The push to expand studio infrastructure in the U.K. is moving north. Indie film company Turnover XXV has unveiled plans for a new production facility in the Teesside Freeport zone, marking what it says will be the first studio in the U.K. and Europe to be based inside a Freeport.

A First for Teesside

The project, dubbed Turnover Studios, comes from Turnover XXV founders Craig Conway (actor/producer), Amita Krishna (business strategist), Ajo Kacmar (creative director/casting lead), and international producer Djonny Chen. The development is backed by local entrepreneur Ammar Mirza, who also chairs Turnover XXV’s advisory board.

“Turnover XXV has always been more than just about making films,” said Conway, who serves as CEO. “With the Teesside studio, we’re creating a launchpad not only for our slate, but for a new kind of filmmaking economy that delivers impact for the region.”

Ambitious Plans

Turnover says the facility is designed as part of a self-sustaining pipeline that can develop, produce, and distribute up to five feature films annually. The company is already lining up projects to shoot at the site once it opens next year.

“For us, storytelling doesn’t stop at the screen,” added Kacmar. “This new studio gives us the space to nurture emerging voices, build meaningful careers, and welcome bold, international collaborations with long-term impact.”

Turnover recently completed its debut production Trash TV, a dark satire directed by Danny Lee and shot at the University of Sunderland. The film stars Noah Taylor (Game of Thrones, Peaky Blinders), Robert Cavanah, Millie Brady, Fellner, and Dave Johns.

Global Backing

Producer Djonny Chen, who has credits on more than 30 films across Europe and Asia, is spearheading Turnover’s financing strategy. His upcoming feature High Wire, starring Isabella Wei and Dominic Lam, is among the international projects fueling the company’s profile.

“This is more than a studio launch,” said Mirza. “It’s a blueprint for inclusive economic growth, creative innovation and cultural leadership. What we’re building in Teesside has the potential to change how the world sees the North East – and how the North East sees itself.”

Regional Context

The announcement comes just weeks after Fulwell 73’s $620 million Crown Works Studios project in nearby Sunderland stalled following the loss of a key investor. That development had been billed as the region’s answer to Pinewood or Shepperton.

With Turnover’s Teesside project now moving forward, the U.K.’s northeast looks to remain a battleground in the country’s fast-growing studio sector.