Arts / bottle yard studios
New series explores life of Queen Elizabeth I with help of Bristol studios
It’s hard to believe a series about Queen Elizabeth I was shot on the same site as Stephen Merchant’s The Outlaws. But Bristol’s Bottle Yard studios have made such a feat possible.
The new series, Becoming Elizabeth, follows the life of the princess as an orphaned teenager following the death of her father, King Henry VIII. When the reign passes to Henry’s inexperienced 9-year-old son, Edward, Elizabeth is caught in the middle of a scramble for power as the great families of England and monarchs of Europe look to seize control of the country.
The series was predominantly shot on a number of expertly designed period sets at Bottle Yard, and premiers this Sunday at midnight.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eX6uiDkpeM&ab_channel=STARZ
Laura Aviles, senior film manager at Bristol City Council, said the sets created at the studios were “utterly magnificent and historically accurate down to the finest detail.
“At the Bottle Yard we have space to create entire worlds, whilst being just a short drive from some of the most impressive historic properties and cathedrals in the UK.”
The producers of Becoming Elizabeth were keen to capitalise on this access, shooting at several historic locations in Bristol and across the South West.
Throughout the series, filming took place at Bristol Cathedral, Wells Cathedral, the Bishops Palace and Gardens in Wells, Barrington Court in Somerset, Berkeley Castle in Gloucestershire, Cardiff Castle, Broughton Castle in Banbury and Haddon Hall in Bakewell.
The new series follows the early years of Queen Elizabeth I – photo: STARZ
In 2017 Bristol was designated a UNESCO city of film, which offers a permeant recognition of the city as a world leader in the field of film.
With a supportive film office and a “bank of skilled crew in the region”, says Laura Aviles, it is no surprise that Bristol has achieved such an accolade.
As three new stages at the Bottle Yard are set to open in Autumn 2022 following a £12m investment from the West of England Combined Authority, Bristol’s reputation as a major hub for the film industry is only going to grow.
Becoming Elizabeth follows the early life of the Queen caught in a power struggle for control of England – photo: STARZ
Becoming Elizabeth premieres on Sunday, June 12 at midnight on all STARZ streaming and on-demand platforms and internationally on STARZPLAY.
Main Photo: STARZ
Read more: All the Bristol spots featured in The Outlaws series two
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