Shinfield Studios completes construction

Shinfield Studios has completed construction and is now fully operational.

The facility was given planning permission in 2021, and has opened in phases over the past two years. Disney were one of the first to become a client, and it was home to the recently released Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire. It is located to the east of Reading with links to the M4 and Crossrail.

After completion, Shinfield now totals one million sq ft., and contains 18 sound stages. The largest of the stages are 43,000 sq ft. and the plot also contains 38 workshops, substantial office space, and a nine-acre filming backlot. Accessible facilities have been added to every stage and office, and sustainability features such as air source heat pumps, solar panels and electric vehicle charging points are throughout the facility.

Shinfield Studios is owned by US-based Shadowbox Studios, which also owns and operates a nine-stage, 850,000 sq. ft. facility in Atlanta that is being expanded to two million sq ft. and is developing a large-scale soundstage campus in the LA metro area. Shadowbox is owned and controlled by affiliates of Commonwealth Asset Management and Silver Lake.

Nick Smith, joint managing director of Shinfield Studios, said: “Shinfield Studios is complete. We have built from the ground-up one of the world’s most state-of-the art studio facilities – designed to attract the most ambitious and high budget productions. We’ve already welcomed to Berkshire some truly impressive feature films and high-end television series and, with Shinfield Studios now fully operational, there will be many more to come.”

Fellow joint managing director Ian Johnson added: “Our vision was to build a studio which fulfilled every need of today’s productions, including supporting industry efforts to improve sustainability and facilitate accessibility for all. It is fantastic to have brought that vision to reality and we are enormously grateful for the support from Wokingham Borough Council, The University of Reading and the local community.”

He continued: “It was also important to all of us at Shinfield Studios to contribute to developing the next generation of production talent. We’re proud to be founding members of Screen Berkshire whose aim is to connect local crew with jobs, through training, upskilling and supporting new entrants to the workforce.”