In 1927, Adelqui Millar founded Whitehall
Films. His claim to fame was that he could direct films in a half a dozen
languages. In 1928, Millar built a studio in Boreham Wood, which everyone
calls Elstree.
The studio opened just a the industry was
moving into sound. So they installed sound equipment to keep up with the
industry. HOWEVER, they hadn't put much thought into the coming of sound,
because they built the studio next to a railway. (see the map on Elstree
Studios)
The project didn't last long and went into
receivership in 1929.
Consolidated Films moved into the studios
in 1934 and changed the name to Consolidated Studios and made an attempt
to make sound films. They set up a booth on top of the studio, similar to
a ship's crow's nest. While they were filming, an employee sat up in the
booth with binoculars watching for trains. When one was spotted, he pressed
a buzzer to let the director know to stop filming. This also didn't work
well and the studio closed the following year.
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