Liverpool Film Office has secured top-up funding for its LCR Production Fund from Liverpool City Region Combined Authority’s Strategic Investment Fund.
The Fund has previously invested over £1.7m in six projects including Jimmy McGovern’s BBC drama Time and C4’s hit Help starring Jodie Comer and Stephen Graham, as well as the primetime series The Responder with Martin Freeman and The Ipcress File with Joe Cole, both of which are expected to be broadcast early next year.
The new monies will enable the Fund to target a further 3 – 4 investments over the next 12 months, with priority given to those productions that can create significant opportunities for locally-based above and below the line talent as well as production facilities, locations and other services.
Collectively, the six productions so far supported are estimated to have delivered over £12m of direct inward investment into the local economy.
Launched in 2019, the Fund is part of a wider strategy to boost the economic and cultural footprint Liverpool’s film and TV industries, and to create hundreds of jobs and training opportunities. The announcement arrives as Liverpool Film Office readies to draw further production to the city region, with the opening of The Depot, Liverpool’s new purpose-built film and TV shoot space, featuring two 20,000 sq ft units.
Liverpool is the UK’s second most filmed city. In addition to the productions supported by the Fund, the city has also played host to feature films and HETV dramas including The Batman, Daliland, Funny Girl, Peaky Blinders, Midas Man, COBRA: CYBERWAR, Doctor Who and Stay Close.
Christopher Moll will continue as Advisor and Executive Producer for the Fund, generating deal flow and overseeing its investments.
The Fund is open now and further information can be found at liverpoolfilmoffice.tv/production-fund.
Beth Willis, Executive Producer for The Forge on Help “The LCR Production Fund made everything possible for Help. The planning time for such a time specific show (set at the start of the Covid pandemic in March 2020), during the second lockdown was extremely tight – and Chris Moll and Liverpool Film Office had our backs from the start. They supported the vision and the talent to make the show possible – and opened the doors of Liverpool to us with open arms.”
Tom Sherry, Head of Drama North for BBC Studios and Executive Producer on Time “LCR’s Production Fund contribution was essential. Without that funding, we wouldn’t have been able to make Time, and for that we’re all enormously grateful to the city, for having the foresight to realise that, sometimes to create something, you have to support it.
“The city is helping develop an industry and a specialism within the region, and at the same time is seeing a financial return.
“By supporting this industry and enabling stories to be told and productions to go ahead, you create opportunities for people to have a role, to develop and to become a part of something special.”
Jon Creamer
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