Film in the city: a report on the film & video sub-Sector in London

The movie business, and the distribution of films through the associated cinema and home
video sectors is a truly global phenomenon. In terms of both production and distribution,
Hollywood has traditionally dominated international markets, however, with radical
innovations in information and digital technologies and the spread of the Internet, it has
become increasingly easier to make and distribute films around the world
. Coupled with this
is the ‘runaway production’ concept, whereby Hollywood productions are no longer tied to
site-specific studios and can choose to shoot and edit their (usually high-budget) movies in
locations around the globe. This has created an international market where cities, such as
Vancouver, Sydney, Brisbane, Prague, Cape Town, London and many more, compete for big
movie business. London has a thriving film and video sub-sector and a highly competitive
infrastructure, nurtured by a host of supporting institutions, which together create a powerful
creative network of players capable of competing at a global scale. The physical geography of
the city also matters to the film industry, not only in terms of shooting locations, but also in
determining where to locate, pitch or exhibit the final creative product. Consequently, the
location and interconnected value chain of producers, post-production, financiers, sales
agents and distributors, cinemas and theatres, as well as the myriad of specialised and highly
skilled workforce is key to the industry’s success. The co-location and clustering tendencies of
individuals and institutions located at close proximity in London and highlighted in this report
are evidence of the intense social networking that characterises the industry.