Partners, Not Competitors: How Northern Ireland Can Help Hollywood Navigate Its Next Chapter Without The Need For Punitive Tariffs
Hollywood, long the heart of global storytelling, now faces mounting pressures, from soaring domestic production costs to the disruptive, yet promising, rise of artificial intelligence. These challenges are real, structural, and accelerating. But the solution doesn’t have to be isolation or protectionism.
Instead, I believe it’s time for partnership.
Northern Ireland is ready to work with our friends in the United States to co-create a more resilient, innovative, and inclusive future for film. One where creative freedom is preserved, jobs are protected, and the power of technology is responsibly harnessed.
1. A History of Collaboration, A Future of Co-Innovation
Northern Ireland is not and never has been a competitor to Hollywood, it is a trusted production partner. Our film industry has grown in close cooperation with U.S. studios, networks, and streamers. From Game of Thrones to The Fall of the House of Usher, American investment has been central to our rise, and we are proud of that relationship.
Now, as studios look to reduce costs without compromising quality, we offer more than just financial efficiency. We offer:
- A strong, English-speaking talent base
- World-class crews and studios
- Stable, transparent governance
- Shared cultural ties and values
- A deep commitment to sustainability, training, and innovation
2. Together on AI: Ethical, Smart, and Inclusive
Artificial intelligence is changing the industry, and quickly. Rather than resist it, Northern Ireland proposes a joint approach to its integration. Working together, we can ensure AI enhances storytelling rather than erases the human element.
We support:
- Shared R&D between UK and U.S. production hubs on AI tools that streamline workflows;
- Talent exchange programmes for upskilling editors, VFX artists, and writers in ethical AI practices;
- Joint guidelines on transparency, creative credit, and fair pay in AI-augmented production.
By collaborating across borders, we can ensure AI becomes a tool for empowerment, not division.
3. The Path Forward: Practical Ideas for U.S./NI Cooperation
Let’s be proactive. Here are three concrete ways we can reshape the future together:
- Bilateral Film Innovation Forum: An annual U.S.– NI film summit (hosted in Belfast or LA, or both) focused on the future of production, AI, and workforce transformation;
- Transatlantic Production Partnerships: Co-funded initiatives between U.S. and Northern Irish studios that blend resources, locations, and post-production facilities;
- Creative Talent Mobility Agreement: A streamlined visa or work-exchange programme to allow creatives and technicians to move freely between the U.S. and Northern Ireland for work and training;
This is not a zero-sum game.
When American productions succeed abroad, it supports American jobs, storytelling, and global influence. When we film together, both our economies benefit. When we innovate together, both our industries grow stronger.
Northern Ireland is not asking the U.S. to pull back. We’re asking it to lean in, with us.
With new US offices in the Bay Area of California and in New York City together with significant experience in the sector in our London Office with Partners such as Andrew Ailwood Spencer West Northern Ireland is well placed to help implement and promote these pro-active and constructive strategies for the good of our local film industry and our friends in Hollywood.
Let’s not stick our head in the sand. Let’s build a more sustainable, smarter film industry. One that reflects the creativity, values, and resilience we share on both sides of the Atlantic.
For more, read the following related articles:
Trump Threatens Film Industry Tariffs – What Next?
From Box Office to Tax Office: Trump’s Film Tariffs and their International Tax Implications
