COVID-19

The screen industries are of course operating in unprecedented times and the impact of COVID-19 will undoubtedly be felt deeply as we work through this ever-evolving situation.

The primary concern is of the health and welfare of the workforce, and there has been a pausing, postponement and shut down of UK production at this time, creating a hiatus of work for the foreseeable future.

During this period Film London remains fully operational, delivering for the industry and sharing official advice and support. For advice on London locations, studios and facilities, email locations@filmlondon.org.uk

In light of this, our monthly London: On Screen and Filming feature will highlight the variety of titles filmed in and around the capital that will be on TV and online, with more and more exciting, inspiring and thought-provoking content now available to occupy your lockdown.

TV

The third series of the ever-popular spy drama Killing Eve airs this month. With the recent drop of the trailer, it looks set to be an intense instalment with psychotic assassin Villanelle, played by award-winning Jodie Comer, discovering some earth shattering information that may change things for the better or worse…Locations for the series include Tower Bridge, Bank Station and Royal Albert Hall. Sets were also built at the former London Metropolitan University building in Whitechapel.

Film London helped facilitate series two of the hit show last year. Filming took place all over the capital, from the brutalist Barbican Laundrette, to the Cargo Club in Hackney and Hammersmith Town Hall, as well as various locations in the boroughs of Camden, Tower Hamlets, Hounslow and Westminster.

Online

For a feel good fix, last month’s cinema release Military Wives, the comedy drama about a group of women who decide to form a choir whilst their partners are serving in Afghanistan, is now available to watch on Youtube, Google Play and Prime Video. The area of Hemel Hempstead played backdrop for various scenes, more specifically the Old Town Hall, White Heart Pub and the High Street.

If you are looking for a bit more bribery, blackmail and billions to pass the time, then you're in luck, as January’s release of gangster film The Gentlemen is also available online. Matthew McConaughey stars as a drug lord who tries to sell off his empire in London, triggering plots and scams from those who want to steal his wealth. Filming locations ranged from the luxurious postcodes of Mayfair and Kensington to Emirates Stadium, Tate Modern and even Billingsgate Fish Market!

From cartoon classics, to intergalactic sagas and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the recently launched streaming service Disney+, also showcases numerous Film London facilitated features. For example, Avengers: Age of Ultron built sets at both Shepperton Studios and Longcross Studios, with Film London advising on various locations that could double for international settings. The mind-bending Doctor Strange was also based at Longcross Studios, with Film London suggesting stand-in locations for Hong Kong.