Ongoing advancements in technology continue to have a profound impact on the future of the film and television industry, changing how content is created and consumed. Netflix alone is reported to have over 260 million subscribers globally¹, each spending an average of over three hours per day streaming content via the platform, enabled by the rise in 'binge-watching' and ease of streaming on mobile devices.

The rise in the demand for film content is also evident in the increase in cinema-goers in the UK and Ireland. Between 2022 and 2023, audiences grew by six per cent, and last year, despite the economic headwinds, cinema admissions increased by a further 2.3 per cent². This trend can be attributed to the rise of immersive viewing and the rising popularity of blockbuster films and series, with the last year marking a 31 per cent year-on-year increase in high-value film and TV production spending in the UK³. These lavish productions are increasing the demand for studio spaces both globally and locally, and can be attributed to the development and expansion of many new and existing film and TV studios recently. These include Pinewood and Shepperton Studios on the outer edge of London in the UK, along with other developments worldwide with a focus on new and existing markets, including Australia and Hungary.

Even as the means of content production and distribution continue to proliferate at an unprecedented pace, the future of the film industry is set to be dominated by mutually reinforcing tendencies: the need to reduce the sector’s environmental impact, the rise of cutting-edge technology, including virtual production (VP) and artificial intelligence (AI) and the democratisation of content creation.

According to the BAFTA Albert Annual Review 2023⁴, overall carbon emissions associated with the television and film industry have increased by an average of 33 per cent since 2022. Transport and fuel are unsurprisingly the biggest contributors to these emissions, followed by filming spaces and accommodation. With present technologies, we can already design and build highly insulated buildings and equip them with low-energy, hyper-efficient systems, creating capacities for sustainable on-site power generation.

Apart from the infrastructure for films and on the production front, however, further reductions in carbon emission can be achieved using cutting-edge technologies such as VP, which, according to a Future Observatory Cultural Policy Fellowship Report⁵, has the potential to reduce environmental impact by 20 per cent to 50 per cent compared to traditional film production by reducing spatial demand, material waste and travel. ‘Virtual sets’ require significantly less space for filming and storage and can be housed within existing facilities or temporary structures that can easily be dismantled and re-erected elsewhere. Although virtual production has been around for many years, it is becoming increasingly important as the industry recognises the enormous potential it offers, with recent productions such as Disney’s Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Warner Bros. Pictures’ The Matrix: Resurrections reported to not only embrace but push the boundaries of virtual production in film.

As with most industries, the use of artificial intelligence is developing rapidly within the media sector too, providing unique opportunities to speed up the production process, redefining where and how content is created. A much discussed and debated instance that delves into this duality is the use of AI to enhance the lead actors' Hungarian accents in the recent awards darling, The Brutalist, with the film’s editor, Dávid Jancsó calling for embracing the vast opportunities that AI can offer⁶. Going forth, both factors will eventually start reducing the need for substantial additional studio space and infrastructure, but they will also create an opportunity to rethink studio requirements and how they are designed.

Whether a studio is part of a purpose-built out-of-town complex or an inner-city retrofit, these spaces need to work harder for us than ever before.

Lastly, emerging trends in content consumption, combined with more affordable technology and the power of social media, are creating a new generation of homegrown content creators, which could help in the proliferation of the independent film sector in exciting directions. There’s an inherent creativity and resourcefulness associated with the production of independent content and films; instead of taking place in designated studio spaces, filming can be done almost anywhere, be it within the home or on the street, sometimes with little more than a phone camera and a computer screen. While some independent content creators may focus on carving out a career in social media, others will inevitably branch out to film. These new filmmakers could greatly benefit from access to education and mainstream industry experience to develop their skills, learn from others, and gain exposure to new opportunities.

From a design perspective, this presents an opportunity to break away from stereotypical studio provisions and look for new types of spaces to support content creation and industry education. These smaller, more nimble productions do not need large-scale purpose-built studios and associated infrastructure that blockbuster or high-value television productions do. Therefore, inner-city locations with ease of access to talent, education and industry are ideal places to nurture an ecosystem of new-age studio spaces and support emerging talent. Existing buildings, such as vacant retail spaces or old industrial buildings that have reached the end of their useful life, could be repurposed with minimal impact to provide the diverse range of studio spaces required by producers working in independent film.

Shinfield Studios in Berkshire—the UK’s largest new-build film and TV studio complex to date designed by our team at Scott Brownrigg—also benefitted from this boom and was completed last year. Its 1,000,000 sq.ft. floor area responds to current trends, where speed-to-market is key to financial viability and attracting filmmakers. Rethinking how we build such projects along these lines enabled us to develop innovative structural solutions that facilitated the speed of construction by reducing the number of materials and trades required onsite and improving acoustic barriers through innovative cladding designs.

A key focus for the design was to create building components and use materials that could be dismantled, recycled, repurposed and reused in the future. This approach offers a more sustainable alternative to traditionally constructed studios, with improved thermal and acoustic qualities. Combined with careful phasing and master planning, this meant that the first four sound stages were operational within five months of receiving planning permission, and film production was already taking place while the rest of the scheme was still under construction. These strategies can and should be adopted by future facilities, allowing film studios to meet the changing demand more effectively while providing ultimate future flexibility and adaptability.

Whether a studio is part of a purpose-built out-of-town complex or an inner-city retrofit, these spaces need to work harder for us than ever before. They must be highly flexible, energy-efficient and multipurpose if they are to keep up with ever-evolving technology and consumer trends, now and in the future.

References

^1.https://www.searchlogistics.com/learn/statistics/netflix-statistics/
^2.https://filmdistributorsassociation.com/2025/01/2024-uk-and-ireland-cinema-admissions-exceed-2023-total/
^3.https://worldscreen.com/u-k-film-high-end-tv-production-spend-hits-5-6-billion/
^4.https://wearealbert.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/BAFTA-albert-2023-Annual-Review.pdf
^5.https://futureobservatory.org/research/strands/policy-fellowships/reducing-the-carbon-footprint-across-the-screen-sector-ulster-university-and-studio-ulster
^6.https://edition.cnn.com/2025/01/22/entertainment/the-brutalist-ai-controversy-scli-intl