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Moscow boat show.

Thursday - Saturday: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Sunday: 10:00 am - 7:00 pm Show dates and times are subject to change.

One visit-ticket costs 600 RUB Free admittance for children under 12 years of age and persons with 1st and 2nd degrees of disablement. Prices are subject to change.

Every year the Moscow Boat Show garners increasing popularity from yachting fans and experts.  17 regions of the Russian Federation (Arkhangelsk, Vladivostok, Vyborg, Kazan, Kaluga, Moscow and the Moscow Region, Nizhny Novgorod, Novosibirsk, Rostov-na-Donu, Republic Kareliya, Samara, St. Petersburg, Sverdlovsk area, Sevastopol and the Yaroslavl region) and 10 countries (Germany, Holland, Greece, Denmark, Italy, Latvia, Poland, Russia, the USA and Finland) participated in the Show.

Well known brands such as Bavaria Yachts, Burevestnik Group, Marine NT, Royal Marin, Group Admiral, East Baltic Marin Group, Expert Marin, Volvo East, Ultra Marine, Silver, Prestige Yachts, Premium Yachts, Euroyachting and many others are among the participants at the Moscow Boat Show.

The highlights of the yachting industry will be covered and last year results will be reviewed. Additionally there will be an unforgettable awards ceremonies will be held during the Moscow Boat Show every year.

Information about this was obtained from various sources and is thought to be correct. We strongly recommend that you contact the show producer to confirm this information. See the bottom of this page for informaiton on how to contact the show producers.

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From February 27th, 2025

To march 2nd, 2025, moscow boat show 2025, event information.

Moscow Boat Show is an international exhibition of boats and yachts, offering the perfect platform for representatives of the yachting business, professionals of the branch and fans of yachts, boats and water sports. Held in Krasnogorsk, Moscow region, the event features a wide range of products, from motor and sailing yachts to electric boats, electric motors, helicopters, design trimarans, pontoons, components, diving equipment and outfit.

Visitors to the event have the opportunity to explore the impressive exposition and get consultation of highly qualified specialists. The perfect location of the event, at Mezhdunarodnaya str. 16, 18, 20, Krasnogorsk, Krasnogorsk area, Moscow region, Moscow, Russia, ensures that the event will be easily accessible for all attendees.

Moscow Boat Show is the perfect event for those who are looking to get the latest updates on the yachting business and explore the newest products available. Don't miss your chance to join the leading event in the yachting industry!

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Moscow Boat Show 2024 - International Exhibition of Boats and Yachts

Moscow march 07 - 10, 2024, organizers: crocus expo iec, event details.

• March 07 - 10, 2024
• [email protected]
• http://eng.mosboatshow.ru/boat/press/detail_news.php?ELEMENT_ID=47487

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• Crocus Expo IEC

Join the Moscow Boat Show 2024, the premier International Exhibition of Boats and Yachts, taking place from March 07-10, 2024 at Crocus-Expo IEC in Moscow. This annual event targets both Trade Professionals and the General Public, providing a unique platform to explore the latest trends in Boating, Sailing, and Water Sports. Don't miss out on this exciting opportunity to discover innovative products, network with industry experts, and indulge in your passion for maritime adventure. Organized by Crocus Expo IEC, the Moscow Boat Show promises an unforgettable experience for enthusiasts and industry professionals alike. Book your tickets now! Description: The Moscow Boat Show 2024 is the ultimate destination for all boating and yacht enthusiasts. Held at the esteemed Crocus-Expo IEC in Moscow, this four-day event will take place from March 07-10, 2024, showcasing an extensive range of boats, yachts, and water sports equipment. Whether you're a seasoned sailor, an aspiring water sports enthusiast, or simply curious about the latest trends in the boating industry, the Moscow Boat Show offers something for everyone. Boasting an array of exhibitors from leading manufacturers, distributors, and service providers, you'll have the opportunity to explore and compare the finest vessels and equipment available. The event caters to both Trade Professionals and the General Public, ensuring an inclusive and informative experience. Discover cutting-edge innovations, connect with industry experts, and gain valuable insights into the world of boating and water sports. From luxury yachts, speedboats, and sailboats to water skis, diving gear, and fishing equipment, the Moscow Boat Show has it all. Immerse yourself in the maritime world, take advantage of exclusive deals and promotions, and make informed decisions for your own boating adventures. Join us at the Moscow Boat Show 2024 and embark on an incredible journey through the world of boats and yachts. Book your tickets today to secure your place at this must-attend event!

