Windmill Lane Pictures, the Dublin post-production studio that has its roots in the famous recording studios on the Dublin quays where U2 recorded some of their earlier work, has announced it is closing with immediate effect.
The business, based on Herbert Street, Dublin 2, is insolvent and no longer viable in its current form, the directors said in a statement. It is understood the 31 employees of the business were told of the decision on Wednesday.
Windmill Lane Pictures is a separate business to Windmill Lane recording studios, now on Ringsend Road, Dublin 4, and moved to its Herbert Street premises in 2009 from its original address on Windmill Lane, close to Sir John Rogerson’s Quay.
“The global film and post-production industry has faced significant headwinds in recent years, including increasing cost pressures, rapid technological changes, and the ongoing challenges of operating in a competitive international market,” the directors of the company said.
Press Up’s Kaldero: A dining experience that feels more like being fed by an accountant than a chef
Man (50s) arrested at Dublin’s Connolly station after carrying shotgun on train
Weather Ireland: Orange warning in effect with more sub-zero temperatures expected on Thursday night
John McManus: WRC ruling is final nail in coffin of the right to remote working
[ Bono awarded US Presidential Medal of Freedom by Joe BidenOpens in new window ]
“More recently, the extended writers’ and actors’ strike in the United States has caused a severe disruption to production pipelines worldwide, creating a knock-on effect that has impacted businesses across the film ecosystem, including ours.”
In addition to these global pressures, challenges on the domestic front have further compounded the difficulties faced by the business, they said.
“The erosion of international competitiveness of the Section 481 VFX [visual effects] film tax credit has made Ireland a less attractive location for this type of work.
“Although we explored every available avenue, including attempts to secure additional capital and restructure the business, these efforts were ultimately unsuccessful in stabilising the company.”
The directors said they were deeply grateful to the company’s talented team, whose creativity and dedication they said had been the cornerstone of its achievements in the industry, as well as to its clients and partners for their trust and collaboration over the years.
“We are now committed to managing this transition responsibly and supporting all affected stakeholders,” they said.
Windmill Lane studios was founded in 1978 by James Morris, Russ Russell, Brian Masterson and Miert Avis as a recording studio and TV commercial post-production facility.
During the 1980s the recording studios worked with a host of major artists, including U2 and Bruce Springsteen, but also benefitted from the increased demand for music video sparked by the popularity of MTV.
In the early 1990s the recording and visual and audio post-production work split, with a new recording studio with the Windmill Lane name opening on Pearse Street and the original business becoming known for some classic TV commercials and, later that decade, developing its audio services for features, drama and animation productions.
During the 2000s the business worked with some major film and TV directors including Jim Sheridan, John Boorman and Neil Jordan, and by the end of that decade had moved to its new premises on Herbert Street, where it developed its visual effects (VFX) services and continued to work on major TV and film productions.
Windmill Lane recording studios, a separate entity, said in a statement that it was “very sorry to hear that Windmill Land Pictures has closed, and our thoughts are with their management and staff today”.
It highlighted that it “continues to operate a thriving recording studio and visitor centre”, and has operated on Ringsend Road for the past 35 years.
- Sign up for push alerts and have the best news, analysis and comment delivered directly to your phone
- Join The Irish Times on WhatsApp and stay up to date
- Listen to our Inside Politics podcast for the best political chat and analysis
