UK Film Growth: A Moment
for Change
13/August/2025
As someone recently navigating the film world, I’ve watched the UK industry expand in ways we’ve only dared hope for. And right now, with infrastructure investments peaking and screen demand surging, this isn’t just a rebound. It’s a renaissance.
Over the past year, the UK's film and high-end TV production sectors have experienced a dramatic surge. Recent reports indicate that production spending is soaring, £5.6 billion in 2024, a 31% increase on the previous year, driven by inward investment and Hollywood partnerships. Studios are doubling down on expansion, with the new £75 million Screen Growth Package, an £18 million-a-year Global Screen Fund, and hundreds of millions more earmarked for regional hubs like Manchester and Birmingham under a creative regeneration plan.
At the same time, Shinfield Studios near Reading has refinanced over £250 million, and Studio Ulster in Belfast, a £72 million virtual production powerhouse, is already training a new generation of underrepresented talent while attracting major streaming projects. The box office is bouncing back too, with cinemas across the UK and Ireland reporting a substantial yearly growth, signalling that audiences are ready, engaged, and back in their seats.
This wave of investment provides us with more than just larger budgets and advanced technology; it also offers us opportunities for growth and innovation. It gives us agency that offers:
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Infrastructure with heart, where trainees aren’t tokens but vital contributors in areas such as camera, lighting, sound, costume, hair, art, and yes, even roles like on-set electricians and plumbers (two important roles I think are often overlooked).
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Capacity-building that matters, not just studios for headline-grabbing shoots, but space to train.
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Regional inclusivity is the chance to decentralise beyond London and serve diverse communities nationwide.
We find ourselves standing at a crossroads. If we act now, we can fundamentally reshape who is part of the UK film industry and how.
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Imagine:
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A year-long trainee scheme at every major studio, where recent grads and early creatives earn real on-set experience across departments from ADs and vision mixers to sound and set electricians.
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Funding that mandates representation from marginalised socioeconomic, racial, and gender backgrounds so opportunity isn’t limited to who-knows-who.
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A system of mentored pathways that connect studios with universities, local colleges, and screen academies, bridging education and production.
This moment isn’t a windfall; it’s a responsibility. A chance to move from reactive hiring to deliberate and inclusive growth.
Accessibility isn’t just a buzzword. It’s the fuel that powers creativity and social cohesion. A film industry that allows everyone with drive and vision to contribute isn’t just fairer; it’s stronger, richer, and more resilient.
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We’re not reinventing opportunity. We’re asking that studios, funders, and educators seize this moment to solidify it.
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The UK film industry isn’t just growing, it’s evolving. And that evolution can carry all of us forward if we act with purpose.
