from 2022
Eastbrook Studios in Dagenham (see below in this section) were given the go-ahead in 2020 when Hackman Capital Partners took over the scheme. In March 2021 the same company announced that they were also opening a studio site a short distance away, converted from existing industrial premises. MBS are managing the studios. The Wharf site occupies ten acres and consists of two large warehouses next to the river Roding in Barking. These have been converted into 6 sound stages, complementing the 12 being constructed at Eastbrook. There are also workshops and production offices in the building. As can be seen below, most of the stages are a very useful height.
The stages are as follows:
Stage S1: 21,800 sq ft. Height 46ft
Stage S2: 22,000 sq ft. Height 46ft
Stage S3: 16,600 sq ft. Height 34ft
Stage S4: 16,800 sq ft. Height 34ft
Stage S5: 21,850 sq ft. Height 33ft
Stage S6: 7,300 sq ft. Height 26ft
The first production began preparation here in April 2022. In 2023 the studios were used to film most of the games for Netflix’s Squid Game: The Challenge. The 6 stages were interconnected and contained the sets for the various games. Filming took place over 16 days and the contestants didn’t leave until they were eliminated. The first game in the show – ‘Red Light/Green Light’ was filmed at Cardington Studios.
