filmed in Kent

This Is Our Family (2020)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
This Is Our Family 2017 cast standing in a row on the front patio of a house, smiling into the camera. The lady in the middle is sat on a pink chair.

This Is Our Family 2017 ©Sky UK ltd

Director: Ellena Wood
Production Company: Little Gem
Kent Locations Used: Margate

This Is Our Family (2020) follows four families from across the UK, to tell the stories of their lives over a three year period. This ambitious docu-series began filming four years ago and is split into four 60-minute episodes.

The episode directed by Ellena Wood (Louis Theroux: Talking to Anorexia) and co-directed by Holly Moy, follows three generations of strong women living under one roof in Margate. Maree Miles lives with her three daughters, Ellie, Lily and Dolce in her mum Irene’s house. 86 year-old Irene has dementia and her condition seems to be getting worse.

Executive Producers are Ben Gale and Helen Littleboy for Little Gem, with Natasha Bondy as Creative Director. Marvyn Benoit is Executive Producer for Sky.

Production visited Margate to film at the participants’ home as well as the seafront, including wide aerial drone shots that show the true scale of the town.  Scenes were also filmed at The Rodney Pub, Margate Hospital, Margate Crematorium, Margate High street and a local hairdresser.

Margate is a seaside town complete with sandy beach, harbour, amusement park, period housing and the ultra-modern art gallery Turner Contemporary  which offers exhibitions, events and various educational opportunities.

Other productions to visit Margate include Interior Design Masters (2019), The Empty Housing Scandal (2019) and George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces – Series 8 (2018).

The ‘The Miles Family’ episode will debut on Sky Atlantic at 10PM on Tuesday 14th January 2020.

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map.

Dracula (2020)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
CLAES BANG as Dracula wearing a cape and looking into the camera in candle light . An old stone staircase can be seen behind him.

Dracula (CLAES BANG) © BBC/Hartswood Photographer: Robert Viglasky


Writer: Mark Gatis, Steven Moffat, Bram Stoker
Director: Paul McGuigan, Damon Thomas, Jonny Campbell
Starring: Claes Bang, Jonathan Aris, Mark Gatiss, Dolly Wells
Production Company: Hartswood Films, BBC, Netflix
Kent Locations Used: Joss Bay, Broadstairs

From the makers of Sherlock, Dracula (2020) is a brand new drama based on Bram Stoker’s novel, Set in Transylvania in 1897, this time the blood-sucking count will be plotting against Victorian London.

The cast of the 3 feature length episodes is led by Claes Bang starring as Dracula (The Square, The Girl in the Spiders Web), and is supported by Jonathan Aris (Sherlock, The End of the F*cking World), Mark Gatiss (The Favourite, Sherlock) and Dolly Wells (Bridget Jones’s Diary, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies).

Production filmed a sunrise sequence at Joss Bay, Broadstairs which was not used in the final edit.

Joss Bay is a popular sandy beach sheltered by steep chalk cliffs and backing onto the North Foreland Golf Course. Several film productions have visited the location including Coast and Country (2016).

The beach is reputedly named after an eighteenth-century smuggler Joss Snelling. Joss Bay is Kent’s best-known surfing beach and is home to the longest established surf school on this coast. The site offers an ideal set for many film productions.

The Dracula mini-series will air on BBC One on three consecutive days starting at 9pm on Wednesday 1st January 2020. 

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map.

Avengement (2019)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
A scarred man wearing a grey jumper looks down at the camera. Above him is prison railings

Scott Adkins in Avengement (2019)

Writers: Jesse V. Johnson, Stu Small
Director:  Jesse V. Johnson
Starring:  Scott Adkins, Craig Fairbrass, Thomas Turgoose
Production Company: Samuel Goldwyn Films
Kent Locations Used: Canterbury Prison

This British crime thriller tells the story of gang member Cain Burgess (Scott Adkins) who evades his prison sentences to take revenge on those who have wronged him. Believing other people are the reason for his misfortunes, he fights his way back to confront his enemies.

