The two day tour, sponsored by Bedfordshire County Council, showcased a wealth of the county’s locations proving that Bedfordshire is an ideal destination for filming. Attended by a notable crew whose past credits include ‘The Dark Knight’, ‘Love Actually’, ‘Harry Potter & the Half Blood Prince’, ‘The Hills Have Eyes II’ and ‘The Phantom of the Opera’, the trip provided a great opportunity for them to see firsthand what Bedfordshire has to offer for their future film projects.
Familiarisation visits are one of the ways in which Screen East promotes the East of England as a filming destination to key personnel working in the film and TV industry. They are an invaluable tool in showcasing the diverse locations and facilities available in the region which has been proven to encourage filming and inward investment.
Kerry Ixer, Head of Locations for Screen East said: “As a direct result of our 2006 Bedfordshire familiarisation visit, a rural estate in South Bedfordshire secured filming for Jane Campion’s ‘Bright Star’ due for release in 2009. During 2007/08 film crews spent an estimated £5.9 million in the local Bedfordshire economy on location fees and local services. Popular productions can also provide a valuable boost to the local tourism industry if locations are open to the public as more and more tourists are visiting locations used in popular films and television dramas. Location filming can therefore help Bedfordshire to showcase the beauty of the county’s countryside and historic heritage”.
They Came, They Saw, They Said…
“What a joy to find the unexpected”, Sue Quinn, Location Manager.
“I was very impressed by the range of locations that Screen East showed me on my recent FAM trip to Bedfordshire”, Mark Hubbard, Producer.
“Local knowledge is invaluable when choosing a location”, Malcolm Stone, Production Designer.
“The Bedfordshire FAM was well thought out and Bedfordshire is an area I look forward to returning to on future business”, Brian Bilgorri, Location Manager.
Producers, production designers and location managers are part of the creative team on a production who work to satisfy a director’s vision. With few films being shot entirely in studio sets, real locations are used to bring characters and stories to life. A whole variety of locations are often sought ranging from houses or flats, to barns, warehouses, shops, schools, farms, retail parks, hotels – the list goes on! All locations that are chosen can benefit financially through location fees, which vary in accordance with what the production wants to do.
Bedfordshire’s location filming show reel includes many exciting films and television dramas such as recently released ‘The Dark Knight’. Careful construction for the building framework of the Trump Tower took place at Cardington Airship Hangar where scenes for the pivotal confrontation between Batman and The Joker were shot. The second British film ever to top the US box office charts, ‘Four Weddings & a Funeral’, was filmed at Luton Hoo where hilarious scenes for the wedding reception of Lydia and Bernard were shot. In 2007, Luton Hoo opened for business as a luxury five-star hotel and was where Screen East’s guests recuperated after a busy first day touring the county. Dinner was served in the Adam’s Brasserie which proudly exhibits its film heritage by displaying stills from the many of the films and TV series which have shot on location at Luton Hoo.
Screen East is seeking a selection of sought after locations to add to their location library. Large, period or ultra contemporary houses, vacant or derelict industrial buildings and replicas of London or northern streets are of particular interest. If you think you have, or know of, a location worthy of the big or small screen contact Screen East on 01923 495051, email locations@screeneast.co.uk or visit www.screeneast.co.uk. Screen East would also be pleased to hear from companies based in the East of England such as couriers, construction companies, florists, cleaners and taxi companies who could support productions whilst shooting on location.