Being a video production company in Manchester is fantastic!
Ok, we’re going to be biased. We’ve always been making videos in Manchester so our love for the place runs deep. The amazing locations, lively bars and array of creative individuals means the place is constantly buzzing.
But over the course of this article I’m going to take it upon myself to convince you all that regardless of my love of the city of Manchester, it is objectively an amazing city to produce films and videos in. So much so, you’ll be clambering to shut your laptop so you can set up your own video production company in Manchester.
Historical Architecture
First stop in my four-point argument is the wonderfully beautiful architecture of Manchester. On the surface, it’s not stand out, head-turning artwork, but it defines the character of the city. Manchester is built on its tough yet warm and welcoming identity and the architecture in the best part reflects this.
Through the Roman ruins of Castlefield to the ridiculously old John Ryland library all the way through to the iconic Victoria Baths. Manchester’s eclectic mix of eras on display adds to the diversity at the heart of the city.
Why does this make it a great place to be a video production company? It’s simple, the diversity of filming locations.
Just think of all the different sets you can create from the different backdrops. Many cities across the world have an architectural look that is distinctly unique to them. This is fantastic and you can instantly tell where something is shot, but Manchester’s diversity means it is not restricted by this uniformity.
This array of beautiful buildings and settings means you can film in and around the city without the locations becoming stale. This adds to the array of styles you can shoot without leaving the city itself. The inspiration for a filmmaker is there on your doorstep in Manchester and it’s just calling out for you to make the most of it.
Other Amazing Shows And Films
I know I’m making a bold statement here trying to profess that my opinion of Manchester and its film production credentials are the right ones. So if you’re looking for a second opinion when it comes to my thoughts, they are really not hard to come by.
There has been an unbelievable selection of highly successful films and TV series shot in Manchester over the years. This even reaches beyond the realms of the smaller video production company. Manchester has played host to some of the biggest film production set-ups there are. They don’t come much bigger than Marvel and the ever-popular streets of the Northern Quarter were the welcoming host to the film crew of Captain American: The First Avenger.
The list doesn’t stop there. Some of the biggest and most ambitious filmmakers around have chosen Manchester to film in. Let’s rattle off a few more examples to really seal the deal. The ever successful Netflix series The Crown only recently took over the Northern Quarter for filming. The award-winning Darkest Hour starring Garry Oldman made the most of the stunning architecture on offer via the town hall. Whilst the huge hit series Peaky Blinders has also enjoyed using Manchester as one of its primary filming locations.
The list goes on. Although it may seem like I’m just throwing a lot of titles at you for the sake of it, there is a point to this. Manchester is not only a diverse place to film, it has the capacity to cater for such big productions. The locations work so well for a variety of films and the city itself is set-up to allow these big artistic visions to come to life. So if the idea of rubbing shoulders with big filmmakers excites you. Manchester is the place to run a video production company.
Media City
If we’re talking about the film industry in Manchester we cannot ignore Media City. Construction of Media City began in 2007 with the vision of being a northern hub for state of the art media and broadcasting. The 200-acre space in Salford Quays delivers a unique campus-like environment that plays host to some of the most exciting projects in the industry.
The residents speak for themselves. With the BBC, ITV and Channel 4 all producing shows from Media City, it is clear this is a place with the highest level of facilities. Both ITV and BBC have substantially sized bases here, meaning that some of the brightest media talent in the country mingle around here on a daily basis.
On top of this, Media City has a certain buzz to it that stokes the creative fires. The Lowery Theatre and the hugely impressive feat of architecture that is the Imperial War Museum infuse extra culture into the area. On top of this, the selection of bars and restaurants means the place is alive. It’s where ideas go to thrive and become something bigger than themselves.
With high-quality studio spaces accessible, an electric atmosphere and a whole host of talented residents, Media City is the ideal place to mingle if you’re running a video production company in Manchester. For me, the facilities are amazing and add so much to the city. But the gathering of minds that the place has instigated is what really makes this a unique part of Manchester.
Social City
To top all of this off, Manchester is an unbelievably social city. Whether it be the people you mix with or the bars you frequent, the whole place is geared towards socialising.
When running a video production company, meeting people and collaborating is an important thing. So to be in a city where mixing with people is so easy, it provides so many opportunities for collaborative projects.
I think this is why Manchester does so well on the digital front. There are so many different creative industries and everybody seems so willing to work together on projects. This leads to unique projects starting and Manchester then becoming the hub of fresh developments.
Plus, who doesn’t love being amongst so many brilliant places to eat and drink. The Northern Quarter alone is packed with bars and restaurants that would be the envy of any city. The landscape of the city just encourages you to be social and in an industry like ours, that can only be a positive thing.
So there we have it. There are four top reasons why Manchester is a great city to run a video production company in. The practical element of great film and video resources is ticked ten times over. Then to top it off, the city provides a space that attracts talented and creative people by the abundance. These people are driven and are always keen to collaborate, meaning that anyone who has an idea and a bit of drive to back it up, will have the opportunities to create what they want to create.
If you didn’t think Manchester was a great city before this, I really hope you do now.
