North East professionals recognised for excellence at the first Location Manager Awards UK.
Emily Turnbull has been awarded the Andrew Bainbridge Rising Star Award at the first Location Manager Awards UK, held on Saturday 4th October at the historic St George’s Hall in Liverpool.
The Location Manager Awards UK celebrate the often-unsung heroes of the UK film and television industry: Location Managers, Scouts, Studio Managers and Unit Managers, whose work shapes the visual identity of every production. The awards recognise emerging talent as well as established professionals, highlighting the dedication, creativity and skill required to bring productions to life.
Emily has worked in the location department for over seven years, progressing from Location Trainee to Assistant Location Manager. Along the way, she has gained experience on a wide range of productions, from drama to feature films, including 28 Years Later, The Old Oak, Vera, I Fought The Law and Time. Her work spans location scouting, coordinating permits, managing on-set logistics, and liaising with local communities — all critical to ensuring smooth and successful productions. Her Rising Star award recognises not only her technical skill but the professionalism and creativity she brings to every production, ultimately helping to showcase the North East as a dynamic and film-friendly region.
We have a motto in our department — that is work very, very hard and love each other.
Also recognised at the awards was Mark Valentine, whose department was nominated for the Terry Blyther Location Department Award for productions including Funny Women and World on Fire, recognising their collaborative work in managing locations and supporting smooth production across multiple projects.
We’ve got such talented crews here, such hard working crews as well.
The ceremony took place at St George’s Hall, Liverpool, a neoclassical landmark featured in productions including Peaky Blinders, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Batman and The House of Guinness.
For productions looking to film in the North East, the North East Screen Film Office is ready to help. Our team provide that one front door to industry – whether you need advice on locations, access to crew, facilities, or guidance on local authorities, our team can support your production from start to finish – helping you take advantage of everything our region has to offer.
North East professionals recognised for excellence at the first Location Manager Awards UK.
Emily Turnbull has been awarded the Andrew Bainbridge Rising Star Award at the first Location Manager Awards UK, held on Saturday 4th October at the historic St George’s Hall in Liverpool.
The Location Manager Awards UK celebrate the often-unsung heroes of the UK film and television industry: Location Managers, Scouts, Studio Managers and Unit Managers, whose work shapes the visual identity of every production. The awards recognise emerging talent as well as established professionals, highlighting the dedication, creativity and skill required to bring productions to life.
Emily has worked in the location department for over seven years, progressing from Location Trainee to Assistant Location Manager. Along the way, she has gained experience on a wide range of productions, from drama to feature films, including 28 Years Later, The Old Oak, Vera, I Fought The Law and Time. Her work spans location scouting, coordinating permits, managing on-set logistics, and liaising with local communities — all critical to ensuring smooth and successful productions. Her Rising Star award recognises not only her technical skill but the professionalism and creativity she brings to every production, ultimately helping to showcase the North East as a dynamic and film-friendly region.
We have a motto in our department — that is work very, very hard and love each other.
Also recognised at the awards was Mark Valentine, whose department was nominated for the Terry Blyther Location Department Award for productions including Funny Women and World on Fire, recognising their collaborative work in managing locations and supporting smooth production across multiple projects.
We’ve got such talented crews here, such hard working crews as well.
The ceremony took place at St George’s Hall, Liverpool, a neoclassical landmark featured in productions including Peaky Blinders, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Batman and The House of Guinness.
For productions looking to film in the North East, the North East Screen Film Office is ready to help. Our team provide that one front door to industry – whether you need advice on locations, access to crew, facilities, or guidance on local authorities, our team can support your production from start to finish – helping you take advantage of everything our region has to offer.
North East Screen Industries Partnership (NESIP) investments across the North East is creating opportunities for the resilient world class talent based in the region to innovate and pivot to new ways of working across an ever changing creative industry.
The report highlights a 131% surge in regional production spend, driven by strategic investment, the impactful work of the North East Screen Film Office, and the growth of a vibrant creative ecosystem fostered through collaboration with regional and national partners, including the BBC. With over £65 million in GVA, the North East has firmly established itself as the fastest-growing region in the UK for screen industries.