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Moscow Boat Show 2023 - The 16th International Exhibition of boats and Yachts

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Moscow International Boat & Yacht Show

The international exhibition of yachts and boats - the moscow boat show - usually takes place at the crocus expo iec, moscow, russia.

An important date on the international yachting calendar, the show is a place to showcase new yachts for sale and new luxury yacht ideas and designs.  Moscow International Boat & Yacht Show is a great success and every year the event is promising to be even better. The most up-to-date yachts and products will be exhibited by the top names in yachting such as Benetti , Azimut , Beneteau , Popilov Yachts , Sunreef Yachts , Ferretti among many others.

The exposition space is spread over 45 000 sq m. More than 350 companies from Germany, Greece, Denmark, Spain, Italy, Latvia, Ukraine, the USA, Finland, Holland, Turkey, France, Croatia, Poland and China, and also Russian participants from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Sochi, Vladivostok, Kazan, the Republic of Karelia, Nizhny Novgorod, Novosibirsk, Izhevsk, Novorossiysk, Tolyatti, Sevastopol, Rostov-on-Don, Samara, Saratov, Sverdlovsk, Yaroslavl and the Moscow region will participate in the show. The scale of the project confirms confident positions of its positive development. 

Moscow Boat Show is renowned for its excellent display of yachts where everyone will be able to find all necessary. Rosgosstrakh and Ingosstrakh provide an insurance for yachts and boats and will offer protection against all risks arising at their operation to the happy ship owners worrying about a qualitative insurance.

The Russian Yachting Federation (VFPS), one of the largest exhibitors of the show, will present main regattas of the season.

The amount yachts on display at this year’s Moscow Boat Show will surely exceed the expectations of the many sophisticated experts. 

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Russia prepares to host 2024 Moscow Boat Show this February

Thursday, February 15, 2024 Favorite

The 17th International Exhibition of Boats and Yachts, known as the Moscow Boat Show, is poised to be a cornerstone trade event for yacht business professionals and outdoor activity enthusiasts. Scheduled for February 29 through March 3 at Crocus Expo, this trade event stands out as one of the most significant in the yachting world, drawing attention from across the globe.

With an aim to showcase the latest achievements and developments in the industry, the Moscow Boat Show serves as a vibrant platform for promoting water tourism, engaging in business meetings, and fostering professional networking among market participants and potential consumers.

The trade exhibition is expected to start the new season on a high note, offering participants a golden opportunity to profitably demonstrate their products, assess market demand, identify promising sales channels, and find new customers. With more than 150 exhibitors covering over 13,000 square meters, the event will feature an array of products and services from national and international companies. Among the notable exhibitors are renowned names like Prestige, Velhod, Formarin, and Moreman, showcasing everything from luxury yachts to innovative boat engines.

This year, the International Exhibition WORLD of Hunting and Fishing will be held alongside the Moscow Boat Show 2024, providing visitors with an even more comprehensive experience. Attendees can expect to explore new models of boats, motor and sailing yachts, and engage in test drives of water sports equipment, among other activities. The trade event’s business program promises a rich array of master classes, competitions, and interactive games, ensuring that there’s something for everyone.

The Moscow Boat Show is not just a trade exhibition but a multi-format project that combines exposition, business events, show programs, and training events, making it a must-attend for anyone involved in or interested in the maritime and yachting industries. As the trade event continues to grow and establish itself as a prestigious gathering in the world of yachting and outdoor activities, it remains a testament to the industry’s innovation, resilience, and the endless possibilities that lie ahead.

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Moscow Boat Show

Russia cannot boast a large number of yacht festivals, but some of the boat show are carried out here after all. One of them takes place in Moscow in the first half of March. In the exhibition center “Expo Crocus” representatives of dozens of producers, both domestic and foreign, the companies connected with the yachting world, professionals and fans gather.

Moscow boat was established recently, and it is still very young. Nevertheless it draws the attention of the leading shipbuilders. “Bavaria Yakhts”, Prestige Yachts, Gibbs Sports Amphibians, “Boat House” and many other companies are among them. Every year expositions extends.

The boat show in Moscow has a special value for the Russian manufacturers that can exhibit their production for the potential clients and business partners. In 2015, for example, the novelties were presented by Evolution Motors, “Paritet”, “Navmarin”, “Rumaran”. In general boats, pontoons, equipment and accessories are presented.

Suppliers of accessories and equipment, clothes, spare parts and knots, insurers and companies that are engaged in repair and construction of small boats, tour operators and firms organizing charter cruises present themselves and their services in the exhibition center annually. At the Moscow boat show domestic tourism, cruises on rivers along with other directions is actively promoted.

