Drama indie Bad Wolf and the Welsh Government have confirmed the launch of a new studio facility in Cardiff, Wolf Studios Wales.
One of the largest TV and film studios in Wales, the new production facility will be based at Trident Park, Ocean Way, close to Cardiff City Centre.
Wolf Studios Wales has been acquired by Welsh Government. It will be leased by Bad Wolf on commercial terms and will provide studio facilities for Bad Wolf’s production slate as well as being able to accommodate other major TV productions.
Bad Wolf will film all of their upcoming productions in the studio including the series A Discovery of Witches and His Dark Materials.
Bad Wolf says it will be the only studio in Wales able to offer stage space with a maximum eave height of 17.5 metres (57ft).
On a visit to the site today with Bad Wolf CEO Jane Tranter and md Julie Gardner, Welsh Economy Secretary Ken Skates described it as a strategically important acquisition that would meet the growing high demand for studio space in Wales which is competing against increasing supply in other regions of the UK.
Skates said: “A facility of this size will ensure Wales retains a competitive advantage with enough large scale studio space to service the productions wishing to film here. It has real potential to generate a transformational impact on the Welsh creative industries sector, creating a large scale film and TV production hub.”
Bad Wolf – co-sited in Wales and the US – was set up in 2015 by former BBC execs Tranter and Gardner to develop and produce a slate of TV drama projects in Wales.
Bad Wolf’s requirements for studio space in Wales were specific – they needed a minimum of 200,000 sq ft of shooting space, two large stages with ceiling heights of more than 10 metres suitable for accommodating productions of scale, and additional office space.
The two linked high bay units at Trident Park – totalling 253,500 sq ft – meet these specifications. The studio also has direct access to the M4.
Skates said: “A facility capable of accommodating large scale productions is crucial for Bad Wolf to deliver its pipeline of projects which will provide a £120m plus boost for the film and TV sector in Wales. It will also be a key asset for the creative sector in Wales providing facilities to other major TV productions.
Tranter said “Wolf Studios Wales is set to be a world class facility situated at the heart of a thriving creative and production community in Cardiff. Wales has seen a resurgence in television and film production over recent years and studio space is much sought after. With so many Bad Wolf productions in development we wanted a permanent base for our productions and a user-friendly studio environment for the many other television series and films headed to Wales. Working with WG on this new space is further evidence of the many opportunities that filming in Wales can now offer."
Pictures courtesy of Welsh Government
Staff Reporter
Share this story
