London film bosses today launched a drive for the next generation of blockbuster television shows such as Mad Men and The Sopranos to be made in Britain.
American television executives as well as leading animators are to be wooed with a tour of the capital’s top facilities and venues such as the Olympic Park in an attempt to bring an extra £200 million of production to the city.
The hope is that a new tax break for more expensive TV series and animations which comes into effect this week will make Britain — and London — a more attractive place for productions.
Film London hopes the tax credit will transform the TV and animation industries and create 1,000 jobs just as a similar deal for films has seen big studios flood to the UK to make movies such as The Dark Knight Rises. It will also make it cheaper for British producers to film here instead of making series abroad.
Mayor Boris Johnson today threw his weight behind the initiative by giving Film London an extra £750,000 over the next three years to help promote the tax break and bring in new business.
Film London chief executive Adrian Wootton said: “Having worked with the Mayor’s office for the last 10 years to transform the capital into a film-friendly city, we now welcome the same task for high-end TV and animation.” Enquiries were already “phenomenal,” he added.
Speaking on a visit to Ealing Studios today, Mr Johnson said “a new golden age of TV production” had dawned, with the chance to make London the “city of choice” for top-class drama and animation.
Lord of the Rings star Andy Serkis, who has helped set up a production company, Imaginarium, said the new tax relief was “very important” .
And Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes, whose series Titanic was shot overseas, said the global success of top British TV was finally being recognised.
London is the third busiest city in the world for film-making after Los Angeles and New York.
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