World Of Studios: Connecting to community

In the latest issue of World of Studios, five studios reveal how they have integrated into their community.

From up-skilling efforts to open days for the public, refugee support and accessibility initiatives, these studios have revealed the ways they work alongside their neighbours, and secure the future and skills of crew and people in their region.

Shinfield Studios, UK & Shadowbox Studios Atlanta, Georgia, US

Community relations is at the heart of Shadowbox Studios at each of its sites globally, including at Shinfield Studios in the UK and at Shadowbox Atlanta in the US. Shadowbox values being embedded in the community to inspire and train the next generation of production talent.

Through Shinfield Studios, Shadow­box is a founding member of Screen Berkshire, alongside the University of Reading, Amazon and Bedlam Film Productions. Its goal is to train and upskill more than 2,000 people annually. Shadowbox provides practical gateways into the industry alongside expanding the regional talent pool and promoting a diverse workforce.

In Atlanta, Shadowbox has created an in-house workforce development programme called ‘Backlot Academy’ that provides industry-led certifications and ‘last mile’ training programming for new crew members. As the first studio-run workforce development programme in the US, Backlot Academy brings ready-to-work, in-house trained local hires to production clients.

In a commitment to its partners, Shadowbox has developed its Backlot Academy programme into a virtual curriculum, accessible anywhere. It is all part of the studios’ efforts to ensure productions can employ and support local crew.

Cinecittà, Rome, Italy

Since 1937, Cinecittà remains a vibrant film studio and attraction. Its original Rationalist entrance leads to a park showcasing iconic movie sets, including those from Fellini’s films. Interactive exhibits like ‘Shooting at Cinecittà’ explore film production, featuring costumes and behind-the-scenes insights. Submarine adventure ‘Submarine S-33’ and ‘Felliniana — Ferretti dreams Fellini’ offer unique cinematic experiences.

MIAC, the Italian Museum of Moving Images, presents a rich collection of Italian film history through interactive installations and multimedia displays, including original sculptures from classic films. Studio EL, shared by directors Ettore Scola and Luciano Ricceri, highlights their collaborative work on notable films. It houses sketches, projects and models, and is open for group visits and includes workshops for children and academic groups.

Weekends feature guided tours of the Ancient Rome set, used for HBO series Rome. The Un Medico In Famiglia set is also accessible. From October to June, Cinebimbicittà offers activities for children and families, and special events are held monthly. Here Cinecittà opens its doors to the public — film enthusiasts and casual visitors alike.

Prague Studios,  Czech Republic

On February 24, 2022, the world changed. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sent shock waves across the globe. In Prague, just shy of 1,500 kilometres away, the city held its breath only for a moment before springing into action.

As the heart of Prague’s film industry, Prague Studios had to act. It has always believed in the power of film to give a voice to the voiceless.

The studios set to work connecting with Ukrainian partners to provide crucial equipment — cameras, editing software and portable sound gear — so those on the ground could continue documenting their truth. By placing these tools directly in their hands, Prague Studios ensured the world saw the war’s realities unfiltered, through the eyes of those living it.

The resilience of the Ukrainian people is inspiring, and is a reminder of how much stronger people are when they join together and uplift as a community. When refugees arrived in Prague, the studios funded after-school spaces where Ukrainian children could acclimate together and find moments of joy in a time of uncertainty.

Supporting Ukraine is a powerful motivator, but it wasn’t the first. For years, Prague Studios has offered facilities pro bono to Czech non-profits that those at the studios believe in, enabling them to share their important missions, backed by filmmaking expertise. Because above all, powerful storytelling can be used to unite communities into action.

Barrandov Studio, Czech Republic

As a founding partner of the Film Foundation (Filmová nadace), Barrandov Studio supports emerging Czech screenwriters annually through its screenplay competition. Each year the foundation distributes up to $45,000 in awards, with two main categories: an open category for all writers and the ‘Star of Tomorrow’ for young authors under 33 without a produced feature. Since its inception, the foundation has supported more than 22 films and granted over $615,000

In addition to developing new screenwriting talent, Barrandov Studio actively supports local and student filmmaking. It provides facilities and co-production support for independent projects, and partners with institutions such as FAMUFEST or Zlin Film Festival — the biggest children’s and youth film festival in the world. It also supports the KVIFF Industry programme, fostering professional growth across the Czech and international film communities.

Through these long-term partnerships and initiatives, Barrandov Studio aims to cultivate creativity, promote diversity of storytelling and contribute meaningfully to the Czech audiovisual landscape.

Lane Street Studios, New Zealand

New Zealand’s Lane Street Studios works closely with the Wellington community across a range of projects supporting environmental best practice as well as screen sector skills training.

For the past decade chief executive Kristy Grant has been a key driver of developing and delivering a range of skills training programmes, with an emphasis on supporting the education to industry pipeline. Her work in this area for the past few years has been based at Lane Street in tandem with managing the new studios being built.

The sustainability focus is evident throughout the development of the facilities: from the recycling of materials during the building conversion for production spaces through to the new soundstages. The facility lessens its footprint with subterranean water filtration systems, high performing and low power consumption lighting and EV charging stations. Substantial composting and recycling programmes are in place, and environmentally friendly materials are used on all rainwater surfaces throughout the facility.

The re-utilisation of set builds is another way Lane Street Studios contributes to the community with productions supported to donate furniture and set build pieces to local schools and theatre companies. In-house props and equipment are regularly donated for use by student and volunteer projects in addition to free use of workshops, production spaces, studios and screening rooms as paying bookings permit.

This article originally appeared in Screen Global Production's World Of Studios magazine.