Quay Street Productions’ new original drama, The Red King, has begun filming in the North East, opening up the North East Production Fund as it does so.
The six-part series, supported by the North East Production Fund, is written by Toby Whitehouse (Being Human, The Game) and produced by Quay Street, has been commissioned by UKTV for leading crime drama channel, Alibi.
The Red King is the final North East Production Fund pilot, and following the successful pilot scheme the fund, which is managed and delivered by North East Screen on behalf of the North East Screen Industries Partnership, is now open to expressions of interest.
Open to both local and national companies, the fund aims to catalyse the sustainable growth of the North East’s film and TV production sector by investing in a portfolio of distinctive, high-quality projects that will collectively contribute to the region, increasing on-screen visibility and actively contributing to employment of locally based crew, spend in the region and improved equality, diversity and sustainability.
North East Screen chief executive Alison Gwynn said: “I am delighted to welcome Quay Street Productions to the North East to film their new original drama, The Red King. With the North East Production Fund now live, we will attract more high-end TV productions, feature films and returning series to the region.
“For every £1 we give out, we expect productions to spend at least £10 in the region driving inward investment and developing the region’s reputation as a destination for high level TV and film production.”
In the past year, North East Screen’s Film Office has supported 57 productions filming in the region, including The Old Oak, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, Vera, The Dumping Ground, Robson Green’s Weekend Escapes, Danny and Mick, who have in turn spent over £12 million in the region. These join a growing list of feature film and tv productions who have filmed in the North East including Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Amongst Thieves, Blue Jean, I, Daniel Blake, 1917, The Last Kingdom, Emmerdale and Inspector George Gently.
