Interesting move - sounds like it's a facility very much in it's early stages and I suspect this contract will see those facilities significantly upgraded. At the moment they have just 3 dressing rooms and for any Cowell show they'd need one for each judge, the presenter, presenter of the spin-off - and that's before we get to the contestants and any guest performers.
X Factor is moving to LH2 studios next year. BGT will be the first former-Fountain show to be used in the space.
The Voice live shows will also come from there in March next year. Interesting space and often used to rehearse tours. There are no production facilities there, so everything will have to come from an OB truck.
Pity BBC OBs - who were based in Kendal Avenue for a long period - are no longer just round the corner...
I guess if Fountain is being demolished (has planning gone through on that?) then all their technical facilities would be up for grabs and I suspect Syco/ITV would be in a good position to strike a deal and then kit out LH2 a required.
I guess if Fountain is being demolished (has planning gone through on that?) then all their technical facilities would be up for grabs and I suspect Syco/ITV would be in a good position to strike a deal and then kit out LH2 a required.
I'd be surprised if Syco decided to get into the facilities business. More likely for X Factor to be resourced with a scanner parked outside (as X Factor already do for Wembley shows - and they could negotiate a pretty good deal I expect for the run) or they'd partner with a third party to kit-out LH2 if that made business sense (which it might do or might not)
Whether there was any sense in moving second-hand kit from Fountain, which I suspect will be auctioned off, is also questionable.
I guess if Fountain is being demolished (has planning gone through on that?) then all their technical facilities would be up for grabs and I suspect Syco/ITV would be in a good position to strike a deal and then kit out LH2 a required.
I'd be surprised if Syco decided to get into the facilities business. More likely for X Factor to be resourced with a scanner parked outside (as X Factor already do for Wembley shows - and they could negotiate a pretty good deal I expect for the run) or they'd partner with a third party to kit-out LH2 if that made business sense (which it might do or might not)
Whether there was any sense in moving second-hand kit from Fountain, which I suspect will be auctioned off, is also questionable.
I'm not sure, but I suspect a lot of the major items of Fountain kit are probably on a lease arrangement, although I don't know if that would prevent it from being sold off? I wonder how much of it is even current products. Perhaps the studio lamps might be worth a bit.
I guess if Fountain is being demolished (has planning gone through on that?) then all their technical facilities would be up for grabs and I suspect Syco/ITV would be in a good position to strike a deal and then kit out LH2 a required.
I'd imagine any input Syco and ITV has would be minimal and it would be FremantleMedia that would lead the way with studio choice.
But either way, if LH2 want the business it should be them that do all the leg work for kitting out their studios.
LH2s business is based on being a rehearsal venue, not developing the site into a TV studio. However, the winter is not a busy time for people wanting to rehearse their arena/stadium tours, so a 2 month block booking for a TV show probably isn't going to affect their core business.
However, that makes it unlikely they'll be planning to build galleries and production space on a permanent basis. Unless you've got the bookings to use it on a regular basis the numbers don't add up. Producing either from an OB truck outside, or a flypack rig indoors is far more likely IMHO.
I guess if Fountain is being demolished (has planning gone through on that?) then all their technical facilities would be up for grabs and I suspect Syco/ITV would be in a good position to strike a deal and then kit out LH2 a required.
I'd be surprised if Syco decided to get into the facilities business. More likely for X Factor to be resourced with a scanner parked outside (as X Factor already do for Wembley shows - and they could negotiate a pretty good deal I expect for the run) or they'd partner with a third party to kit-out LH2 if that made business sense (which it might do or might not)
Whether there was any sense in moving second-hand kit from Fountain, which I suspect will be auctioned off, is also questionable.
I'm not sure, but I suspect a lot of the major items of Fountain kit are probably on a lease arrangement, although I don't know if that would prevent it from being sold off? I wonder how much of it is even current products. Perhaps the studio lamps might be worth a bit.
Fountain's parent company also owns Presteigne, a major broadcast hire company. They supply the studio with all of their kit. Fountain only owns a minimal amount of kit - almost all of the stuff used on XF & BGT has to be brought in.