ITV Showcases Pinewood Underwater Stage

An episode of ITV's long-running soap opera Emmerdale to air tonight will show scenes shot in the unique Underwater Stage at Pinewood Studios earlier this year.
The Underwater Stage features a tank 20m x 10m x 6m deep and with a capacity of 1,200,000 litres
It is Europe's first studio-based, permanently filled, underwater filming stage and features an ultraviolet filtration system to produce clear water and reduce the need for large amounts of chlorine.
Viewing windows are located on the west, south and east sides of the tank.
The facility is managed by Diving Services UK.
Emmerdale's Mark Charnock highlighted in a recent interview his experience of filming at Pinewood Studios and in the Underwater Stage:
"I've been very lucky over the years: running round London town centre, going to Venice, doing DVDs with Dominic (who plays Paddy) but this was the most amazing place I've ever been. I kept walking round in my free time peeking through doorways at these giant sets that were being constructed and everyone said "Hello Marlon!".
"Everyone seemed to watch Emmerdale. We couldn't believe how popular it was there. We also had the biggest underwater set they've ever built. It was filmed in a vast warehouse where they shoot all the underwater scenes for Bond and the Bourne films. They built this enormous box with the Woolpack cellar inside.
"They'd keep it above the water and as time progressed in the story, they'd lower the set deeper and deeper. So every time you came back to it after a break it'd be deeper, up to your chest, up to your neck. On the last two days we were treading water because it was above head height. It was an exhilarating week of filming."
www.pinewoodgroup.com
(IT/JP)