What size studio do you need? Floor area and ceiling height

Work from your setup

The subject is rarely the problem. What takes space is the distance between camera and subject, the distance between subject and background, lights on both sides, and room for crew, client, clothing rail and makeup. The longer your lens and the larger the subject, the more depth you need. Draw out your setup and check it against the dimensions the studio gives.

As a rough rule of thumb, Studio Noorderfabriek itself suggests 20 to 30 m² for portraits and 40 to 60 m² for fashion and full-length work. Video with a crew, a set or several setups usually needs more. These are guidelines, not requirements.

Ceiling height matters just as much

A low ceiling limits top light, a boom and high camera positions, and light bounces off it sooner. The same source suggests at least 3 metres, and 4 to 5 metres if you work with overhead light or a boom. Heights in the directory vary widely: Not My Studio 2 is 2.8 m, Green Screen Studio Utrecht 2.9 m, Studio Big Time 3.67 m, Mirage3D 5.8 m and Westerpark Studio 6.5 m. If the height says unknown, ask.

Studio floor or total area

A studio sometimes quotes the area of the whole building, including kitchen, dressing room and lounge. You cannot shoot there. Epsilon Studios, for example, lists a 36 m² studio floor at a 150 m² venue, and Filmstudio Twente a 36 m² studio floor in about 100 m² total. With a cyclorama, the width and depth of the curve also count, not just the floor; see green screen or cyclorama. Compare studios in the directory and choose the smallest size your setup fits in, because a bigger room often costs more hire and more light.