New jobs coming soon

The Island needs only a very small slice of the booming film and television market to make a state-of-the-art studio complex planned for East Cowes a massive success.

That’s according to the three partners behind the new Medina Studios project. With 130 years of industry experience between them, and impeccable connections, the trio is well-placed to attract international players who invest millions in new productions every year.

The UK film industry is a success story. The skills and technical expertise of British crews are world-renowned. Tax reliefs implemented over the last 15 years, to tempt American studios to the UK, were well-timed. The British film industry flourished as TV channels and streaming services increased, creating a near-insatiable demand for content. London is now the third largest film centre in the world, with a UK market worth £5.64 billion last year. To meet demand, up to 6 million square feet of studio space and 40,000 skilled employees will be needed over the next few years. The government’s commitment to levelling up, spreading wealth to poorer areas offers excellent opportunities for the regions.

Duncan Heath, an Island resident of more than 50 years, Neil Blewett and David Godfrey, are determined that the ‘beautiful’ Isle of Wight will get a piece of the action. They have agreed to buy land next to the Medina, intended to be Kingston Marine Park. Those plans faced environmental challenges and were scuppered when commercial access to the waterfront couldn’t be delivered. Attempts by the Isle of Wight Council to sell their landlocked Marine Park site proved unsuccessful until Medina Studios came along.

The idea for an Island film studio came to Neil during filming of Britbox drama series ‘The Beast Must Die’ in 2020. He reasoned that the wide variety of locations, from beaches, beautiful views and picturesque villages to ancient manor houses, coupled with the latest studio production facilities, would make a winning combination. He discussed his ideas with neighbour David Godfrey who, as the former director of international operations for Pinewood Studios, built studios worldwide. David was interested but “with reservations”. All doubts disappeared when David visited the Island and recognised the potential that Neil had spotted. Shortly afterwards, they both approached Duncan, who they felt would be integral to the project, and Medina Studios was born.
The council agreed to sell the East Cowes site to Medina Studios last Thursday, and things are moving quickly. Architects are already on site and working on plans, including moving and replacing the dilapidated bund wall and levelling the front, lowering the height of the studio buildings. A change the site’s neighbours will welcome.

The Island’s thriving creative community has welcomed the plans, but there is a distinctly practical side to the glamorous film world. The vast majority of production work is unseen; cameramen, technicians, editors, producers, runners, lighting technicians and more will be needed for the four planned sound stages, covering 70,000 square feet. They will be built in two phases “as soon as possible,” says David. “We just need to finalise the planning permission; then we can get going.”

With up to 1,000 jobs predicted for the finished site, half will be trades, with the total investment likely to be in the region of £40 million. They are also committed to building a local supply chain, giving work to builders, plasterers, caterers and all manner of tradesmen and -women. They are gearing up to work with local schools and the IW College so Island youngsters can take advantage of the opportunities.

Neil and David showed the IW Observer around the Kingston site this week. “This is so exciting”, said David. “In my mind, I can already see the studios in use and hear the addictive buzz of films being made.” They both agree that working with the council has been “very good; they’ve been very supportive”. Meeting the cabinet team for the first time this week, they didn’t know what to expect, but they came away happy. Neil reflected: “There was a lot of energy in the room. As we talked and answered their questions, the more excited people became, and there were smiles on their faces. They are excited at the potential, and we were buzzing at the end of it.”

Neil is a specialist in communications technology for the film and television industries. He’s looking forward to discussing their requirements with Wightfibre and forging relationships with other high-tech companies on the Island. Duncan leads Europe’s largest talent agency and, as chairman of Medina Studios, is extremely excited about the project. Together, they believe their skills and experiences complement each other.

They are resigned to negative comments from some quarters but have a positive approach to dealing with them. “We’ll just see what they have to say after our first film wrap party and the benefits to the Island are better understood,” said David.
We must all wish them well for a project with so much potential to transform the Island’s economy. The IW Observer team hopes to be reporting on visits from the likes of Netflix, Disney and Warner Brothers before too long.