Avengement (2019) was directed and written by Jesse V. Johnson (The Amazing Spiderman, Starship Troopers). Starring is Scott Adkins (Doctor Strange, The Expendables 2) as the anti-hero Cain Burgess. Playing his equally vicious brother and prime nemesis is Craig Fairbrass (Cliffhanger, London Heist). Another star among the gang members is Thomas Turgoose (This is England, Kingsman: The Golden Circle).

A large portion of this film was set in Canterbury Prison, where several of the fight scenes were filmed.

Canterbury Prison has been closed since 2013 and was bought by Canterbury Christ Church University and is due to be extended as part of their campus. The authenticity of the Victorian prison is maintained, making it an ideal location for the crime and thriller genre. Other productions that have previously visited Canterbury Prison for filming include Wayfaring Stranger (2008) and Windmill Boy (2006).

The film was released on DVD on Monday 17th June 2019 and is now available to watch on Amazon Prime Video, Netflix and Google Movies.

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map.

Junk Rescue – Series 2 (2019)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Presenters Zoe Pocock (wearing a pink jumpsuit) and Danny Sebastian (wearing a patchwork waistcoat and jeans) in Junk Rescue pictured sitting down together on a wooden box and smiling at the camera.

Presenters Zoe Pocock and Danny Sebastian in Junk Rescue ©Muck N Brass

Starring: Zoe Pocock and Danny Sebastian
Production Company: Hello Halo
Kent Locations Used: The Historic Dockyard Chatham

CBeebies Junk Rescue (2018-) is back! The series shows how the things we throw away can be turned into something useful, through combining traditional crafts and creative child-led makes.

The Kent episode Frayed Yarn, involves Danny, Zoe, and their Junkyard Helpers finding some frayed yarn in the junkyard. Zoe and the helpers then make something out of sewing leftovers.

The series stars presenters Zoe Pocock (Horrid Henry: The Movie) and Danny Sebastian (Bargain Hunt).

The Frayed Yarn episode was filmed in the Ropery at The Historic Dockyard Chatham.

Set on the River Medway, The Historic Dockyard Chatham is a popular film location. It offers Georgian and Victorian architecture, maritime environment, dry dock, cobbled streets, and industrial buildings. The Dockyard has previously featured in TV productions such as the Hetty Feather series (2015-2020).

Junk Rescue can be seen on CBeebies on Monday 27th May 2019 at 4.10pm and episodes will air daily till Friday 31st May 2019, ending with the Kent episode.

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map. 

Victorian Sensations: Electric Dreams – Series 1 (2019)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Presenter Hannah Fry pictured in a black jumper smiling at the camera. Red theatre chairs are seen behind her with an electrical machine and spark.

Hannah Fry in Victorian Sensations ©BBC

Director: Andy Hall
Starring: Hannah Fry
Production Company: Academy 7 Productions
Kent Locations Used: The Historic Dockyard Chatham

Victorian Sensations (2019) is a brand-new three-part series, which explores the thrilling era of the 1890s, a period of rapid discovery and change.

In the first episode, ‘Electric Dreams’, mathematician Dr Hannah Fry (Size Matters, Horizon) investigates how science and technology transformed Britain during this time, giving rise to the modern world, as well as many present-day anxieties.

For the filming of this particular episode, production visited the Ropery Complex at The Historic Dockyard Chatham.

The Historic Dockyard in Chatham is set over 80 acres and contains over 100 Georgian and Victorian buildings. It has previously been used as a film location for productions such as Call the Midwife (2012-2022) and The Crown (2016).

Victorian Sensations can be seen on BBC Four on Wednesday 22nd May 2019 at 9pm. The Kent episode, Electric Dreams, will be the first of the three episodes to air.

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map. 

De De Pyaar De (2019)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Ashish Mehra (Ajay Deygn) seen standing in a club with some girls standing at either side of him.

