The UK continues to flourish as one of the world’s leading production hubs.
In 2025, total U.K. film and high-end television production spend reached £6.8 billion ($9.24 billion), the third-highest on record. Feature film expenditure climbed to $3.8 billion (up 31% year on year and the highest figure ever recorded).
Across film and high-end television combined, inward investment reached $7.88 billion, accounting for 85% of overall U.K. production expenditure – all a sign of a turbulent market staying resilient.
The stats speak for themselves, and they also raise a bigger question. How do studios attract work? What does it mean to have a clearly defined studio identity and service offering that sets one apart from the rest? And how, in an era shaped by AI-driven change, tighter commissioning and the threat of oversupply, are UK studios all able to sustain demand and work in an increasingly competitive landscape?
What’s becoming clear is that the answer lies beyond square footage.
From physical space to operational partnerships
A studio’s value can be defined by its physical attributes: stage size, ceiling height, power capacity and location. While those fundamentals still matter, they are no longer sufficient on their own. In a market where producers have more choice, studios are evolving from being purely physical environments into operational partners embedded in the production (and even the development and creative) process.
Today’s most successful facilities actively support productions with planning, logistics, in house or partnered talent and problem-solving. This might mean advising on technical feasibility, helping productions optimise schedules, offering flexible configurations that adapt to changing needs mid-shoot, up to creative input in a script and how it can be implemented in studios vs on location. A studio is no longer just there as the backdrop for a production but instead contributes to how efficiently that production runs, its carbon footprint and its creative momentum.
Service, clarity and adaptability
As the UK studio sector becomes more crowded, service and clarity of purpose are emerging as key differentiators. Facilities that understand exactly who they are for (whether that’s premium television, branded content, or even fast-turnaround digital and immersive production) are better positioned to articulate their value and tailor themselves accordingly.
Studios with a clear identity and offering tend to invest in people as much as infrastructure. Experienced in-house teams, transparent communication and a culture of responsiveness increasingly define the client experience. This can be as important as the size of a stage. A knowledgeable studio team can prevent costly mistakes and help productions move faster.
Adaptability is equally critical. With commissioning patterns and production models evolving, studios are being asked to support a wider range of formats, budgets and workflows from production to post than ever before. Flexibility in pricing, scheduling and service structure, has become a competitive advantage.
Studio operators and owners now have a huge opportunity to define themselves through marketing, PR and brand positioning to stay competitive and be visible in front of the right audiences.
AI and the future of production infrastructure
AI is beginning to reshape expectations around production infrastructure, even if its full impact is still unfolding. For studios, this is less about replacing traditional production and more about enabling efficient workflows. AI-assisted pre-visualisation, virtual production, localisation and post-production tools are starting to influence how projects are conceived and delivered.
Studios that position themselves consciously around AI can be seen as future-facing partners, whatever the stance. Equally important is the ability to navigate AI responsibly, balancing efficiency with creative integrity and emerging regulatory considerations.
Sustainability as the new baseline
Sustainability has shifted from a differentiator to a baseline expectation. Producers increasingly assume that studios will operate with a level of environmental responsibility, from energy efficiency and waste management to transport and local supply chains. For studios, this isn’t just about meeting ethical expectations, it also makes commercial sense. Sustainable infrastructure can reduce operating costs, and in many cases, greener studios are also more efficient studios. When green is the new gold, it can be more costly to not address your sustainability offering.
What should producers consider when looking for a studio?
In 2026, choosing a studio is less about finding the biggest space and more about finding the right partner. Producers should be asking:
- Is the studio’s service offering clear, responsive and aligned with my production’s needs?
- How adaptable is the facility to changing workflows, budgets and technologies?
- Can the studio accommodate my production?
- Are sustainability practices properly embedded, not just added on for the sake of looking ‘eco-friendly’?
What should studio owners and operators consider?
If you’re operating a studio in this saturated market, it’s a good time to look at PR, marketing and positioning. You can differentiate your studio by having a solid positioning strategy on:
- Your offering – what do you give clients that other studios don’t? What do you pride yourselves on?
- Your team – who can clients access when they work with you? What are their credentials, credits, expertise?
- Your previous work – clients, case studies, success stories can all be leveraged (with the right references and permissions)
- Your green status – are you proud of your carbon footprint, or lack thereof? Your stance, insights, initiatives – if you are not a passive bystander in our industry, thought leadership, interviews, panels and podcasts can be available to you like they are for any producer, director, production company owner and studio head. Stand out by speaking about what matters
Percy & Warren is a London-based, award-winning PR agency specialising in all things Film & TV. From concepts to campaigns, creative to coverage, the agency creates ideas which captivate its clients and their audiences. Underpinning all that is the motivation to create real change by stepping beyond traditional PR, organising collaborations, co-productions, supporting pitches and commissions, and connecting clients with industry peers and new partners.
Related
