Urban Brew Studios, a pioneer in African storytelling and production, today celebrates six years at its cutting-edge Ferndale on Republic facility. The move from the legendary 28 Harley Street studios to Ferndale, formerly known as Brightwater Commons, marked a new chapter for the production house, expanding its capabilities to meet growing industry demands for larger studio spaces, while continuing its mission of producing high-quality African content.
Reflecting on the milestone, Calvin Sefala, CEO of Urban Brew Studios, shared: “Our transition to Ferndale on Republic marked the beginning of a new era for Urban Brew Studios. This facility has enabled us to push the boundaries of production while remaining committed to our mission of telling powerful African stories. We’re excited to celebrate six years in this space and look forward to leading the future of African content creation from this inspiring space.”
Urban Brew Studios first set its roots at 28 Harley Street on 13 September 1994, where it became synonymous with some of South Africa’s most beloved television programmes. After 24 years of successful operation, the company made the strategic decision to relocate to Ferndale on Republic in 2018. The facility underwent a comprehensive renovation, transforming it into a custom-built space for production, post-production, and live broadcasting.
Carol Washington, head of Content Productions at Urban Brew Studios, added: “Interestingly, we used the Ferndale dome as a shooting location for a season of Top Chef before we even knew it would be our future home. It feels like the stars aligned for us. Since our move, the studios have been a home to shows like Young, Famous & African, The Ultimatum South Africa, Family Feud with Steve Harvey, and many more, which have continued to raise the bar in African entertainment.”
The Ferndale on Republic facility boasts an impressive array of cutting-edge resources designed to meet the demands of modern productions. It features eight fully equipped television studios ranging from 226m² to 1000m² and three high-definition control rooms. A world-class data centre links any studio to any control room, providing unparalleled flexibility. The data centre connects to an offsite data storage facility via a 40Gbps fibre line, ensuring secure backups. For live productions, dual broadcast lines link the studios to all three national broadcasters. Urban Brew’s fleet, including an SNG van and a six-camera HD OB van, allows for seamless live broadcasts from any location across the country.
Post-production services are also provided in high-end editing suites equipped with industry-leading software, while the in-house Urban Rhythm Factory offers complete audio post-production and music composition and publishing services. Urban Brew also manages the channel playout for its two channels, One Gospel and Dumisa, further demonstrating its comprehensive production capabilities.
From iconic programmes filmed at the 28 Harley studios – such as Friends Like These, Tonight with Trevor Noah, 3 Talk, Lotto, and Live AMP – to current productions at Ferndale on Republic Studio complex, Urban Brew Studios continues to lead the industry in creating impactful and authentic African content. The company remains dedicated to shaping the future of African entertainment, constantly evolving to meet the growing demands of broadcasters, streaming platforms, and event organisers.