The professionals and serious clients are the target audience of the boat show in Moscow. Meetings, conferences, and round tables are hold as a part of the show. You can participate in a master class. The reports are made by experts, representatives of shipyards, experts in yachting. The subjects associated with tendencies and problems that can arise in yachting development and decision-making in this area.

Presentations are an integral part of an exhibition. Not only boats and yachts, but also large projects connected in any way with yachting, whether there are new festivals in Moscow and Russia, marines and the centers of yachting, are represented.

Of course, the bot show in Moscow doesn’t bring together one hundred thousands people, but it and it isn’t necessary for organizers: here come not for the sake of “show”, a choice and purchase of the boat. In “the Expo Crocus” true professionals of yachting gather to exchange experience and to give joint support to development of the sphere of yacht business in Russia.

Of course the boat show in Moscow doesn’t bring together hundreds of thousands of people, but there are not only organizers who need this. People come here not only to see the show, to choose and purchase the boat. In «Crocus Expo” yachting professionals gather to exchange experience and to bring their own impact into development of yachting business in Russia.

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To learn more on the “Palm Beach International Boat Show” or to get advice on how to buy or sell a yacht or get a great price for a yacht charter, please call: +1-954-274-4435 (USA)

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With Republicans Like These, Who Needs Russian Propaganda?

Some far-right members of congress seem to be parroting vladimir putin’s talking points. that doesn’t mean anti-ukraine conspiracy theories can’t be homegrown..

Earlier this month, Republican Texas Rep. Michael McCaul, the head of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told Puck News that Russian propaganda had “infected a good chunk of my party’s base.” Several days later, another Republican, Rep. Michael Turner of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, said he agreed. “Anti-Ukraine and pro-Russia messages, some of which we even hear being uttered on the House floor,” Turner told CNN, are “directly coming from Russia.”

It was a notable moment—and a telling one, as the House gets ready for a contentious vote on aid to Ukraine. The vote is being loudly protested by far-right politicians including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who is pushing to oust House Speaker Mike Johnson from his role over the issue.

It’s not the first time Republican lawmakers have accused their colleagues of essentially being Russian pawns. But as far-right rabble-rousers in the Republican Party have increasingly advocated against continued support of Ukraine—and even some mainstream Republicans no longer interpret Russian aggression as a ruthless threat to democracy and the international order—the most extreme lawmakers appear to be mirroring the Kremlin’s own propaganda.

Last Monday, Greene told Steve Bannon’s War Room podcast that Ukraine was waging a “war against Christianity” and Russians “seem to be protecting” the religion. The idea of Russia as a great (white) Christian nation has been percolating in right-wing thinking for more than a decade , despite Russia’s history of suppressing non-Orthodox Christianity and exerting power over the Russian Orthodox Church.

But Greene didn’t limit herself to praising Russia’s religious nationalism on Bannon’s show: She cited , as fact, anti-Ukraine disinformation that “the Ukrainian government is attacking Christians” and “executing priests.” This prompted former Rep. Ken Buck, another Republican, to call Greene “Moscow Marjorie” on CNN.

And indeed, this assertion does mirror Russia’s own talking points about Ukraine. (In actuality, the crimes Greene accused Ukraine of committing are crimes Russian forces have perpetrated .) But whether the Kremlin’s own talking points are being piped into the brains of right-wing American politicians—or just bear a striking similarity to the new isolationist rhetoric of the far right—is a matter of interesting debate.

Russian propaganda operations have evolved somewhat from the infamous social media campaigns that influenced the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

Take the case of a false narrative about Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky using U.S. aid money to buy himself two yachts. This rumor—which is demonstrably false, given that the ownership of ships can be easily tracked—has been swirling in right-wing social media circles for months and popping up in American politicians’ talking points. It’s such an effective fabrication that North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis told CNN in December that the debate over aid to Ukraine had been halted on the Hill in part because some lawmakers were concerned that “people will buy yachts with this money.”

But where did that idea come from? According to the BBC , the assertion that Zelensky had purchased two luxury yachts with U.S. aid money originated in November on a YouTube channel with just a handful of followers. The day after the video was posted, a site called DC Weekly published the claim as news, and that report was then picked up by other websites.

DC Weekly is not some kind of alternative newspaper or community blog; Clemson University researchers Darren Linvill and Patrick Warren argued in a report in December that the website was likely created to share fake news created by Russian state actors. The site is populated with A.I. content, has clearly fake authors, and has been partially hosted on a server in Moscow.

Russian disinformation that is packaged as news, Linvill said in a phone interview, often follows a similar pattern of dissemination. “I would bet my retirement on the fact that the Russians create the videos, plant the videos, write the stories, plant the stories, and distribute the stories,” Linvill wrote in an email.

