar Hospital!
To find out more call us on 0207 354 3251 or email on info@unitbase.co.uk
Unitbase.co.uk - Our Top Ten Locations of 2009 To celebrate Christmas and our last newsletter of 2009, we thought we would have our own Christmas chart! You can forget X-Factor and the annual battle for the Christmas number one, the chart that really counts is our very own top ten locations of 2009! So carry on reading to see what locations made it into our chart and of course we unveil the Unitbase number one location of 2009!
Christmas Chart: No. 10 - Wood Wharf Wood Wharf is a relatively new location on our database, only being available since the summer! However during the last 6 months the location has been very popular, with a range of options and great parking on site. Not to mention the great views of Canary Wharf!
Christmas Chart: No. 9 - Southeastern Trains At number 9, is the Southeastern train network. A very film friendly operator, who over the last year have enjoyed hosting such productions as Spooks and Ashes to Ashes, both of which used Waterloo East and various train carriages.
Christmas Chart: No. 8 - Camden Lock A London landmark makes it into our chart at number 8, the one and only Camden Lock! The British Waterways owned location has been represented by Unitbase.co.uk for a number of years now and in 2009 the location was no less popular, featuring in commercials for Microsoft and Ben Sherman.
Christmas Chart: No. 7 - West India Quay Another British Waterways location makes it into the top ten, with West India Quay. An incredibly popular location with all types of productions. This year it can be seen in the Christmas commercial for Marks and Spencer. The production, featuring Myleene Klass, constructed an ice rink on the quay side and shot for the stunning Canary Wharf backdrop.
Christmas Chart: No. 6 - Bentley Priory Just outside the top 5 is Bentley Priory. This location has had a popular last few months with Holby City and Eastenders both utilising the great locations that are on offer here. Eastenders actually spent a week at the location and used the grand Officers Mess to its full extent.
Christmas Chart: No. 5 - Grand Union Canal Starting us off in the top 5 is the Grand Union Canal. Here were feature the beautiful Little Venice area, which is actually where the Grand Union Canal meets the Regents Canal. Popular productions such as Criminal Justice and Secret Diary of a Call Girl, have both used great locations along the Grand Union Canal.
Christmas Chart: No. 4 - Regents Canal British Waterways has been popular this year and at number 4 is the Regents Canal and is the last showing for our waterside locations. Just piping the Grand Union canal by tallying just one more booking, the Regents Canal has been popular especially in East London around Broadway Market. Feature films such as Harry Brown and Chatroom, have both utilised the unique backdrops that the Regents Canal provides.
Christmas Chart: No. 3 - Brent Cross We are now getting the serious end of the chart now and at number 3 is Brent Cross Shopping Centre. Brent Cross has been a consistently popular filming location and we are very proud to have it on our books! With a great film friendly management staff, filming at the centre has, and will continue to be a pleasure for all productions.
Christmas Chart: No. 2 - Southern Railway What a popular year for Southern Railway! Finding its way to number 2 in our Christmas countdown, so many productions have used their trains and platforms. One of the more high profile shoots on the Southern Railway network was the Woody Allen Summer project. The production hired two carriages and spent the day going to a fro, between London and Brighton.
Christmas Chart: No. 1 - Inglis Barracks And finally...at number 1, is the fantastic Inglis Barracks! 2009 has been another great year for the site, with many productions utilising its production offices and set build spaces. If you have not seen this place yet, then you should come and see it in 2010, we will be happy to show you around. PLus, we are pretty confident that it will have something for everyone! Its a cracker!
Monday, 7 December 2009
"How to Look Good Naked" as Gok Wan hits Westfield London!
Gok Wan spent a whole week advising women how to look good naked at Westfield London! The infamous Gok Pod arrived on site and was on site for 5 days as excitement reached fever pitch at the centre!
The show is focused on taking women and making them feel good about themselves through revolutionising their wardrobe's! Of course there is no shortage of great shops to choose from at Westfield London!
Unitbase.co.uk, the exclusive agents for all filming and photography at Westfield London and had to be on hand so that the filming was controlled and successful. With the attention that the filming and Gok in particular received our man on the ground was kept busy! All in a days work at Unitbase.co.uk!
Blast Films have been commissioned by the BBC to produce a new drama detailing the life of the great John Lennon.
Unitbase.co.uk were on hand to provide a great location for a three day shoot. The now decommissioned RAF Bentley Priory was the chosen location because of its fantastic architecture and stunning interior period decoration.
The production company capitalised on this fantastic property and based their whole production at the decommissioned RAF base for almost a week, with catering, wardrobe and production depatments all on site.
Christopher Eccleston is the actor hired to play the great Lennon himself and we think this is a fantastic choice of cast!
Unitbase.co.uk has many locations like the fantastic RAF Bentley Priory on its locations database and is constantly sourcing locations for huge production companies in film, television and photographic industries. Click on our website, unitbase.co.uk to see loads more locations just like these...
Westfield London has today announced the exciting news to the film industry that leading location agency Unitbase.co.uk has been appointed by the shopping centre to manage all filming and photography taking place at the West London site.
Since opening to the public in late 2008, Westfield London has been inundated with enquiries for filming at the dynamic venue, but with Unitbase.co.uk now representing the centre on an exclusive basis, all filming applications can be considered with immediate effect. By allowing filming to take place, producers can take advantage of shooting a range of outstanding architectural locations in the 150,000 square meter site. These include The Atrium, The Village a high end shopping area within the centre, the Southern Terrace, an outdoor piazza area and a sprawling underground car park.
Westfield's National Commercialisation Manager, Chris Lynham said "Westfield London is excited by the prospect of working with Unitbase.co.uk who has a fantastic track record of dealing with the high profile shoots at commercial properties. We were particularly impressed by what they have achieved for other shopping centre owners like Hammerson Plc and SEGRO so are delighted to appoint them as our location agents."
Piers Read, Managing Director of Unitbase.co.uk is equally thrilled by the arrangement stating "Westfield London is a truly unique film location and one we are delighted to represent. The early feedback we've had is that the industry cannot wait to film here! I'm positive it won't be long before we see an amazing James Bond action sequence shot here."
Unitbase.co.uk has a long history in managing public spaces, both within the M25 and nationally, also represents British Waterways and National Car Parks (NCP) as well as commercial property portfolios belonging to VSM Estates, Land Securities and Hammerson PLC. Click here to see their location portfolios.
For all filming and photographic enquiries at Westfield London, call Unitbase.co.uk on 0207 354 3251, email info@unitbase.co.uk or visit www.unitbase.co.uk.
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