Illinois pulled in a record-breaking $1.256 billion in qualified film and television production spending over the past two years. And with 14 existing soundstage facilities within city limits, Chicago is no toddling town.
In fact, with two additional sprawling studio complexes in the works, Chicago is setting its sights even higher, looking to further increase its production footprint.
The expansion is bolstered by the strength and stability of a 30% state tax credit locked in through 2032. “They made meaningful amendments last year … and are open for business — they are serious about supporting long-term growth, long-term commitment,” says Ashley Rice, co-managing partner and president of Cinespace Studios, whose ample space — more than 1.6 million square-feet — and plum location 15 minutes from downtown Chicago have established it as a market leader.
Rice would be in a position to know. Her previous experience as exec VP of production for Legendary Television put her on the other side of the table,...
In fact, with two additional sprawling studio complexes in the works, Chicago is setting its sights even higher, looking to further increase its production footprint.
The expansion is bolstered by the strength and stability of a 30% state tax credit locked in through 2032. “They made meaningful amendments last year … and are open for business — they are serious about supporting long-term growth, long-term commitment,” says Ashley Rice, co-managing partner and president of Cinespace Studios, whose ample space — more than 1.6 million square-feet — and plum location 15 minutes from downtown Chicago have established it as a market leader.
Rice would be in a position to know. Her previous experience as exec VP of production for Legendary Television put her on the other side of the table,...
- 3/8/2023
- by Brent Simon
- Variety Film + TV
In “Field of Dreams,” Kevin Costner’s Iowa farmer, haunted by mysterious whispered intonations of, “If you build it, he will come,” plows under part of his property to construct a baseball field.
In the real world, though, infrastructure is somewhat meaningless without skilled workers. That’s why Illinois is so intent on strengthening its development and education programs, to both boost local economic numbers and help create a trained crew base that will entice productions to commit to the state.
“If you don’t have a workforce you don’t have an industry,” says Ashley Rice, co-managing partner and president of Cinespace. “So it’s all about workforce development, and creating jobs and pipelines for more crew to be available to be hired locally.”
Of course, ambitious plans take a village. So it’s an all-hands-on-deck approach to creating more visible pathways of entrance. In 2019, Illinois Film Office director...
In the real world, though, infrastructure is somewhat meaningless without skilled workers. That’s why Illinois is so intent on strengthening its development and education programs, to both boost local economic numbers and help create a trained crew base that will entice productions to commit to the state.
“If you don’t have a workforce you don’t have an industry,” says Ashley Rice, co-managing partner and president of Cinespace. “So it’s all about workforce development, and creating jobs and pipelines for more crew to be available to be hired locally.”
Of course, ambitious plans take a village. So it’s an all-hands-on-deck approach to creating more visible pathways of entrance. In 2019, Illinois Film Office director...
- 3/8/2023
- by Brent Simon
- Variety Film + TV
Click here to read the full article.
Cinespace Film Studios is expanding its Marine Terminal Studio complex where Netflix has four soundstages as part of its production hub in Toronto.
Cinespace has signed a deal with the city of Toronto to build another three soundstages over 130,000 square feet of new production space for Hollywood film and TV shoots. Netflix already has a long term lease on four sound stages, or around 164,000 square feet of space, at Marine Terminal 51 and the Cruise Ship Terminal, a studio that opened on the city’s waterfront in summer 2019.
Marine Terminal 51 as part of Netflix’s production hub hosted Guillermo Del Toro’s Nightmare Alley movie production. Netflix launching a production hub in Toronto by locking up eight soundstages — four each at Pinewood Toronto Studios and Cinespace Film Studios — in turn sparked a local space race by Hollywood streaming giants scrambling for soundstages on which...
Cinespace Film Studios is expanding its Marine Terminal Studio complex where Netflix has four soundstages as part of its production hub in Toronto.
Cinespace has signed a deal with the city of Toronto to build another three soundstages over 130,000 square feet of new production space for Hollywood film and TV shoots. Netflix already has a long term lease on four sound stages, or around 164,000 square feet of space, at Marine Terminal 51 and the Cruise Ship Terminal, a studio that opened on the city’s waterfront in summer 2019.
Marine Terminal 51 as part of Netflix’s production hub hosted Guillermo Del Toro’s Nightmare Alley movie production. Netflix launching a production hub in Toronto by locking up eight soundstages — four each at Pinewood Toronto Studios and Cinespace Film Studios — in turn sparked a local space race by Hollywood streaming giants scrambling for soundstages on which...
- 9/27/2022
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Click here to read the full article.
Cinespace Studios has made leadership changes at Germany’s Studio Babelsberg, including installing former Pinewood International executive vp Andy Weltman as co-ceo and co-chairman.
Weltman, a veteran of Hollywood deal-making, is also a former managing director of APA International, where he oversaw the U.S. talent agency’s U.K. and European operations. Weltman, Ashley Rice, co-managing partner and president of Cinespace, and André Bleeker, CFO of Germany’s A&o Hotels and Hostels, will also join co-ceo Carl L. Woebcken and COO Christoph Fisser in running the German film studio via its management board.
Marius Schwarz, former CFO of Studio Babelsberg, stepped down on June 30, 2022 and will continue to serve the studio as an advisor. And Ty Warren, former head of global production at Netflix and recently installed on the Cinespace board, joins Studio Babelsberg’s supervisory board alongside existing members Michael Abel and Maria Terzini.
Cinespace Studios has made leadership changes at Germany’s Studio Babelsberg, including installing former Pinewood International executive vp Andy Weltman as co-ceo and co-chairman.
Weltman, a veteran of Hollywood deal-making, is also a former managing director of APA International, where he oversaw the U.S. talent agency’s U.K. and European operations. Weltman, Ashley Rice, co-managing partner and president of Cinespace, and André Bleeker, CFO of Germany’s A&o Hotels and Hostels, will also join co-ceo Carl L. Woebcken and COO Christoph Fisser in running the German film studio via its management board.
Marius Schwarz, former CFO of Studio Babelsberg, stepped down on June 30, 2022 and will continue to serve the studio as an advisor. And Ty Warren, former head of global production at Netflix and recently installed on the Cinespace board, joins Studio Babelsberg’s supervisory board alongside existing members Michael Abel and Maria Terzini.
- 9/2/2022
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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