“It’s the logic of the thing,” he said, “but also the fact that it happens repeatedly.” He pointed to a dozen other instances of disinformation narratives that started as assertions in obscure YouTube videos and were then picked up by publications with similarly legitimate-sounding names.

From 2016 through 2020, Linvill said, Russian propagandists focused on creating social media accounts to promote divisive ideas within the existing American discourse. That is still happening. But today, Linvill said, resources are more likely to be directed toward creating entire fake platforms, including websites that look like news sites. The stories tend to be sensationalized in a way that encourages organic sharing.

According to the Washington Post , Kremlin materials “obtained by a European intelligence service” show Moscow-linked strategists also stoke division in the U.S. by amplifying stories based in reality—including about migrants overwhelming the border, poverty and inflation, and reasons not to trust mainstream media.

But the story of the yacht shows how a fabricated rumor, likely originating in Russia, can start circulating in American politics. On Bannon’s War Room in December, Sen. J.D. Vance said , of his fellow politicians, “there are people who would cut Social Security, throw our grandparents into poverty, why? So that one of Zelensky’s ministers can buy a bigger yacht?”

The yacht story had a specific origin, but the growing anti-Ukraine sentiment among right-wing circles is harder to trace. After years of warfare and many millions of dollars in American aid, it makes sense that American enthusiasm for the Ukrainian cause might organically ebb.

And there is one man whose personal grudge against Ukraine could also cause Republicans to sour on a U.S. ally: Donald Trump.

“When American journalists and congresspeople use Russian talking points, they’re quoting Trump,” said Sarah Oates , a professor who studies disinformation and propaganda at the University of Maryland. “They are broadcasting Russian propaganda, but the conduit is Trump.”

Trump has several reasons to dismiss Russia’s threat to the international order. For starters, he openly admires authoritarian leaders like Vladimir Putin and has shown an interest in modeling himself after them. More importantly, the association of his 2016 election with Russian election-meddling caused some on the left to question the legitimacy of his victory.

For legitimacy reasons, then, Republicans have an incentive to downplay the potency of Russian propaganda. Not to mention: The basis of much of the Republican Party’s attacks on President Biden relies on a misleading assertion that his son Hunter Biden colluded with corrupt Ukrainian officials. Portraying Ukraine as a corruption-riddled country bolsters right-wing conspiracy theories about Biden’s family.

In other words, shared talking points between Republicans and the Russian propaganda machine don’t necessarily mean Russia is effective in seeding its influence; it’s a mutually beneficial swirl of conspiracy theories. “I think this is just a highly useful convergence of goals for Putin and Trump,” Oates said.

“Trump does not care; he literally is not thinking about it,” Oates said, referring to the possibility that many of Trump’s talking points could come from Russia. “His calculus is, ‘How can I win?’ ”

Because it’s quite possible that Americans who want the U.S. to abandon Ukraine may have arrived at that opinion on their own, Thomas Rid , a professor of strategic studies at Johns Hopkins, has warned against giving the Russians too much credit for swaying American public opinion.

Rid’s argument is: We shouldn’t help Russian strategists by assuming they’ve succeeded. Russia wants to undermine Americans’ trust in our systems and in our democracy. Believing that another country has the capability to, say, sway an election, serves that goal. “If we exaggerate the impact, we make the operations more successful than they would be otherwise,” he said, “and undermine trust in our own democracy, which is the goal of this game.”

It’s important, he argued, not to blame misinformation, isolationism, and other factors that led to changing views of the war on external actors alone. Americans, Rid said, are “perfectly capable of coming up with crazy ideas.”

Take Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s claim about why Putin needed to invade Ukraine. Speaking to a right-wing Alabama website, Tuberville said: “It’s a communist country, so he can’t feed his people, so they need more farmland.”

The claim—coming from a man who couldn’t name the three branches of American government and who thought World War II was fought over socialism —seems to be pure, homegrown nonsense.

“It’s blaming our own problems on others,” Rid said. “That’s the problem I find worrying.”

To be clear, Russian propaganda should be taken seriously: The country’s plans for deepening existing societal conflicts in the U.S. are not a secret . Given the various motivations at play and the inherent vagaries of how information and belief travel, though, it’s hard to know just how much the Republican Party has been “infected” by Russian propaganda, as Rep. McCaul put it.

What we can say with certainty is that there’s an alliance of interests. In his bizarre interview with Tucker Carlson in February, Putin laid out his several invented justifications for the invasion and said that he was interested in “peace.” The next day, Tuberville said he opposed sending aid to Ukraine because the Carlson interview “shows that Russia is open to a peace agreement.”

