How GreenlightGO Turned a Studio Search Into a Custom Solution
When First We Feast became an independent company, the team behind one of the internet’s most recognizable food and entertainment brands faced a major question: Where and how should they build the next chapter of their production operation?
The answer wasn’t as simple as finding available studio space.
First We Feast needed a space that could support its current production demands, including its flagship series Hot Ones, while giving the newly independent company room to grow. That meant weighing existing studios against new construction, navigating New York City’s complex production real estate market, and finding a solution that made sense creatively, operationally, and financially.
GreenlightGO helped turn that challenge into an opportunity.
1. The Challenge: Finding the Right Production Model
2. Going Beyond the Obvious Options
3. Turning an Opportunity Into a Studio
4. Production Infrastructure as a Strategic Advantage
Following its separation from BuzzFeed, First We Feast needed to establish production infrastructure that was truly its own. The team faced a fundamental decision: move into an existing production facility or invest in building a new studio from the ground up?
Both options came with tradeoffs. Existing studios could provide speed and infrastructure, but might require compromises around layout, workflow, branding, and long-term flexibility. Building from scratch offered greater control, but introduced significant cost, complexity, and risk. For a growing independent media company, getting that decision right mattered.
The goal wasn't simply to find square footage. First We Feast needed a facility capable of meeting immediate production requirements while supporting the company's future ambitions.
GreenlightGO worked closely with First We Feast's executive team over several months to evaluate the production facility landscape and determine the best path forward.
Our team conducted a comprehensive market analysis, reviewing more than a dozen quality studio options throughout the New York City area. We evaluated each opportunity against First We Feast's operational, production, and financial requirements. As the search progressed, it became clear that the best answer wasn't necessarily choosing between an existing studio and a completely new build.
There was a third option. Through GreenlightGO's industry relationships, we identified underutilized open-floor space at Motion Picture Enterprises (MPE) in Midtown Manhattan. The location presented an unusual opportunity: First We Feast could create a new, purpose-built studio while pairing it with existing production office space, all under one roof. It offered the advantages of a custom facility without requiring an entirely ground-up real estate solution.
Finding the space was only the beginning. GreenlightGO helped First We Feast navigate the project from concept through execution, serving as a strategic partner between the company, property owner, and other stakeholders. We mediated negotiations, advised on contract terms, recommended studio layouts and designs based on First We Feast's production needs, and provided guidance on technical specifications and potential architectural partners.
The result was a solution designed around the way First We Feast actually creates content, not simply a generic studio that the team would have to adapt around. That distinction was especially important for a company entering a new phase of independence. Instead of inheriting infrastructure built for someone else's needs, First We Feast could establish a production environment tailored to its own workflow and future.
For independent media companies, production infrastructure can have an enormous impact on both creative capabilities and operating costs. A studio isn't simply a place to shoot. The right facility can streamline workflows, reduce recurring expenses, improve scheduling flexibility, and create the capacity to develop new formats and revenue opportunities.
The First We Feast project is a great example of GreenlightGO's approach: start with the business and production needs, understand the full range of possibilities, and build the solution around the client, not the other way around.
First We Feast continues to produce Hot Ones and other programming as an independent company, now with a production home designed to support the next stage of its growth.
For GreenlightGO, that's exactly what a successful studio strategy should accomplish.
Planning a new studio, evaluating production facilities, or trying to determine whether it makes more sense to rent, build, or pursue something in between? GreenlightGO can help you evaluate the market, negotiate the right deal, and create a production solution built around your needs. Shoot us an email contact@greenlightgo.tv and let’s work together on bringing your ideas to life!