Introduction
Having successfully installed studio floors for IMG in 2013 and 2021, Elgood Industrial Flooring was nominated by Warner Brothers Discovery to install the floors for two new studios at the IMG Media facility in Stockley Park, West London. The project involved converting rough and very unlevel concrete slabs into super flat Universal Studio Floor Systems for two state of the art multi camera studios of approximately 140 m² and 120 m², all delivered within a two week programme.
Background
IMG Media’s Stockley Park facility is a major broadcast hub, hosting a range of clients including Warner Brothers Discovery. To support new production requirements, two studios needed purpose designed television studio floors that could deliver consistent camera performance, withstand heavy equipment and set movements, and accept semi permanent studio floor paints between productions.
Elgood Industrial Flooring has been designing, manufacturing and installing specialist television studio floors for more than 40 years, with over 135 studio installations and an average working life of more than 10 years for the Elgood Studio Floor System. This track record, together with previous successful work for IMG, made Elgood the natural choice to deliver the new floors for Warner Brothers Discovery.
The Challenge
The project presented several challenges that needed to be carefully managed:
• Converting rough, very unlevel concrete slabs into super flat studio floors suitable for modern HD multi camera operation
• Accommodating slab variations that required floor build up thicknesses ranging from 20 mm to 60 mm to achieve the required flatness
• Removing existing red oxide paint while maintaining a clean, controlled working environment within a busy broadcast facility
• Delivering optimum camera pedestal performance so cameras could operate anywhere on the studio floors without encountering undulations or surface irregularities
• Providing a tough, long lasting surface capable of withstanding frequent set changes, equipment movements and intensive studio use
• Ensuring the floors were anti static as standard, to prevent nuisance static electricity from affecting sensitive cameras and broadcast electronics
The Solution
Elgood Industrial Flooring designed and installed Universal Studio Floor Systems in both studios, using a proven methodology that combines specialist preparation, precision levelling and a purpose designed studio floor build up.
Key elements of the solution included:
• Mechanical preparation of the existing slabs, removing red oxide paint using vacuum contained diamond grinding to create a clean, keyed surface for the new flooring system
• Installation of the Elgood Universal Studio Floor System with thickness varying between 20 mm and 60 mm, allowing the finished floors to correct slab irregularities and achieve the required super flat tolerance across both studios
• Creation of a surface free from undulations, inclines and surface irregularities that would be acceptable in many environments but are unacceptable in a modern high definition television studio
• Provision of a tough wearing surface engineered specifically for multi camera studio use, capable of handling the range of loadings and traffic expected in state of the art broadcast facilities
• Application of an anti static finish as standard, eliminating nuisance static electricity that could otherwise interfere with camera operation
• A slightly profiled surface designed to ease the application and removal of semi permanent studio floor paints such as Mylands, allowing productions to change the look of the floor quickly and cleanly
All works were carried out by Elgood’s small, full time in house studio flooring team. Each installer has completed a four year apprenticeship and follows a programme of continuous improvement, ensuring consistent quality and a deep understanding of the specialist requirements of television studio floors.
Outcome
The completed floors have provided Warner Brothers Discovery and IMG Media with two high performance multi camera studios at Stockley Park, ready for demanding broadcast use. The project delivers:
• Super flat Universal Studio Floor Systems in both studios, supporting smooth, reliable camera pedestal movement anywhere on the floor
• Anti static operating surfaces that help protect cameras and broadcast equipment from nuisance static discharge
• Tough, durable studio floors designed to withstand repeated set builds, equipment movements and intensive production schedules
• Surfaces compatible with semi permanent studio floor paints, enabling flexible visual design and rebranding between shows
• Long term value from a British manufactured, fully in house designed and installed studio floor system with a proven record across more than 135 installations
By transforming rough, uneven concrete slabs into precision engineered Universal Studio Floors, Elgood Industrial Flooring has helped Warner Brothers Discovery and IMG Media create two state of the art studios at Stockley Park that are ready to support high quality television production for many years.
