Why having Post Production Work in Manchester Makes Sense

Every professional involved in broadcasting knows that the work of filming a TV programme, commercial, or blockbuster film is only half the job. The post-production element is vital, whether cutting the filmed scene at just the right point, enhancing the light, cleaning up the sound, or adding in special effects.

Whatever extra things need to be done, we have the facilities to do it right here at our premises in Manchester. That may be particularly convenient when it comes to matters of location. If you are filming in this area, why not have your post production work done in Manchester too?

Manchester and its surrounding area has been a popular place in recent years for filming and broadcasting and this is not just because of the large industry presence in MediaCity UK, although that certainly helps.

Gotham Comes To Manchester

The latest evidence of this has come in the form of the DC Studios movie Clayface, which focuses on one of Batman’s big enemies. The Manchester Evening News recently revealed how the arches in Castlefield have been used as a backdrop for a part of Gotham City.

It is not the first time a part of Greater Manchester has appeared in the film. A red carpet scene was recently filmed outside the Plaza Theatre in Stockport, while filming has also taken place in Liverpool. There may be more to follow before the DC film crews decamp back to the US.

It is far from the first time a big Hollywood (or, strictly speaking, Burbank) production has filmed on location in Manchester. In 2010, Marvel used part of the Northern Quarter as a backdrop to 1940s New York for a scene in the Captain America film The First Avenger, with the help of a few posters, street signs and cars to make it look just like the Bronx.

Peaky Blinders Heads North

The Northern Quarter has also been used for scenes in The Peaky Blinders, as has Stockport Plaza, which may leave a few Brummies feeling a bit disappointed that appropriate settings appear to be scarce down in the city where the series is set.

Stockport has appeared a lot in other high-profile productions as well, such as Life on Mars, while Lyme Hall, which is owned by the council even though it lies in Cheshire, was the setting for some Pride and Prejudice scenes.

Of course, some might say that lots of towns and cities have some big films and TV productions being shot there and this is true enough, but many of them will not be places that can also provide the post-production facilities to enable that part of the project to be done as well.

Why You Should Keep It Local

Keeping it all local in the Manchester area might not be a priority for California-based enterprises like Marvel or DC Studios, but if you are a smaller firm with a more limited budget, keeping everything within a smaller radius and saving on transport costs would make a lot of sense.

Indeed, while it is fascinating to note that Castlefield should have the best location for railways running through Gotham City, or the Northern Quarter makes a great facsimile for the Bronx and brings American film makers across the Atlantic as a result, the reality for many is that their best option is always to look for somewhere local.

This isn’t even confined to those with the smallest budgets. The BBC, for instance, used a wall in Penarth for a scene set at the foot of the Statue of Liberty, which bears a close resemblance to the wall of the plinth upon which the iconic statue stands. This, of course, was conveniently local to the BBC Wales base in Cardiff, where the show is filmed.

Manchester Has What You Need

Considering the fact that Doctor Who uses a lot of special effects and props for its huge cast of aliens, vast array of settings on a myriad of strange planets and increasingly bizarre regenerations (Billie Piper has a lot of explaining to do), it is reasonable to suggest that even those using a lot of post-production tech may mix this with local filming.

If that sounds like you, this may be a great opportunity to match up the myriad of great filming opportunities Greater Manchester offers with its fascinating mix of moody old post-industrial red brick and iron corners, futuristic skyscrapers and occasional Art Deco theatres.

Your production may not be as big-budget as a film about Captain America or one of Batman’s enemies, or even as popular as Life on Mars, but that simply adds to the reasons to get everything done here in Manchester.