The 6-episode series, starring Stephen Graham and written by Steven Knight, was filmed mostly on the historic site of a disused 22-acre brewery on the river. Once a carpark and old factory buildings, the site has been transformed into a fully functioning film and television studio.
When the producers of A Thousand Blows were searching for space, they had to find somewhere that all departments could flow together– with two seasons to film and over two years on-site, it had to work. Series producer Tom Miller said that ‘for the first year before anything really happened, we had to put aside being TV producers and become building project managers.’ Creating a space that fostered great work was a priority.
From a 50,000 sq. ft. area of tarmac, the team, led by Production Designer Tom Burton, created a rabbit warren of 1880s Victorian London streets which are still standing at The Story Works today.
Since Season 2 wrapped the brewery, the site has become home to multiple other significant productions. Producer Mark Hubbard, who worked at the Studio in 2024 said: ‘The decision to base Downton Abbey 3 at The Story Works was the single best decision I made on the whole production. The studio was able to accommodate the large costume department as well as the production/art department which meant it was the first film where we were all based on one site. Its central position and proximity to the railway station made it very user friendly and the crew loved being at Mortlake’.
With the site being loved by cast and crew alike, The Story Works team are continuing to host productions. In the much-loved London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, centred only 25 minutes from both Heathrow and Waterloo, the site has two sound stages (25,000+ sq. ft.) and nearly 200,000 sq. ft. supporting space. The studio has good availability from June of this year.
