Elstree Calling

John Maxwell Building at Elstree Studios. Photo: © Paul Burton

Neville Reid worked as director of the Elstree Film & TV Studios from April 2000 until March 2007.

Before holding the role, he worked as head of the studios and was responsible for helping to convince Hertsmere Borough Council of the studios' future viability once they had been wrestled from the grip of Brent Walker.

Paul: What were the studios like when you first visited them after Hertsmere Borough Council took the site back in February 1996?

Neville: There were torn-up film stills lying around the buildings, the underground car park was sealed off, the projector had been removed from the Preview Theatre, the heating was ruined and there was no running water and no power.

It was a very grey and miserable February morning when I first visited the studios in 1996, but as I walked around the stages, I got a feeling that it was very much like a sleeping beast, and one that I just knew I could bring back to life again.

It was this thought that drove me on and as a result when I reported back to the council I say "we can make it work".

Paul: When did you first start taking new bookings at the studios?

Neville: Well, despite the fact we weren't really ready for business in the summer of 1996, members of a production team for a Warner Bros called Watch That Man (which subsequently became The Man Who Knew Too Little), came to the front gate and asked if they could see the facilities, as they were interested in doing a deal to use the studios.

Paul: What challenges did the studios face when the first reopened?

Neville: The makers of Watch That Man wanted to look at their 'dailies' in the Preview Theatre, but at that time it wasn't ready. But, because we didn't say no, we committed to bring it being ready only a week later. So my team and I found cinema seats in Paris and the old projectors were donated back by Ronan Wilson, who was based down at Millennium Studios. A new sound system and screen were installed and, as promised, we had the Preview theatre ready in a week.

Paul: At that time there were only three surviving stages at Elstree, wo what were your thoughts about expanding the facilities?

Neville: In my business report to the council I said the studios couldn't run effectively without more stages being built. They asked what I had in mind, and I drew up a brief business plan for The George Lucas Stage.

Eventually it was approved by the council. The whole project was completed in eighteen months and was opened by Prince Charles on January 29, 1999.

The John Maxwell Workshop was then turned into Stages 5 & 6, and Jim Henson Production signed a two-year deal to make The Hoobs in Stage 6.

This deal meant that we added two more stages and helped the studios produce more income and increased flexibility.

Paul: How do then see the future of the studios?

Neville: I felt we had to bring in more television to safeguard the income of the studios when there were the inevitable downturns in film production and subsequently The Tweenies, Who Wants to be a Millionaire? and Big Brother have all become based at the studios, thus adding much needed additional income.

By the time the lease expired in April 2007 and the council decided to run the studios itself, we were producing extremely good profits. I hope the council will built on our success.

My special thanks go to Neville Reid for his time and help.

Photo: Neville Reid. © Paul Burton

Interview: © Paul Burton 2008

Please do not use any part of this interview with first contacting Paul Burton to request permission.