Region is ready for its close up
Every Transaction starts with trust… Sam Wonfor hears how North East Screen’s Film Office is earning the confidence of the TV and film industry
When ITV sitcom Transaction wrapped its first series with a final episode at the end of last month (July), it marked a milestone for the North East.
It was the first scripted ITV sitcom to be filmed entirely in the region using Hartlepool’s The Northern Studios - and the latest high-profile beneficiary of the North East Production Fund.
With a cast led by comedian and writer Jordan Gray and a huge slice of the crew coming from the region, the show - which is set after hours in a supermarket and also stars Nick Frost - offers the perfect example of how the region is turning ambition into industry reality.
Produced by production company big hitters, Big Talk, Transaction is one of several recent productions that highlight an exciting upheaval well underway in the region’s film and TV sector - one being driven by the behind-the-scenes work of North East Screen’s Film Office and its associated North East Production Fund.
Together, they’re building the scaffolding for a sustainable, vibrant screen sector - one production, one location brief, and one steaming cup of tea (served in a sustainable rather than polystyrene cup, these days) at a time.
This new momentum hasn’t just brought small-screen successes like Transaction and the BBC Three RTS Award-winning and BAFTA-nominated hit Smoggie Queens to life. It’s also helping attract major feature films - namely 28 Years Later, the blockbuster sequel to Danny Boyle’s post-apocalyptic classic, which hit cinemas in June and was shot pretty much entirely across the region.
“It’s not unusual for productions to come up here for a few days to film our amazing locations,” says Gayle Woodruffe, operations director at North East Screen. “But 28 Years Later was different. It didn’t just parachute in and out. It rooted itself here and stayed for months.”
The film, which has grossed more than $150 million worldwide, is the most high-profile example yet of the Film Office's long-term strategy paying off.
From the haunting coastline of Holy Island to the clever transformation of Sunderland’s never-used Nightingale Hospital into a fully functioning studio space, 28 Years Later demonstrates just how adaptable and production-ready the North East now is.
“It’s the kind of region where you can shoot everything from castles to beaches to cities to wilderness - and all within 20 minutes of each other,” says Gayle. “That makes a huge difference to productions looking to keep things tight and on schedule.”
None of this has happened by accident. The team at the North East Screen Film Office - Katie Strachan, Holly Anderson, Harvey Young and Gayle - have spent years carefully building relationships with all 12 local and combined authorities in the region and building a bridge between them and the industry.
That collaborative infrastructure is critical when a production needs road closures, location support, or a warehouse-turned-soundstage on short notice.
“We’ve worked hard to make the North East as film-friendly as possible,” says Film Office manager, Katie. “Every local authority has an appointed person who understands what production needs and how to make it happen. That saves time, and time is everything in this industry.”
It was that proactive attitude that helped Transaction get off the ground. When representatives from North East Screen met with Big Talk Productions in London, Caroline Richards, the company’s head of production, was struck by how much the team could offer - and quickly.
“I’d just had a flyer about the Hartlepool studios come across my desk,” said Caroline, who was well aware of the region’s charms having spent years working at Tyne Tees Television in the 90s.
“When Gayle, Katie and the team came in, I thought, hang on - maybe this is where Transaction could happen.”
Thanks to fast action, studio support, and a warm welcome from local crew and suppliers, the production was greenlit with financial backing from the North East Production Fund, eventually bringing more than £1.5 million into the regional economy.
That’s just one slice of a bigger picture. In the past three years alone, screen sector activity in the North East has seen a 131% increase in production spend, delivered £65 million in gross value added (GVA), and created more than 1,000 full-time equivalent roles across the industry in the region - a sign that this isn’t just a boom, but the start of something structurally significant.
Launched to stimulate inward investment and support regional companies, the North East Production Fund has already made a tangible impact.
“The fund is designed to make the North East a more attractive place to make high-quality, narrative content,” says Gayle. “And it’s working.”
Big Talk’s experience on Transaction proves the point. “The Film Office were amazing,” says Caroline. “From location scouting to solving issues quickly, they stayed involved right through to post production. That’s rare.”
Importantly, the show also backed local talent. “We had a brilliant line producer, Sarah Howie,” said Caroline. “She’s from the region and knew all the crew - it made total sense.”
Productions like Transaction and 28 Years Later are big moments, but the day-to-day work of the Film Office is what’s really building momentum.
The aforementioned Smoggie Queens, a vibrant comedy-drama centred around a group of Middlesbrough drag queens and their chosen family, is currently filming its second series in the town.
Supported by the Film Office and the North East Production Fund, it’s another home-grown win, with local crew, talent, and suppliers all playing key roles.
“It’s not just about the glamour,” says Gayle. “It’s about creating jobs, training pathways, and infrastructure that means people don’t have to leave the North East to have a career in TV and film.”
That means engaging with caterers, electricians, makeup artists, and costume departments. It also means supporting companies with location permits, scouting services, and the encouragement needed to take a creative risk.
“We’re starting to see projects come to us at development stage,” she continues. “They’re saying, ‘If we can make this work in the North East, we’ll write it for the North East.’ That’s huge.”
With Sunderland’s Crown Works Studios on the horizon and increasing visibility of the region’s capability, the hope is that more productions will follow suit - and more local talent will stay put.
“There’s still a lot of work to do,” says Gayle, “But we’re getting better at shouting about what we’ve got.”
That includes the people. As Caroline puts it: “The North East crew were absolutely lovely. Genuinely good vibes all round - and that makes a massive difference when you’re working 14-hour days. I wouldn’t hesitate to bring series two back to the region.”
As the North East continues to carve out its space in the UK screen sector, it’s not just the spectacular locations that are drawing producers north. It’s the attitude, the support, and the knowledge that someone will pick up the phone when you need them.
“This has been nurtured over many years of groundwork - building relationships, planning strategically, and getting everything in place behind the scenes,” says Gayle.
“We’ve always known the North East could be more than just a stunning backdrop - it could be a true powerhouse for UK production. Now, that vision is finally starting to take shape.”
The full series of Transaction is available to view on ITVX. The first series of Smoggie Queens can be streamed on BBC iPlayer. 28 Years Later is still being screened in cinemas and is now also available to stream on Amazon Prime.