Hertfordshire LEP’s Annual Conference on 22 October – broadcast live from Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden – will shine the spotlight firmly on the county’s film and TV sector which is fast becoming the new ‘Hollywood’.

In-person panel discussions broadcast live from the hi-tech Screening Room at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, will discuss how Hertfordshire is growing a world-class cluster of film and TV industries and identify how best to stimulate future investment, drive local job creation and spearhead skills development.

A stellar line-up of speakers are already confirmed including Dan Dark, OBE, Executive Vice President, Warner Bros. worldwide studio operations; Caroline Cooper, COO, Sky Studios; Dean Russell MP for Watford;  Deirdre Wells OBE, CEO, Visit Herts and Go To Places; Cllr Morris Bright MBE, Chair, Board of Directors, Elstree Studios; Leader, Hertsmere Borough Council and David Conway, Chief Financial and Operations Officer, ITN.

The UK is home to some of the world’s leading creative talent, contributing £116 billion in 2019, accounting for 6 per cent of UK gross value added. The number of jobs in the creative industries increased by 34 per cent from 2011: more than three times the growth rate of employment in the UK overall.

Hertfordshire’s creative sector has rapidly expanded in the past 12 months with:

• Hollywood’s Sunset Studios choosing to locate its new £700m base in Broxbourne, creating over 4,500 permanent jobs with an estimated contribution of £300m p/a to the local economy;
• Sky Studios Elstree expected to generate an additional £3 billion of production investment over the first five years of operation, from Sky, NBCUniversal and other producers. It also aims to be the world’s most sustainable film and TV studio and will create over 2,000 jobs locally;
  
• Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden recently opening three new sound stages providing 83,000 sq. ft. of additional production space, including a state-of-the-art Virtual Production stage. This investment brings the Studio’s total production space to over 1 million sq. ft. and the total sound stages to 20, offering one of the largest production facilities in the UK.
  

This expansion has strongly established Hertfordshire as a key location for film and TV production in the UK, cementing its reputation as the ‘British Hollywood’. The county is also a prime destination for on-location filming with screen tourism a key focus for Visit Herts recovery strategy.

Mark Bretton, Chair, Hertfordshire LEP, said: ““Hertfordshire has witnessed substantial
inward investment commitments recently in the film and TV sector. This major sector focus is a key element of LEPs’ evolving national role as catalysts to deliver the Plan for Growth. We are delighted that Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden is hosting this important national debate on the future of this globally significant sector which is super-charging the UK’s bounce-back, with the LEP partnering with industry to ensure its ongoing
success and provide real opportunities for local people.”

Dan Dark, Executive Vice President, Worldwide Studio Operations, Warner Bros. said: “This is a crucial time to build on the success of the creative sector. Now, more than ever, we have to invest in facilities and skills to support the future of the industry.”

Caroline Cooper, COO, Sky Studios, said: “Through Sky Studios Elstree, we’re excited to be building on the rich heritage of film and TV production in Hertfordshire and tapping into the highly skilled workforce. But we know we have a responsibility to ensure the industry is set up for the future, this means upskilling the next generation of talent and building a world-class, sustainable studio that will help attract more investment to the area.”

The conference will bring together senior leaders and industry figures from Hertfordshire, Hollywood and beyond to identify how best to stimulate future investment, drive local job creation and ensure that the industry can secure on-screen and off-camera talent to address future skills gaps.

Adrian Hawkins OBE, Chair, Skills Advisory Panel, Hertfordshire LEP; Prof. Julie Newlan MBE, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Business and International Development, University of Hertfordshire; Phil Healey, Dean, School of Creative Arts, University of Hertfordshire; Kevin Trehy, Executive Vice President, Physical Production at Warner Bros. and Gill Worgan, Principal and Chief Executive, West Herts College, will be taking part in the important skills debate.

Registration is now open for free virtual seats at this key event, which runs from 9.00am-12.30pm. Visit the Conference Hub page here.

As part of its ongoing sector focus and Economic Recovery Plan, Hertfordshire LEP has commissioned an independent report into the value of the film and TV industry to the local and UK economy and identify what further actions will be needed to enable it to grow sustainably. This report will be launched at the conference and an industry-led taskforce will be established to capitalise on recent investment successes, turbo-charging the UK’s recovery and leveraging the local economic, social and environmental value from this activity.

The LEP’s AGM will take place on 9th December and will be publicised here.