Other key achievements over the three years include:
The equivalent of 1,046 FTE jobs created across the screen sector, according to the EIA Saffrey report
An impressive £6.70 return on every £1 invested in projects via the North East Production Fund (NEPF)
£2.37 million invested in 10 productions through the NEPF
65% of crew members employed on NEPF productions are from the North East
A 90% increase in filming days with productions staying and filming for longer in the region thanks to alternative studio spaces
6,422 paid training dayson production delivered to support lifelong workforce development
8 regularly commissioned companies – up from just one prior to 2022
50 investments in slate and business development for regional companies and talent
North East Screen Chief Executive, Alison Gwynn said,
“Not only is the North East the fastest growing region in the UK for screen industries, it’s also a region bursting with untapped potential, despite the challenges the global screen industry has faced.
“This report is a testament to the power of our unique public sector and industry collaboration. Everything achieved here is thanks to the incredible talent, crew, businesses and world class stories that are rooted in our region.
“Productions come to the North East for our world class locations, which are vibrant, diverse and really accessible, and stay because they find all they need via our welcoming front door to the industry in the region.
“This is just the beginning. As we enter the next phase of our delivery, we will ensure that our activity reflects the diversity of the region, backs innovation, and has sustainable and inclusive practices embedded across all of it.”
North East Screen is the delivery programme of the North East Screen Industries Partnership (NESIP), driving growth across the screen industries and wider creative industries in the North East and Tees Valley with funding support from the Tees Valley Combined Authority and North East Combined Authority. NESIP is committed to unlocking the full creative potential of the region, with the aim to more than double its share of the UK film and TV production market, generating an economic impact of £88 million over the initial five year period.
In collaboration with the BBC and alongside regional education institutions, NESIP is building a sustainable, inclusive screen ecosystem that nurtures local talent, supports production, and attracts national and international projects.
North East Mayor Kim McGuinness said,
“We are a region full of creative talent and that is why we’re investing £6,252,944 to support the groundbreaking work North East Screen is doing to bring major film and TV productions to our region.
“Our iconic landmarks and locations have been beamed across the world and featured in leading film and TV productions, including the Harry Potter films and more recently 28 Years Later.
“Bringing more productions to the region means hundreds of new creative jobs and opportunities, right from starring roles to those supporting behind the scenes.
“We’re setting the stage to become a real powerhouse of UK film and TV production, and as our plans for leading studios right here in our region progress, it’s an incredibly exciting time for the creative industries and talent located here in the Noth East.”
Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said,
“It’s outstanding that our region’s vibrant TV and film production industry is going from strength to strength as the fastest-growing in the UK – supporting hugely successful shows such as the powerful Teesside story told in ‘I Fought The Law‘.
“Our support – in collaboration with the work of North East Screen – is helping this area establish itself as creative powerhouse and become a place where local people can build exciting, skilled careers.
“Through the Tees Valley Investment Zone, we’re putting a real focus on supporting our fast-growing creative and digital sectors – driving forward with the £33.5m expansion of The Northern Studios and an exciting new production village in Hartlepool.
“These developments are creating well-paid jobs, attracting investment, and making our region the go-to place for world-class productions. We’re proud to be playing our part in this success story.”
As the region continues to grow, North East Screen remains committed to backing homegrown talent and championing the crews and businesses that bring global content to the region. With the North East, Crown Works Studios and the Tees Valley Investment Zone – focused on growing creative and digital industries – highlighted in the Government’s Modern Industrial Strategy, the region is in a good place to continue its growth, enhancing why the North East is considered one of the best places to live, work and play in the UK.
How the North East helped bring 28 Years Later to life
28 Years Later, the highly anticipated follow-up to the iconic franchise, delivers a thrilling story, and behind the scenes showcases the North East as a production-ready region with stunning locations, skilled crew, and strong local support. The North East Screen Film Office played an important role, providing hands-on guidance from early development through to wrap.
