BRITISH HOLLYWOOD

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 312, 24 March 1928, Page 23

BRITISH HOLLYWOOD

TWO ESTABLISHMENTS HUGE STUDIO TO BE BUILT Elstree’s pre-eminence as a British film production centre is to be challenged by Welwyn Garden City, where (writes the “Daily News” film correspondent) the municipal authorities are about to co-operate actively with British Instructional Films. (Welwyn is 20 miles from London and Elstree 11. Both are in Hertfordshire.) This definite adoption of the industry by the official local leaders—the Welwyn Garden City Company—is quite a new note in British film development. Ready Next Summer The British Instructional Company, of which Mr. A. E. Bundy is chairman, hay been considering the question of studio accommodation, in viqw of its future commitments for some time past. “Most of our production activities are being carried out overseas,” said Mr. Bundy, “and extensive studio accommodation for the big subjects we have m hand will not be required until the summer, by which time I hope the buildings at Welwyn will be ready for occupation.” At present the British Instructional

Company is housed at Surbiton. Two Audios are to be put in hand immediat Welwyn. K is anticipated that the first picto be “shot” there will be J**t»** a story written specially for the 31m by Mr. John Buchan, M.P.. in July. Clearest Air? Welwyn claims that there is no ie arer air in the United Kingdom. r ne site chosen is 400 ft. above sea and the studios are to be built "r 3Uc h a way that one end can be completely to enable indoor ar.d yioor “shots” to be combined. As Welwyn is planned for a popula--50,000, and has at present on y w inhabitants, its capacity for quick Tv! th into a fllm city is exceptional. Ie scheme involves one special rewSXance to Hollywood in the use to ’•'in up-to-date cinema, seating o' t .? People, is to be put for “tryingn, n _ ? ,cture « by means of preliminary Public * ore l^ey s ° out to the wider film spirit is revealed by the uai estimate that “a supply of perof f rt r ° r crowd work up to the number Wi* can lbe obtained from Welwyn li ts environ.-." Sip J?! Pride ourselves in Welwyn,” said b% f°^ ore Chambers, chairman of City Company, “on fJ Wn atmosphere, due to the s a selected by people of taste kw! to live in - That atmosphere fl£, ? - ot sreat value for British Production.” _