Film company founders invest to launch The Hull Studio media hub

Two friends who founded a film making company nearly 20 years ago have sharpened their focus on building a reputation as Hull and Humber’s media partner by purchasing their own building which will be open to all.

Joe Sargieson and Jonathan Fell have started refurbishing and fitting out the property at the Maltings development in Hull city centre as The Hull Studio. 

JayJay Media, the company they founded together in 2008, will be the host tenant on the site to operate the facility. The aim is to build industry capacity across the region by creating a hub which will provide agencies, media companies and freelancers working in the creative industries with everything they need under one roof.

Joe said: “In the past we struggled to find appropriate studio space in Hull so it’s been our ambition for some time to create a facility for ourselves which we could also make available to benefit others in the region as a resource.

“We kept seeing creatives have to compromise – going to a photographic studio where the audio didn’t work, or to a radio studio which wasn’t designed for film. We would have to hire event space to set up large scale shots such as green screen.”

JayJay Media’s offices and five full-time permanent staff will occupy the mezzanine first floor with their production of film, photography, animations and podcasts. On the ground floor, The Hull Studio will offer space for a wide spectrum of filmmaking and video content creation, with Joe and Jonathan having shaped the spec around examples of industry best practice.

The main studio has the height for programmable lighting and custom set backdrops. An adjoining kitchen and storage area will be converted to create a green room to support live performances. Wi-fi, parking and level access all add to the attributes, with technical and creative expertise including post-production services all available in-house.

Joe said: “The entire ground floor will become a creative playground. We looked at other places and identified what we wanted – the sort of space which you can hire for content creation, photography, podcasts and broadcast interviews.

“If you want to put on a small gig or a performance you have space for the audience and people can step from the green room right onto the stage. As we have grown our business we have seen the value of collaborating with experienced industry professionals such as make-up artists and set builders.

“You need the space, lighting, and acoustics as well as the knowledge and experience of people who know what they are doing – experts who understand what people want, what they need and how to make it happen.”

JayJay Media’s client list includes businesses ranging from local SMEs to FTSE100 brands, and public bodies working in local government, health and education.

The new space will offer big media facilities, technology and expertise and also support bite-sized sessions designed to suit mini projects and small firms and start-ups, whether they are behind or in front of the cameras.

Jonathan said: “We have the space to create a comfortable, client-friendly environment which is close to the BBC, Hull College, and STEAM Studios at the Ron Dearing UTC. They can be a catalyst to accelerate the creation of a Hull media village, attracting other businesses into this corner of the city centre.

“We consider ourselves to be one of Hull and Humber’s key media partners because we work with so many big names and we also work collaboratively with other creatives. We know the other film makers, photographers, marketing people and content creators and we want The Hull Studio to be genuinely accessible and welcoming to them.

“Part of the joy of being in a fully equipped studio with people who know how to operate it is it saves you time and money. This space will be set up for them to do what they want as soon as they walk through the door.”