In her work, Oates found that researchers often couldn’t tell the difference between media pulled from Fox News and Russia Today, a Russian news network and propaganda arm; “identical” talking points don’t mean Russia is pulling the strings.

But there is still something to be gleaned from the coherence between Republicans and Russian strategists—and it’s probably a warning about our own news-media ecosystems. Rep. McCaul seemed to note this, telling Puck News that he saw “nighttime entertainment shows” in the U.S airing content that was “almost identical” to what was playing on Russian state TV.

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Barbie, Bridgerton and billions of pounds: how streaming – and tax breaks – fuelled the UK’s ‘Brollywood’ screen boom

Great locations, experienced crews and juicy incentives have made UK studios increasingly attractive, and brought Hollywood stars to the unlikeliest locations. But with budgets falling and a lack of skills training, could the bubble be about to burst?

W hen Peter Vardy joined Calderdale council 46 years ago, his job mostly involved maintaining local parks and, later, organising the occasional firework display. But these days Vardy’s CV can truthfully boast that he has shut down roads to stage car crashes and found the perfect bridge for a fictional detective’s (fictional) suicide. The West Yorkshire borough where the 64-year-old works has become a filming hotspot, home to big-budget productions such as the Disney+ superhero series Secret Invasion and the Paramount Plus period drama A Gentleman in Moscow . Residents have spotted Hollywood stars relaxing in local restaurants – Samuel L Jackson is apparently partial to fried seafood, lemonade and tiramisu.

Since 2013, Vardy has acted as the council’s film officer; he manages applications for shoots, which back then were “few and far between”. A decade on, 2023 saw a total of 31 productions and 100 days of filming – partly because the BBC’s Happy Valley put Calderdale on the map in 2014, but largely because Hollywood has a new home. Generous tax breaks, the rise of streaming services and an ever-increasing demand for high-end TV have suddenly collided to make the UK a very attractive place to film.

“We try and watch them,” Vardy says of the shows he’s helped get made, which also include Netflix’s Fool Me Once and The English Game , “but of course there’s that many streaming channels now, it’s difficult keeping up.”

Vardy prides himself on securing speedy road closures and it’s “very, very, very rare” he’ll push back on filming requests. That, he says, is because productions benefit the local area – visits to the historic house Shibden Hall tripled after the BBC and HBO aired Gentleman Jack , while schoolchildren have been able to act as extras. The council estimates that filming added £856,000 to the regional economy last year.

Across the UK, high-end TV and film productions spent a record £6.27bn in 2022 – the Barbie movie alone added more than £80m to the economy when filming took place in Hertfordshire. Some have nicknamed us “Brollywood”. Local newspapers are stuffed with headlines like “Ryan Reynolds spotted filming Deadpool 3 on Norfolk beach” and “Dog from Flintshire among the cast in new Wonka film”. New studios have been built and continue to be built – there is now 6.9m sq ft of stage space in the country, with further studios planned in Sunderland, Hull, Birmingham and Hartlepool, among others.

What exactly caused this boom and how is it affecting people up and down the UK? The stats paint a pretty picture, but is everything quite so sparkly behind the scenes?

I t’s important not to disclose the undisclosed location, because otherwise fans will swarm the studio. It’s the summer of 2022 and season three of Netflix’s Bridgerton is filming somewhere I can’t say – somewhere suburban, with the same churches and war memorials and 500-year-old pubs you find in much of the UK. Inside an old factory sit several sets, including a teashop, ballroom, hat emporium and a grand house guarded by stone (read: polystyrene) lions. Outside, cast Winnebagos and a dog-friendly makeup cabin fill an industrial-looking car park. A sign on the costume trailer warns guests to shut the door: “You’re letting bugs in, including moths, and that is not OK!”

Here, glamour and brutal pragmatism walk hand in hand; Polly Walker, who plays Lady Featherington, holds up the skirts of her elaborate chiffon dress, her pink Adidas sliders visible below. About 200 extras wait in a marquee, ready to film a pivotal ball scene; a man in full Regency garb vapes out of a pink pen in front of a studio door with a red light on. There’s lots of MDF, scaffolding, wires and tape behind the scenes, but the sets themselves are glorious – like stepping through a wardrobe into Narnia. Foliage fills an elaborate golden ballroom, where tables are laden with glistening cakes and eclairs. The only evidence they’re fake is that they’re not melting in the heat.

The UK screen boom: facts and figures

Number of local businesses that Warner Bros. said benefited from the filming of  Barbie  in Hertfordshire.

Money generated for the economy by screen tax reliefs between 2016 and 2019.

