Sussex Film Office

What Sussex Film Office does

Sussex Film Office is a regional film commission based in Arundel, West Sussex, UK, operating as an intermediary connecting film, television, and commercial productions with filming locations, permits, and local suppliers across the county of Sussex. Founded in 2016, the organization serves three primary customer segments: production companies (BBC, ITV, Netflix, Channel 4, Sky, Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video, and commercial brands such as Burberry and Tesco), property owners seeking filming income, and a certified network of production-friendly suppliers (cast, crew, hotels, caterers, equipment providers).

The company's core product stack consists of three integrated pillars: a 6-step online filming permit application system covering street filming, parks, public spaces, and drone operations with a 24-48 hour review SLA; a location services database matching productions with property owners; and the FAME Marketplace, a digital marketplace connecting productions with vetted cast, crew, and suppliers via the Production-Friendly certification badge. The underlying technology is not explicitly disclosed; the platform appears to be a workflow automation layer over a third-party marketplace engine (FAME) rather than a proprietary AI-driven system.

Revenue is generated through four streams: permit processing fees, location matchmaking commissions, recurring certification/subscription for verified suppliers, and marketplace commissions. Pricing is quote-based with no public tiers. Go-to-market is sales-led via direct consultation, referrals from local authorities and tourism boards, content marketing through an active blog, and industry event participation. The organization has 5 employees and was named Top 5 Film Office in the World (June 2025) and Global Production Award finalist (April 2025).

Name

Sussex Film Office

Legal name

Sussex Film Office

Website

https://sussexfilmoffice.co.uk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Sussex Film Office is a regional film commission in West Sussex, UK, connecting film, TV, and commercial productions with filming locations, permits, and a certified local supplier network across the county.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Film Commission Services

NAICS

Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries (512)

SIC

Services-Allied To Motion Picture Production (7819)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPADAFAE

Locations Services (Scouting, Permits, Management)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Film & Video Production/Distribution/Production Services (Crew, Equipment Rental, Locations)

SECONDARYMPADAIAG

On-Lot Location Services & Permitting Coordination

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Film & Video Production/Distribution/Studios, Soundstages & Backlots

SECONDARYMPAAAMAG

Studios, Stages & Location Services (Facilities, Location Scouting/Permits)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Advertising, Marketing & PR Services/Production Services for Advertising (Commercial Production, Post)

Keywords

• Film location services
• Filming permit processing
• Production support services
• Film commission services
• Location matching

Headquarters

HQ city

Arundel

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Filming Permits: Processing and facilitating filming permits for street filming, parks, public spaces, and drone filming in Sussex. The organization handles applications and coordinates with local councils on behalf of productions.
2. Location Services: Connecting filmmakers with properties and locations across Sussex. Property owners can register locations to earn income from film productions.
3. Production Friendly Supplier Network: A membership/certification program for cast, crew, and suppliers who support TV and film productions, providing verified professionals to productions.
4. FAME Marketplace: An online marketplace powered by fame for connecting productions with suppliers, cast, and crew in Sussex.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Sussex Film Office operates as a regional film commission for Sussex, UK, providing three core services: a 6-step online filming permit application system covering street filming, parks, public spaces, and drone aerial filming; a location database and matchmaking service that connects filmmakers with property owners; and the FAME Marketplace platform that links productions with vetted cast, crew, and suppliers certified under the Production-Friendly badge program.

Product overview

Sussex Film Office operates as a unified platform offering a comprehensive suite of film production support services for Sussex, UK. The core offering consists of three integrated pillars: an online permit application system managing street filming, parks, public spaces, and drone permits through a streamlined 6-step approval process; a location services database connecting filmmakers with property owners; and the FAME Marketplace platform for vetted cast, crew, and supplier connections. All supplier services are backed by the Production-Friendly certification program, ensuring verified professionals are set-ready for productions of all sizes and budgets.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Filming Permit Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 24-48 hour review process for permit applications
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Mid Sussex District CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2024Sussex Film Office announced a new partnership with Mid Sussex District Council in May 2024, expanding their coverage and coordination with local authorities across Sussex for filming permits and location services.
• Brighton & Hove City CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing partnership for coordinating filming permits and location access within Brighton & Hove city boundaries, one of Sussex's primary filming destinations.
• West Sussex County CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with West Sussex County Council for facilitating filming permits and locations across West Sussex districts.
• FAME MarketplacecoreTechnology or IntegrationPowered by FAME, an integrated marketplace platform for connecting film productions with local suppliers, cast, and crew across Sussex.
• Various Sussex CouncilscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnerships with multiple councils including Wealden District Council, Lewes District Council, Eastbourne Borough Council, Adur & Worthing Councils, Crawley Borough Council, and others for filming permit coordination.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Film London: The lead screen agency for London, providing production services, location support, permits and crew/cast connections across the capital. Directly comparable as a UK regional film office serving a specific geography with the same permit/location/supplier model.
• Screen Scotland: National film and TV development agency for Scotland that facilitates productions through permits, locations, and crew connections. Comparable scope (region-wide production facilitation) and similar customer base of UK broadcasters and streamers.
• Northern Ireland Screen: National screen agency for Northern Ireland that supports film/TV production, including permitting, locations and crew. Closely comparable as a regional film commission with council/government partnerships.
• Screen Yorkshire: Regional screen agency for Yorkshire and Humber offering production support, locations and crew. Direct regional film office peer operating the same location/permit/support model in an adjacent UK region.
• Creative Wales: Welsh Government's creative industries body supporting film/TV production in Wales through funding, locations and crew support. Comparable regional film office model with similar customer profile.
• Liverpool Film Office: City-level film office providing permit coordination, location services and production support across Liverpool and the surrounding region. Direct UK peer offering the same permit-and-location value proposition at city scale.
• Manchester Film Office: Manchester's film office facilitating permits, locations, and production services across Greater Manchester. Comparable regional/city film office model serving the same UK production market.
• Screen South: Regional screen agency for the South East of England historically focused on production and skills support in the same macro region as Sussex. Closely comparable regional peer with overlapping geography.

Broad incumbents

• British Film Commission: National body promoting the UK as a filming destination to international productions. Broader incumbent operating at national level rather than a single region, but overlapping mandate of facilitating UK film production.

Regional players

• Film Oxford: Regional film office serving Oxfordshire with location and production support services. Comparable regional film office model but in a different UK geography, making it an adjacent rather than direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sussex Film Office