BERLIN — Penzing Studios (www.penzingstudios.com) is a new film & television studio facility located at the former air base in Penzing, 30 miles west of Munich in Germany. The first productions are already underway in the refurbished airplane hangars, which include a full-scale virtual production stage, with further sound stages set to open in June.
The developers plan to invest an additional 100 million Euros in the next three years to expand the facility to 12 sound stages with 25,000 square meters of production space and 15,000 square meters of workshop and office space. With a focus on digital and virtual production, the new hub will also house post production, visual effects, gaming, digital media, technology companies, educational opportunities, an event center and auditorium, and hospitality infrastructure to create more than 1,000 jobs by 2025.
In partnership with global architecture firm Snohetta, Penzing Studios is aiming to be one of the world's first zero-emission film studios. Based on Snohetta's own concept, all structures added to the existing facilities will use rammed earth and timber to create an attractive and sustainable working environment.
Demand for studio facilities is rising globally due to the boom in content production streaming companies increasing budgets for local-language content. A slew of significant studio initiatives has recently been announced in other countries.
“Supply continues to outstrip demand for studio facilities and there are transformative shifts underway in the way in which film and television is created,” notes Penzing Studios’ managing partner Jörn Siegele and producer/partner Joe Neurauter. “We are at the forefront of these changes and aim to create a sustainable hub in which creative people can thrive and do their best work.”
"Productions that want to shoot in the region often have to switch to other locations because of a lack of available state-of-the-art and scalable studio facilities,” adds Bavarian film commissioner Anja Metzger. “We are thrilled about the launch of Penzing Studios and its forward-thinking approach to the future of production. It allows us to offer incoming productions a compelling package with advanced digital studio facilities, an established crew base, attractive incentives, and a desirable shooting destination in the heart of Europe.”
Penzing Studios is home to one of Germany's first virtual production stages - Hyperbowl. Established in March 2020, it has been successfully used in the production of more than 50 projects to date. The former army airbase in Penzing is a landmark where Johnny Cash was once stationed. It shuttered three years ago, but late last year, assisted by Invest in Bavaria and supported with an investment grant for the Hyperbowl stage by Bavaria’s Ministry of Economic Affairs, Penzing Studios became one of the first major strategic projects to obtain government and municipal approval to develop and convert the site.