Film tax relief paid out to productions between 2007 and 2022.

Number of films and high-end TV shows that went into production in the UK in 2022; this number dropped to 394 in 2023.

Amount of studio space built in the UK in 2022, bringing the total to 6.9m sq ft.

Money planned to be spent on a new development, Crown Works Studios in Sunderland. The studios will have 20 sound stages and will generate more than 8,000 jobs.

The cast are, though – just a little. Walker holds an ice pack to her neck while directing a handheld fan at her face. Nicola Coughlan , who plays her daughter Penelope Featherington, clutches a water bottle and keeps her own fan steadily whirring. (Some extras are clearly pleased that more period-appropriate fans are part of their costumes.)

Netflix first leased this studio space in 2019 and Bridgerton has filmed here since its first season. “It feels like I’m at home, in a way – it’s lovely,” says Coughlan. A few days before we speak, the actor brought childhood friends from County Galway to see the set; everyone was blown away. “There’s such love and effort and care that goes into everything,” she says, “Even on this dress, for example, every rhinestone has been stuck on individually.”

Local newspapers haven’t splashed any stories about spotting the Bridgerton cast – after all, everything here is hidden away indoors. Yet it’s likely that residents have unknowingly been mingling with the “below the line” crew. Five hundred of them are here on set today. “We have an expert in afro hair, an expert in skincare, an expert in hairdressing, an expert in hair-dyeing, an expert in wig-making,” says Erika Ökvist, the show’s makeup artist. “We have an expert in every field.”

Bridgerton is only one of many shows that Netflix has shot on our shores, giving ample opportunities to British and Irish talent. Lee Walters is a London-based chief lighting technician – that is, a gaffer – who has more than 30 years’ experience in the industry. He lit the Netflix fantasy comedy drama The School for Good and Evil and also worked on Barbie and Wonka .

“I’ve had a much wider choice of work in this country as the industry has grown,” he says. The rise of streamers and popularity of big-budget dramas has “pushed the amount of productions shooting and the amount of studios being built to levels I’ve not seen before,” he says. The boom is such that, at times, Walters has even found it difficult to secure enough equipment or crew.

Yet not everyone working on UK-based productions is from Britain; makeup artist Ökvist is Swedish and US-born Jess Brownell, an executive story editor on Bridgerton , says most of the show’s writers are American (although Britons are employed to “make sure we’re putting those extra ‘U’s” in the script). Then, of course, there’s the actors: Bridgerton is set in London and its cast is largely British, but the same can’t be said of Barbie , The Batman , Jurassic World or Wicked , out this year and starring all-American pop star Ariana Grande. How can it possibly be cheaper to fly US actors over to Britain to shoot rather than film in Hollywood itself? Just how good are those tax breaks?

S ome say that it all started with Harry Potter in 2001 but the fact is that our shared language means US studios have a long history of filming in the UK. Things took a significant step up in 2007, however, when the government introduced film tax relief , which enabled productions to claim back 25% of their qualifying expenditure as a cash rebate. All they needed to do to qualify was ensure their films featured sufficient British characters, scenery and heritage (or failing that, crew). In 2013, high-end TV tax relief was also introduced.

Neil Hatton, chief executive of trade body the UK Screen Alliance, says that these incentives were handily in place at the dawn of the streaming wars, when companies sought to create more and more content to attract subscribers. There are other reasons, too, why the UK has proved popular. “Other territories do have credits which have higher levels of rebate but ours is incredibly predictable – it doesn’t have a cap, it pays out really quickly,” he says. He also notes that the exchange rate has improved significantly for Americans, from about $2 to the pound in 2008 to about $1.25 now. “We’ve also got really good crews, we’ve got good studio infrastructure and then we’ve got all the iconic locations.”

More recently, the latest spring budget introduced a 40% tax relief for UK studios’ business rates , as well as new incentives for keeping post-production visual effects work in the UK. The chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, celebrated the rapid building of UK studios in his speech, stating: “At the current rate of expansion, we will be second only to Hollywood globally by the end of 2025.”

That sounds wonderful – but studios are meaningless if they’re not in use. At the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, the government introduced an emergency insurance fund for productions, encouraging studios to rapidly resume filming. With streamers desperate for content to entertain audiences stuck at home, the industry saw an unprecedented boom – that was when gaffer Walters struggled for equipment and crew – but things came to a screeching halt in July 2023. The US Sag-Aftra actors’ strike saw numerous productions put on pause and although the strike ended late last year , filming has been slow to pick up.