From the earliest planning stages, North East Screen worked closely with DNA Films to support location scouting and development. After first connecting at the industry event FOCUS in 2023, the team fast-tracked the production by providing location ideas, key contacts, and practical support. Within just eight weeks, meetings and recces were underway. A two-day Familiarisation Trip gave the location managers a full picture of what the region could offer and introduced them to the people who would help bring the summer shoot to life. Bespoke location and facilities brochures highlighted hidden gems, while strong relationships across the Filming Friendly Network helped unlock access to unique sites and local partners.
Production highlights
43 of 51 locations (84%) sourced locally, including private estates with breathtaking landscapes and on-site accommodation for cast and crew
76 local crew members, including trainees supported through North East Screen’s Access initiative, which identified skills gaps and onboarded local talent
173 supporting artists, mostly from the North East
Nearby set build space secured with Sunderland City Council, allowing the recreation of the iconic Holy Island causeway. An unused warehouse was transformed into a fully functioning water studio, and DNA Films extended the lease to build additional sets
Facilities and services utilised: accommodation, storage, set build, casting, and even archery training
To celebrate the film’s release, a Gala Screening at Tyneside Cinema brought together director Danny Boyle, lead cast Alfie Williams, and chief ‘Alpha’ Chi Lewis-Parry. The event attracted 30 press accreditations and coverage from 15 media titles, generating high local engagement and positioning the North East as a destination for productions that have global appeal.
Bringing the screen to the region
In collaboration with Visit Britain and Destination North East, the “Visit If You Dare” campaign invited fans to explore the iconic locations of 28 Years Later. The film’s biohazard symbol and campaign hashtag were projected onto key landmarks across the region. By linking big-screen storytelling with destination marketing, the initiative encouraged audiences to discover the North East’s beautiful landscapes, which feature as eerie locations in the film.
With 28 Years Later available worldwide, audiences can experience a gripping story set against the North East, while seeing firsthand the work of local crews, the facilities and locations that supported the production, and the collaborative infrastructure that makes the region a premier destination for film and television.
Over 6,000 people across the North of England have benefitted from Screen Alliance North activity during their second year of funding.
In their latest figures just released, the northern skills cluster, supported by the BFI awarding National Lottery funding, the partnership has continued to make an impact attracting almost 10,000 people to their events throughout the year and have supported trainees from a range of marginalised backgrounds (48% of trainees have a disability, 28% of trainees identify as LGBTQ+ and 24% of trainees are from low socio-economic backgrounds).
Screen Alliance North, a partnership formed by Liverpool Film Office, North East Screen, Screen Manchester and Screen Yorkshire in April 2023, has delivered through each agency nearly 400 activities this year, from bootcamps to bespoke training sessions, shadowing placements to on the job training.
Formed to address the skills gap in the industry and to level out opportunities in the northern region, the partnership is strongly focused on equal access within the industry and increasing accessibility to the industry.
Alison Gwynn, Chief Executive of North East Screen said on behalf of the Executive Team: “We’re committed to ensuring that opportunity is not determined by postcode or class, and that the north is not just a place where productions are made, but where careers are built and sustained. This year we’ve built strong new connections and developed existing relationships, working with stakeholders and collaborating with employers, to create 100’s of meaningful opportunities for people across the North and are proud of what we have achieved.”
Penny Hall, Skills Cluster Lead added: “This review outlines the impact of our second year. We have delivered targeted training in high-demand areas, shaped by direct engagement with productions and crew. We’ve piloted new approaches to inclusive leadership and worked with a range of partners on access, sustainability and good working practice, because we believe real change must start at the top and be embedded into everyday working practices.”
Screen Alliance North are already delivering year three of their planned activity which focuses on five core objectives and are in the planning stages for future funding possibilities. The four northern agencies now work closely together for skills work, industry mapping and data collection, with the film offices closely linked to support major productions.
Alison continued: “As the agencies have worked more strongly together, the cluster has evolved and we feel the strength of our partnership is benefitting productions and crew as well as making the industry more accessible for new entrants from all backgrounds. We know what’s happening in our individual regions so together we have a very strong position and can support each other. We want to make a big difference to the industry and collectively we can achieve that in a sustainable way that grows production in the North.”