Location Spotlight: Architectural Landscape of London

NM Productions is a global production company who pride themselves on collaborating with some of the most talented and creative minds the industry has to offer. Working across both moving image and stills productions, our scalable and flexible approach means we are able to cater for projects both big and small almost anywhere in the world. Whether you are looking for full production or just in need of a location scout, casting director or shoot support services, NM’s dedicated team are here to help. 

NM have worked with household names such as Pepsi, Citibank, Range Rover, Bank of America, Adidas, Nike, Jaguar, Vogue and Omega Watches, to name a few, producing outstanding work spanning across moving image and stills for automotive, sports, celebrity and fashion brands globally. 

NM Locations: With extensive location experience and an international network of scouts, we are able to offer our modular location scouting service with the support of an entire production team. 

LBB> How would you pitch London to any production companies looking to shoot in your region?

James> I think London is a really diverse hub in terms of location offerings, both internally and externally. It also has a really good network of studios, scaling across all sizes and needs. Whether you’re looking for a small photography studio or a really large sound stage, London and the surrounding area offer it all. 

I think the other great thing to note about London, is the talented and creative crew that it has to offer. Firstly, when shooting in London we are never short of any technical crew and have an abundance of amazing rental houses who are always happy to help. 

Second to that, as London is such a large, multicultural, creative hub, it offers such a diverse range of incredible acting talent, meaning that there’ll always be a vast array of talent when it comes to casting.

Another incentive with London is that, due to general payment terms and conditions within the industry, there are no additional payroll fees. This means that the usual additional 20% on top of all crew fees billed by some other countries, aren’t applicable in the UK, which has quite a big impact on the overall budget. Additionally, the dollar and the euro currently go a long way against the pound, making the UK a cost competitive market for productions. 

LBB> What are the main qualities of your region? 

James> Another benefit of London is having access to brilliant transport networks. Not only is it simple to travel around the city, London is very well connected to other parts of the UK. This means that many locations outside of London are easily accessible. For example, it’s feasible to do a one day shoot in the city, then a one day beach shoot in Brighton, and then following on from that a one day shoot in Wales. London and the surrounding area offer a wide variety of locations for both stills and moving image projects. 

LBB> What location would you say is most popular? 

James> London is great because there are various locations to choose from that cater for all kinds of shoot requirements. As a production company, we definitely have frequent requests for brutalist architecture, which then means that The Barbican, time and time again, delivers as a really popular location for clients and crews of all sizes. 

LBB> Which location would you describe as the biggest attribute to local production?

James> Aside from the variety of locations available in terms of size, scale and aesthetic. London is quite forward thinking in terms of technological advances within production. We have some amazing stages, for example; Arri in Uxbridge, which supports virtual production. 

LBB> Explain the climate and the best/worst times to shoot in London? 

James> Just like it’s architecture, London has a diverse climate which ranges from 40ºC in full sun during the summer months to snow in the winter. Depending on what the creative idea requires, will determine when it is best to shoot in the city. However, London suits all conditions and can look stunning in any weather. 

LBB> How is the infrastructure in London, for supporting large productions? Access to high-level cameras and kit, casting, crews, studios etc. 

James> Due to London having such a focus on the creative industry, there is a high volume of talent to support any production, at any time. Our local rental houses keep all their stock, including cameras, updated to have the latest equipment. It’s relatively easy to find the best crew, cast, art department, locations, and all the other logistical support needed for the smooth running of any size project.

LBB> What has been your biggest/most successful production in London to date?

James> Our biggest, most successful production in London has been the Range Rover project that we recently produced with director, Boo George and agency Accenture Song. The creative posed quite a few logistical challenges shooting in multiple locations in and around London in a day with multiple units moving across the city. It was a long and challenging day but a successful one nonetheless with the British weather staying very much in our favour. 

LBB> As an outsider, what would you say are the biggest Dos and Don’ts in the region?

James> One thing to remember about London is that it has some amazing, and strikingly notable architecture, which of course, many filmmakers are keen to capture. However, some of London’s more notable architecture is protected under copyright infringement laws, so it’s always worth a check with your location manager to ensure all permissions and licenses are in place before commencing with the shoot. 

LBB> What would be your number one tip to anyone coming to London to shoot a campaign/film?

James> Our number one tip would be to carry out location research with as much advance notice as possible. London has so much to offer, that we often recommend that you come and see the locations, as a client or a director, together with a location scout before confirming them. 

In addition, London is a great place for turning around last minute permits and generally making things happen, however there are also limitations. For example; if you want to shut down roads - this requires a healthy amount of lead time to arrange necessary permits and traffic management. We would recommend visiting London and visiting locations of interest to gauge the logistical requirements of them. 

LBB> Where would you suggest a foreign production stay while they are in London? 

James> We would recommend staying around the West End of central London, near Hyde Park, Marylebone or Mayfair. There are some lovely hotels around those areas and they’re really close to all transport, as well as the creative hub of London. Soho and Covent Garden area are home to the best theatres, bars, restaurants, live music venues, shops and more. 

LBB> Where are the best bars/restaurants? Any hidden gems you could suggest?

James> London hosts great quality food from all over the world. You can head over to Brick Lane in Shoreditch for curries or Beigel Bake for their famous bagels. For authentic Chinese food, Chinatown in Soho has a range of incredible restaurants to try.

There are also some great street food markets to seek out. From Soho to Farringdon, Borough market, Maltby Street and Portobello Road. And if you really want a taste of cockney London, the pie and mash shops scattered all over East London come with infamous liquor gravy!

And if you want to splash the cash, A local favourite in the City is St John, based in Farringdon. In Soho, Sketch is a great quirky restaurant to visit, and Bob Bob Ricard has a button for champagne! 

LBB> Any other tourist recommendations? 

James> For art and culture, I’d suggest the Tate Modern, the Tate Britain, The Victoria and Albert Museum and of course, The Natural History Museum. 

The Southbank Centre, Somerset House and The BFI always have some great, creative events on. Brick Lane in Shoreditch offers some great bars, vintage shops, art, graffiti and more. 

London is also home to some beautiful green spaces. On a day off, I’d recommend visiting Hampstead Heath and taking a dip in the public ponds. Or walking around Richmond Park to see the deer, or Kew Gardens to see some beautiful flowers and plants. There’s also Battersea Park which is right next to the historic Battersea Power Station – perfect for a shopping day, or a picnic and stroll down by the river!