That is partly because streaming services are now slashing their spending after subscriber losses: Disney will be spending $2bn less on content this year, while Netflix released 16% fewer shows in 2023 than in 2022. Although productions spent a record £6.27bn in the UK in 2022, that figure dropped to £4.23bn in 2023.

“We’ve gone through a really volatile patch,” says Hatton. “And we’re really not yet recovering from that.” A February report by Bectu , the Broadcasting, Entertainment, Communications and Theatre Union, found that 68% of UK film and TV workers were out of work, with 88% concerned about their finances and 75% struggling with their mental health. Unable to find employment, numerous crew members have left the industry; Walters says it has been a “devastating” time. “It is perhaps a sign of some vulnerability to have so much reliance on the US productions,” he adds.

Charlotte Sewell is a London-based assistant costume designer who has been working on the Mission: Impossible franchise for the past four years. While she isn’t currently struggling for work (this spring, numerous headlines have celebrated Tom Cruise dining in Derbyshire and sprinting through London’s Natural History Museum), she is troubled by the experiences of her peers. “It’s been devastating; people who’ve had good careers lost their jobs overnight,” says the fiftysomething Sewell. “A lot of people have gone back to theatre, people are going into hospitality.”

But she is encouraged by the spring budget – particularly the new measure that at last offers a higher tax relief (up to 40%) for lower-budget independent British movies. “There is hope on the horizon,” she says. Still, the costume designer would like to see better government support for freelancers, the backbone of the British film industry. “We do bring in billions into the economy, and that’s not to be ignored.”

Amid all this uncertainty, many new studios are still being built. The Littlewoods building in Liverpool is being transformed into a production space. Last month, Rishi Sunak and Jeremy Hunt visited Sunderland to discuss the development of Crown Works Studios, with Hunt declaring: “If we’re going to become one of the most prosperous countries in Europe and indeed the world we can’t just have wealth concentrated in London and the south-east.” A virtual production studio, Studio Ulster, is due to open in Belfast later this year, while plans were recently unveiled for a “Hullywood” film complex with a new 19,700 sq ft soundstage in the east Yorkshire city. Yet even before post-strike job exoduses, research from the British Film Institute (BFI) found that the UK would need about 21,000 additional crew members to meet demand by 2025. At the same time as investing in new studio space,the government is planning to cut funding for performing and creative arts courses at English universities – just the latest move in a decade of defunding. Who does Sunak imagine will make the movies in the new studios he celebrates?

John Higgins, 70, a gaffer with 40 years’ experience in the industry, says he’s “always trying to push for more trainees”. In a way, he adds, it is a blessing that all the studios in the UK aren’t currently fully booked – there wouldn’t be enough crew to fill them. “Training is a haphazard sort of setup,” he says. “I don’t know whether the industry will fund it or whether they’ll have to get tax breaks from the government… [but] they’re going to have to ramp up training fairly quickly.”

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The 21,000 crew members the BFI estimates the industry will need encompass not just technicians but cameramen, editors, assistant directors, location managers, construction workers, set directors and costume supervisors – the list goes on and on.

Emily Stillman, senior vice-president at Warner Bros studios in Leavesden, Hertfordshire, believes that apart from the “blip” of the strike action, “the industry is very strong”. There is, she says of the UK, “great talent here, great facilities here and a great tax incentive here” but she acknowledges that not everything has been expanding equally across the board. “Part of the industry being so strong is our workforce hasn’t quite grown at the rate that everything else has,” she says.

Leavesden has been Warner Bros’ permanent home in the UK since refurbishment was completed in 2012. The studio is expanding , building 10 new stages, which will increase production capacity by more than 50%. This year, the company is also launching CrewHQ, an on-site training programme that will teach everything from set etiquette to how to use radios, after which trainees will be able to work on a production. Such opportunities attract everyone from school leavers to retired firefighters (one of whom became a locations marshal after Warner Bros launched a test training programme last year).

Stillman says CrewHQ aims not only to support new entrants to the industry, but also upskill the current workforce. “Something we’ve seen in the last five years is people moving up too fast, particularly because of the skills gap,” she says. She hopes the programme will increase diversity in the industry, improve crew mental health and enable project leaders to invest long-term in their teams.

The brains behind the initiative is Rico Johnson-Sinclair, a training and skills director for CrewHQ. “There’s never been a clear pipeline into the industry,” he says, “There’s so much mystery surrounding getting into production.” CrewHQ, Johnson-Sinclair says, is about creating that pipeline – this year, 1,470 people applied for 20 places on the first round of training in May.

