Creative sector investment: March industry updates
// budget // creative growth finance // investment
‘Shameless’ mastermind Paul Abbott returns to Manchester and Channel 4 with ‘No Offence’, a gritty crime drama following a police team’s efforts to keep the streets clean.
DI Vivienne Deering (Joanna Scanlan) heads up the task force, taking down drug labs, arsonists and neo-nazis before most of us have had breakfast. However, when a twisted serial killer arrives on the scene, Deering and her team of cops are faced with their toughest case yet.
‘No Offence’ shot in and around Manchester with many iconic city centre locations appearing throughout the show’s eight episode arc. With actors in uniform, replica weapons and city centre stunts, facilitation on police dramas like this one is key to ensuring a smooth and incident free shoot.
With ‘No Offence’, our Production Services team worked closely with the show’s Locations Department and Greater Manchester Police to secure all necessary permissions.
Where Was ‘No Offence’ Filmed?
Producer and Screenwriter Paul Abbott put Manchester on the map back in 2004 with his long-running series ‘Shameless’ and ‘No Offence’ follows suit. Well known city locations appear throughout the series, including Mount Street and the exterior of Manchester’s iconic Town Hall. This spot forms the backdrop of a sequence involving a character on the run who meets an unfortunate end when he trips and falls in front of a bus.
To shoot this scene, Creative England’s Production Liaison Manager for the North Bobby Cochrane worked closely with the show’s Locations Manager to minimise public inconvenience and manage traffic. The scene was ultimately shot in the early hours of August 2014 and went off without incident. Except for the character, of course.
More of Manchester City Centre can be seen during the aftermath of a car crash scene which was filmed on Hoyle Street near Piccadilly.
More of Manchester City Centre can be seen during the aftermath of a car crash scene which was filmed on Hoyle Street near Piccadilly.
To secure these shots, our Production Services team worked closely with Manchester City Council to facilitate a road closure permission. A handful of Ancoats streets also make an appearance when police vehicles follow a character under the shadow of night. For these shots, Creative England helped to secure the appointment of a rest-day GMP officer during filming for public reassurance.
Salford Quays also appears in the show during a scene that involves the firing of replica weapons, something that requires a police presence to avoid confusion and incident. Our Production Services team worked closely with GMP’s Force Events Unit to ensure the scene was carried out in a controlled and monitored environment.
Greater Manchester Police are a very supportive service to the Film & TV industry within Greater Manchester and their liaison is key in making sure a production runs as smoothly as possible and that it is done in controlled and legal manner. To find out more head here.
‘No Offence’ is Tuesdays at 9pm on Channel 4.
To find out more about filming in Manchester City Centre or filming in Salford, visit our Production Services page or follow the team on Twitter.
