Sunderland Riverside proves ‘picture-perfect’ for region’s £37m screen agency

An organisation set up to grow the North East’s TV and film industries is moving to a new head office as it looks to unearth “the next Vera”.

North East Screen, a £37m project supported by combined and local authorities from across the region, is relocating to The Beam at Riverside Sunderland.

The move will put the organisation at the heart of the region as it looks to create “vibrant industry sector communities” and develop the skills required to turn it into a “centre of excellence for the screen industries”.

This includes ensuring new entrants to the industry have the skills to access work opportunities, making it easier for production companies to film in the region and raising the region’s global profile.

Supported by 12 local authorities and the BBC, North East Screen is part of the North East Screen Industries Partnership (NESIP) which was formed to level up the regional film and TV industries by more than doubling its 2019 share of the UK production market and delivering an annual economic impact to the regional economy of £88m.

Since its inception in 2002, North East Screen, formerly known as North East Film & Media, has already helped support hit North East TV shows Vera and The Dumping Ground, providing local crews, support and production, and it is confident the move will mark the beginning of an exciting new era for the organisation.

Gayle Woodruffe, operations director at North East Screen, commented: “We want to attract people from across the globe to come and film here and being based out of Sunderland will allow us to position ourselves centrally to promote the entire region.

“The North East has so many hidden gems. We have coast, countryside, cities and castles, however the TV and film industry has traditionally been somewhat closed off to areas such as ours. This is why working in partnership with all of the local and combined authorities really has its strengths.

“By pooling our resources together and working in collaboration, as opposed to being in competition with one another, there’s no reason why we can’t maximise the region’s assets and everything it has to offer.”

“We’re also trying to break down the stigmas of what careers in TV and film entail. There are so many career opportunities that people just don’t realise exist, from costume design to makeup, electricians and accountants.”

By Matthew Neville – Correspondent, Bdaily

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