While there are skills gaps across the board, Stillman also points to a less expected shortage productions are struggling with – accountants. “Lots of young people coming out of university or finance-type qualifications, most of them just wouldn’t even think of the film industry,” she says. “People don’t even realise that there are hundreds and hundreds of accountants on films.” She emphasises that it’s a “full career pathway” with progression, opportunity and good remuneration: “You can spend your life doing it.”

Other opportunities aren’t full-time but are rewarding, nonetheless. Johnson-Sinclair mentions a blacksmith who made swords for House of the Dragon alongside his regular work. Indeed, people don’t have to work directly on sets to benefit from the UK’s production boom. The BFI Screen Business report in 2021 found that every £1 of film tax relief given to productions generated £8.30 for the UK economy. “I know that there will be people who say: ‘Why do we give tax relief to film and television when the country is crying out for doctors and nurses and schools and hospitals?’” says Hatton. “The fact is, this doesn’t cost the country anything because the exchequer gets it all back. It stimulates growth, it creates jobs, and those employees pay taxes and also go and spend their wages in the local economy.”

Steve Thomas, landlord at the Rising Sun pub in Middleton, Derbyshire, had one of his busiest Mondays ever this March. The latest Mission: Impossible film was shooting at a nearby mine; one day, he says, “there was a noticeable increase in traffic, heavy lorries, generators and cabins and things like that, so it was pretty obvious that something was up”. Over the coming weeks, crew started trickling into the pub, grabbing something to eat after their shifts. On the Monday they finished filming, Thomas’s pub was packed. The 57-year-old landlord has not only benefited from the increased trade, but he now also knows the nickname that crew members bestowed upon a certain actor (which Thomas insisted was kept off the record).

Then there’s Rachel Hanretty, the 34-year-old owner of the Edinburgh-based bakery Mademoiselle Macaron. In 2022, she received a surprise email from the Barbie set designer, asking for 300 macarons to be featured in the film. “We just didn’t think it was true. It just felt so cool,” Hanretty says. Although you’d have to have an eagle eye to spot the macarons in the final cut – “You can see them for, like, 0.02 seconds” – Hanretty’s business has nonetheless benefited as she went on to sell Barbie-branded macarons to the public. “They really took off,” she says, and the increased social media attention meant other big brands such as Spotify and Lancôme began ordering branded macarons. “It’s kept us busy ever since.”

“T he big question that I think people are asking is: is there a studio bubble that’s about to burst?” says Tony Franks, founder of 25-year-old company Pocket Films, which publishes The Studio Map , a booklet and website for industry professionals.

In February, film-maker Tyler Perry paused the expansion of his Atlanta studios after getting spooked by the rapidly developing capabilities of artificial intelligence. In July 2023, Hollywood’s Sunset Studios delayed the development of a new £600m site in Hertfordshire; the new studio’s website promises: “We have been assessing the current climate and intend to continue once market rates and construction financing stabilise.”

Franks believes there’s “been a danger” of the studio bubble bursting but he is feeling encouraged by the spring budget. Like many, he believes independent film production has been “horribly ignored” during the recent boom, but he is confident that the new tax credits for indies will encourage “homegrown, lower-budget films” to use studio space.

And the Americans are still interested. Franks’s website hosts a list of forthcoming studio developments and he can tell from the page views that this is “closely watched” within the industry. “It’s an encouraging sign that people want to know where the next concentrations of studios are,” he says. Recently, Franks held a mixer night for the heads of studios to meet each other. At the first event in January, at the Chiswick Cinema in west London, he was encouraged to see that studios didn’t seem to view each other as competition and instead the atmosphere was collaborative. “I overheard people saying: ‘Well, this production wasn’t quite right for us, so I recommended other studios.’ That’s a very good sign.”

Although the sting of the strike action is still keenly felt, those within the industry who can hang on are still reasonably positive about the future. “The promise is that they’ll be making fewer but bigger and better projects,” says Hatton of the streamers. “There’s a rebalancing going on.”

Calderdale remained a popular location with UK productions during the strike action and council film officer Vardy has stayed hard at work. “There doesn’t seem to be a decrease at all,” he says, adding that he never uses “the Q-word” – “quiet” – because “then normally the phone starts ringing”.

And while Bridgerton season three hasn’t yet hit our screens, the filming for season four could be under way by the summer, with its glitz and glamour hidden inside sprawling industrial warehouses. While uncertainties loom in the industry at large, it’s hard to deny the thrill when things do work out.

“You do have a weird moment where you’re like: ‘It’s magic and it’s all real,’” Coughlan says of the cast reuniting each season to dance in grand dresses and ballrooms. “If you got jaded from this, I’d really worry about you.”

Bridgerton series three premieres on Netflix on 16 May

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