The British film industry is transforming and, as it grows, it needs suppliers to step up and deliver. The film industry has a unique set of requirements when it comes to photocopier and printer leasing and suppliers need to be geared up to meet these demands.

Last year, 290 films went into production here in the UK and, this year, this is anticipated to grow further. But Britain isn’t a newcomer to the film industry.

In the late 19th Century, Bristolian William Friese-Greene developed a way to project images from a perforated roll of film and Britain has been a key player in the world of movie development and creation ever since.

During the 70’s and 80’s, the British film industry suffered painful funding cuts, the effect of these cuts rippled on for decades causing a lull in creative development.

In the 1990’s a cash injection to Shepperton Studios and Pinewood Studios reawakened the industry. It prompted the creation of blockbuster franchises such as “Lord of the Rings” and “Harry Potter”, and other popular British movies such as “1917”,” “The Favourite,” and “Bohemian Rhapsody”.

This increase in movie production has given Britain the perfect opportunity to showcase the talent it has, both in front of, and behind, the camera.

The Impact on the British Film Industry

Technology has prompted a dramatic change in the film industry. More high-end tv streaming companies have entered the market, competing with the British film industry for eyeballs. The best way to win the war for consumer attention is through the generation of unique content which has driven demand for film production studios, writers and pre- and post-production skill sets. Costs have risen making close budgetary control more important than ever. And, in response to the increase in opportunity, British film production studios have sprung up around the country. These include:

  • a £263million film and TV studio complex in Bedfordshire
  • Crown Works Studios in Sunderland, The Fold in Leamington Spa,
  • Gillette Studios on the site of the old Gillette factory in Hounslow,
  • MARV studios specialising in stunt sequences,
  • HOP studios in Bedfordshire,
  • Winnersh Film Studios near Reading,
  • Holyport near Maidenhead,
  • Marlow Studio Project, and
  • Bray Film Studios among others.

The challenge with finding suppliers for photocopier & printer leasing for the British Film Industry

Of course, with more studios, the demand for suppliers to the movie industry has increased, but finding the right supplier isn’t always easy. When looking for services such as photocopiers and printers, budget, and rental time and even anticipated potential downtime are key considerations. Buying hardware for short term movie projects doesn’t make sense, which means movie production teams need to find a hardware rental supplier that can offer agnostic advice to ensure that the hardware rented meets all of their security and capability requirements and offer a cost-effective service and a rapid repairs service, or even, like ASL, a remote repairs service where possible to minimise potential downtime.

However, the unique nature of the British film industry and the challenges it faces means it’s better to choose a service provider that understands the movie industry and the time pressures and creative demands that clients within that industry are under.

ASL’s film production hardware rental

ASL has worked with TV production and film production projects at Shepperton Studios, Pinewood Studios, Maidstone, Leavesden Studios, Longcross Studios, Twickenham Studios, The Gillette Building, Elstree, Ealing and other film and TV studios across England, making us well placed to understand the hardware rental demands of the movie industry and its need for flexibility and support.

With ASL, you can be confident that you can hire the photocopier and printing hardware equipment you need, when you need it, and scale up your hardware resources when required and scale them back when they’re not required. And, with our remote support capabilities, you can be confident that we’re on hand to minimise downtime and reduce the risk of costly knock-on delays.

To learn more about how ASL can support your British film industry business with film production copier and printing rental, contact us on 0345 207 7000 or visit our photocopiers for films page at our website.