Pinewood studios are embedded in the mind of local people as a hive of activity that produces some of the best works in Cinema of the modern age. It is hard to believe that such a small sub-urban village like Iver Heath can be home to such an internationally renowned establishment. The Studio once again demonstrated its importance this week as it played host to Prince William and Prince Harry two members of the Royal Family, well known for reaching out and supporting the wider community. The Princes’ arrived at the studios with Prince William recently back from a long journey from India. A long list of important state duties awaited the Princes in particular visiting the Set of the Star Wars film franchise. Meeting the cast and crew and even trying out a few of the famous props, nothing seemed to faze the Princes, not even the very realistic looking, cosmetic clad characters that blended into the set. The Princes mingled with the people responsible for making sure Blockbusters reach our local cinema screens and beyond, and even were able to climb aboard some of the Spacecraft that have appeared in the films, much to the jealousy of children and adults alike with fans admitting their envy on Social Media. The studios have a long history of ‘VIP’ visiting outside of the film industry, especially notably the Queen who has made numerous visits to the Studios most recently in 2007 when herself and Prince Philip opened the Modernised Entrance now positioned next to the Iconic gatehouse feature. The Princes’ Visit marked once again the Studio’s ability to connect the village to the wider world; can we expect more in the future from Pinewood, and more visits like this? I think we can safely say that while the age of Cinema and entertainment still goes strong Pinewood will continue to be a vital part in the production.
