By implementing filming in our boroughs and at our privately owned locations we bring benefits beyond that of revenue generation to our local councils, residents, and businesses.

By “Beyond Film”, we mean that which delivers experiences and engagement outside of the actual film shoot and it’s financial incentives.

We seek to generate community benefits across our boroughs which, in essence, enable our visiting productions and communities to thrive in unison.

“Events”, “Thanks” and “Talks” underpin the fundamentals of what we seek to attain from our productions beyond their filming.

So let’s show you.

Give Thanks

A leading example of this work can be found in our participation in the 2019 feature film Peter Rabbit 2 where, after having arranged and facilitated their film locations, we activated ‘Community Benefit’ opportunities to say thank you to the local community.

After opening discussions with the Sony PR team our plan of engagement would involve some exciting activities to give back to our communities in different ways.

Firstly, we set about brightening up the daily lives of children at the Rainbow Centre children’s ward at Newham Hospital. The delightful and gigantic Peter Rabbit popped in for tea, carrots and a chin wag, before scurrying off to another meeting back at The Burrow.

Peter and the Sony PR team arrived on site, meeting and greeting hospital staff and children, delivering entertainment, plenty goodie bags and an assortment of Easter treats for all patients on the ward.

Events

But our work wouldn’t stop there. In collaboration with Sony, we surprised the children, staff and additional local residents by giving them free tickets to a private screening at the Newham Showcase cinema – inviting those from Newham Hospital and the West Silvertown Foundation (a resident-led charity focusing on the health and local community inclusion).

Providing cinema screenings to local people for free really adds value to people’s lives – after all who doesn’t like a free day out of fun!

Talks

And still further, we facilitated a lecture at The University of East London for local students to learn directly from the people who made the film happen.

We arranged for the production’s Location Manager to talk to the university’s film students.

The talk they gave covered the working process of being a Location Manager on the shoot; how they prepared for the filming with us at here The Film Office and what considerations had to be given for the shoot to run smoothly.

It’s a wonderful collection of benefits, befitting of a wonderful character – whose universe of stories embody the challenge of adventure and the importance of collaboration, friendship and navigation around adversaries to show one’s true colours.

The Film Industry is booming in the UK and we are here every step of the way to help our clients benefit from the community, social and financial benefits it is capable of delivering alongside its end production goal.

Emily Gunn (who worked across all elements of the job and its benefits) had this to say:

“From start to finish it was a wonderful experience to be part of bringing Peter Rabbit 2 to Newham. Seeing film crews on the Royal Dock; coordinating the public’s boats with the production’s CGI team to gain clear shots was a unique experience and sight to behold.

“I was delighted with Sony’s enthusiasm at providing the amazing community benefits I asked from them, enabling us to give back to the borough. Visiting the hospital to meet the children who adored the characters and were so in love with the movie gave a genuine thrill to everyone involved. Even the local residents visiting the exclusive screening were so surprised to hear they’d filmed just minutes away from their houses, so the non-disruptive shoot must have been well managed too!

“Overall, it was a wonderful job to be a part of. Hopefully we see a third one in the years to come!”