News

FILMMAKING DIPLOMA UPDATE: Filmmaking Diploma Students at Pinewood Studios
(11/8/2009)

Ten lucky students from LFA's Filmmaking Diploma course took a trip recently to Pinewood Studios to see for themselves the backbone of British film production and the biggest studios in Europe. LFA is the only film school in the UK that has access to a full tour of Pinewood Studios, a working complex that is not open to the public.

Since it opened in 1936, Pinewood Studios has been one of the leading destinations for filmmakers worldwide and has played host to the production of some of cinema’s best-loved classics, including ‘Aliens’, ‘Black Narcissus’ and ‘Mamma Mia!’.

As part of their tour, the Diploma students visited many of Pinewood Studios’ 18 stages and three backlots, which are used for set-building, CGI and photoshoots as well as actual movie-making.

Perhaps the most famous of these is the 007 Stage, which was originally built in 1976 for the Roger Moore-fronted James Bond film 'The Spy Who Loved Me'. In addition to the Bond back catalogue, other productions filmed on this phenomenal stage include ‘Lara Croft: Tomb Raider’, ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ and ‘The Da Vinci Code’. At an impressive 59,000 sq ft it is now the largest stage in Europe. “It is unbelievable to actually be there,” says Diploma 12 student Carolina Luna of her visit, “Sitting in that sound stage and knowing all the amazing productions that have come to life there - the whole place has a filmic feeling to it that is almost overwhelming.”

The students also visited one of the permanently filled tanks used for underwater filming, which has blue-screen backing to give the impression of weightlessness. “It was a great chance to take a peek at this fantastic and almost mythical stage,” says Carolina, and some of the students were even inspired enough following their Pinewood experience to use underwater filming for their Term Three eight-minute film, 'Squidgeon'.

The LFA trip to Pinewood Studios would not have been possible without the help of one of LFA's tutors, Robin Vidgeon, BSC, a Director of Photography, whose credits include ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’, ‘A Touch of Frost’ and ‘Hellraiser’ and who is a regular Cinematography tutor at LFA. Robin was President of the British Society of Cinematographers from 1994-5, whose headquarters are based at Pinewood Studios, and which the Diploma students also visited as part of their tour.

Other highlights included witnessing the testing of a new camera and a chance to check out the world-class hiring companies that are based at Pinewood. One of these, Centroid 3D, is used regularly by LFA, for match-moving on the Digital Film VFX Certificate.

To find out more about Pinewood Studios, please visit www.pinewoodgroup.com or www.007stage.com.

To find out more about Filmmaking Diploma, please visit: www.londonfilmacademy.com/courses/diploma_in_filmmaking.asp?id=16.