“It’s a kind of space that gives you an enormous amount of potential… In my lifetime, to see a new space like this open is hugely empowering, and I hope the new generation of artists feel that power and want to use it”Danny Boyle, Director
Manchester is a city that has rightfully secured its reputation as a global leader in industry and nowhere is this more apparent than in the field of Creativity. The City is abuzz and vibrant at every turn and around every corner and offers an abundance of fabulous locations, many of which have graced small and silver screens in numerous guises. There seems to be no end to Manchester’s fabulous offerings of malleable spaces to international and domestic producers, networks and streamers. One such is Aviva Studios and for the next three months here at Screen Manchester we are featuring this relative newcomer to our Locations Feature
Aviva Studios is home to Factory International and has established itself quickly as Manchester’s landmark cultural destination where large-scale creativity meets cutting-edge architecture. Located in the vibrant heart of St. John’s and overlooking the River Irwell, this iconic venue offers industrial urban and futuristic backdrops and spaces which are perfect for bringing music videos, films, TV shows and brands to life.
Aviva Studios has played host to a wide and varied choice of fabulous ‘happenings’. From the opening show Free Your Mind directed by Danny Boyle to immersive exhibitions from legendary artists Yayoi Kusama and David Hockney, art and creativity are here to be celebrated and enjoyed by all. Avivia Studios have also played host to superbrands. Adidas’ Build Manchester brought the global skate community together with Manchester’s own skaters just outside the doors. Era-defining musicians Johnny Marr, Fontaines D.C., Janelle Monáe and FKA twigs have graced the stage.
When it comes to filming in and around Aviva Studios crews and talent from Channel 4 and Netflix have explored and enjoyed the variety of ‘looks and feels’ offered by the available spaces. TV viewers enjoyed the final concert of hit series The Piano which found its home at Aviva Studios and Building The Band’s Live Performances were also captured on Water Street.
Screen Manchester’s Film Office Manager Bobby Cochrane says,“We work regularly with producers from across the globe who are keen to bring their productions to Manchester.It has been marvellous to be able to add Aviva Studios into the mix of locations we can introduce in the very heart of the City. Aviva Studios stands apart from other options precisely because there are so many vistas in and around the building all with a very specific look and feel.This is what creatives look for. A visit to Aviva Studios allows them to imagine they have stumbled upon the perfect place to shoot content – which indeed they have!”
Aviva Studio’s distinctive industrial building, riverside location and central Manchester backdrop, through its use of corrugated metal and rough concrete provides a standout setting. The building is lifted over Water Street and incorporates the 19th Century arches from the Pineapple Railway and sits on Manchester’s former Granada Studios – famous of course for one of Manchester’s greatest gifts to the world of television: Coronation Street.
Plus the venue is just a stone’s throw away from MediaCityUk, Versa Studios and our own Screen Manchester base at Space Studios Manchester which allows for a collaborative approach which is increasingly marking itself out to be the best way forward on our modern production landscape. Venues and locations can work in partnership and join the dots between their respective offerings to make sure Manchester can bring the most comprehensive list of options to the table.
On first arriving at Aviva Studios visitors are immediately captivated by the sense of beautifully articulated spaces which genuinely are shapeshifters in themselves, capable of offering unique opportunities for indoor and outdoor production.
For April we will focus on the scope offered OUTSIDE Aviva Studios. Here is a breakdown of the key exterior spaces to be discovered and shaped to suit your production requirements…
Spaces for creatives to immerse themselves in and allow imaginations to run free…
RIver Square offers direct and impressive references to Industrial Manchester, past and present, with views of the River Irwell and green space. The square is located at the western entrance to Aviva Studios. River Square is a truly unique outdoor space with beautiful south-facing views at times shaded and at others flooded in sunlight. Atmospheric and malleable.
Undercroft offers a more edgy subterranean feel reminiscent of London’s Southbank. This striking location runs below Aviva Studios. It is a covered external space with WiFi which facilitates uninterrupted year-round filming and shoots.
City Square is the perfect cityscape for anyone seeking to shoot an authentic, bustling and trendy locale. Nestled in the heart of St. John’s, Manchester’s vibrant creative district, City Square is a dynamic outdoor space at the Water Street entrance to Aviva Studios.
So – there you have it. Stunning outside spaces available to filmmakers and photographers the world over.
Stephanie Willliams, Head of Events at Factory International, the organisation that runs Aviva Studios adds:
We’re so excited to bring these outdoor spaces at Aviva Studios to the market. Manchester is seeing more and more incredible projects choosing the city, and being right in the heart of the St. John’s creative district makes us perfectly placed to support that growth. Our location, surrounded by some of the city’s leading studios and production hubs – gives filmmakers and photographers a real advantage.
Each of our exterior spaces has its own personality, from the calm of River Square to the raw edge of the Undercroft and the buzz of City Square. They’re bold, versatile and ready for creators who want something truly distinctive. We can’t wait to see how people bring them to life.
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