On Dec. 5, 2025, the Film London Industry Mixer drew more than 150 creators, crew members, producers and industry supporters to a sold-out Innovation Works, underscoring just how rapidly London’s screen sector is accelerating and cementing itself as a pilar of sustainable economic growth.
The crowd represented a wide slice of the film ecosystem: production companies, casting networks, post-production teams, location owners, independent filmmakers, even people just curious about dipping a toe in. Social media lit up the next day with photos and tags showing packed rooms, animated conversations, and what looked like dozens of new connections. That alone felt like a milestone and a sign that London’s film-community momentum is public and growing.
“It's more complex to grow this industry than most people realize,” says Andrew Dodd, manager of tech and creative industries at LEDC, “but addressing the right issues, the pertinent issues has proven to help get the ball rolling.”
In 2025, London supported $1.1 mil in direct local spending and supported jobs across crew, post-production, hospitality, transportation and creative services.
The event also announced the launch of the London Film Incentive, in partnership with London Tourism - which includes a $700,000 production-funding initiative that offers 20% reimbursement on qualified in-town expenditures (or a pre-determined capped amount), for productions that hire locally, film in London and meet other eligibility criteria like using local hotels, engaging post-secondary institutions for crew/talent, and doing principal photography in London.
The incentive covers local spending on things like hotel stays, crew and talent pay, equipment rental, location fees, permits, catering, studio and post-production work, basically the full ecosystem of what goes into a film shoot.
To qualify, projects must meet certain requirements: they need to own or have rights to the production, or have a certified distribution deal; they must begin principal photography within three months of approval; and expenses outside London don’t count — the goal is to keep the money on the ground here.
There are two application intake rounds each year (Jan. 1 to June 30, and July 1 to Dec. 31) and funding is limited, distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. More information can be found on the Film London website.
Why this matters, beyond the films themselves, is that this changes the economic landscape for London. With backing from LEDC, Film London is building infrastructure not just for art but for jobs, services and long-term growth. Producers now have a real incentive to hire local crew, rent local gear, use local vendors, and stay in local hotels. That spells opportunities for hospitality, catering, transportation, equipment rental, post-production houses - even property owners with interesting buildings who may want to list their location.
If you’ve ever wondered whether there’s room for you in London’s film scene, there is. Film London’s platform lets people register as crew or list locations, which then get discovered by productions looking to hire or shoot locally. It’s a simple way for actors, technicians, makeup artists, location owners, and other creatives or service providers to plug into real projects.
The mixer was a clear declaration that London is open for production. With the London Film Incentive now live, local filmmakers have new reasons to dream big, and national or international producers have new reasons to call this city home.