Ashish Mehra (Ajay Deygn) in De De Pyaar De ©IMDb

Writer: Surabhi Bhatnagar, Tarun Jain, Luv Ranjan
Director: Akiv Ali
Starring: Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Rakul Preet Singh
Production Company: Luv Films, T-Series
Kent Locations Used: Castle Farm Lavender in Sevenoaks and Leeds Castle in Maidstone

De De Pyaar De (2019) is a hit Hindi romantic comedy feature film. The film centres on Ashish Mehra (Ajay Deygn), a single father and business man from London who falls in love with a younger woman, Ayesha Khurana (Rakul Preet Singh), much to the disapproval of his family and ex-wife.

The film was directed by Akiv Ali, and written by Surabhi Bhatnagar (Judwaa 2, Mubarakan),  Tarun Jain,(Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2, Life Sahi Hai) and Luv Ranjan (Dev.D, Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety). It stars Ajay Devgn (Simmba, Raid) and Rakul Preet Singh (NGK, Dev).

Some scenes in the film were shot at Castle Farm Lavender in Sevenoaks. The farm was used for a motorcycle driving scene, and the half-timbered Kentish barn at the farm was converted into a motorcycle shed for a BBQ and dance scene. Filming also took place at Leeds Castle in Maidstone.

Leeds Castle is a historic castle in Maidstone, with over 500 acres of land, including gardens, mazes and woodlands. The castle has been previously used in productions such as Rustom (2016) and The Hollow Crown: The Wars of the Roses (2016).

Castle Farm is a farm in Sevenoaks, with the historic timber framed farmhouse, surrounded by lavender fields. Previous filming has also taken place at Sevenoaks, including Mary Queen of Scots (2019) and The Favourite (2019).

The film was released on Friday 17th May 2019 in UK cinemas.

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map. 

Summer of Rockets (2019)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Close up of actress from Summer of Rockets pictured inside a building, looking deep in thought off camera, wearing a blue coat and green scarf.

Summer of Rockets ©BBC Pictures

Writer: Stephen Poliakoff
Director: Stephen Poliakoff
Starring: Toby Woolf, Suanne Braun, Keeley Hawes, Linus Roache, Timothy Spall, Toby Stephens
Production Company: Little Island Productions
Kent Locations Used: The Historic Dockyards, Chatham

Set in London during the height of the Cold War, Summer of Rockets (2019) is a drama based on true events amid with growing tensions across Europe. At the time, the UK tested its first hydrogen bomb, the Soviets launched their first ballistic missile, and the space race between America and the Soviet Union had begun.

Written and directed by multi-award winning writer Stephen Poliakoff (Dancing on the Edge, Close to the Enemy), the series stars Toby Woolf (The Last Post), Suanne Braun (No Signal, Starhyke), Keeley Hawes (Line of Duty, Bodyguard) Linus Roache (Non-Stop, Vikings), Timothy Spall (Finding Your Feet, Hatton Gardens), Toby Stephens (And Then There Were None, Lost in Space).

The streets outside the Ropery in The Historic Dockyard Chatham were used to film the 1950s civil defence exercise in the series and the upper floors of the Ropery itself featured as civil defence training rooms.

The Historic Dockyard Chatham, with its Victorian and Georgian architecture continues to be a popular filming location. Previous productions which featured this location have been The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (2015), Our World War (2014) and Foyle’s War – A War of Nerves (2004).

Summer of Rockets can be seen on BBC Two on Wednesday 22nd May 2019 at 9pm. After this, episodes will then be shown every Wednesday for the next six weeks.

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map.

Pokémon: Detective Pikachu (2019)

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Animated yellow Detective Pikachu seen smiling at the camera wearing a cap. Utensils and pipes in the background.

Pokémon: Detective Pikachu ©Warner Bros. Studios

Writer: Nicole Perlman and Rob Letterman
Director: Rob Letterman
Starring: Ryan Reynolds (voice), Justice Smith, Kathryn Newton, Rita Ora, Ken Watanabe, Bill Nighy
Production Company: Warner Bros. Pictures, Legendary, The Pokémon Company
Kent Locations Used: The Historic Dockyard Chatham

Based upon the Nintendo video game and later a tv anime and interactive App, Pokémon: Detective Pikachu is a feature film combining live elements and animation. The story centres on Tim (Justice Smith) who is looking for his missing father in the metropolis of Rhyme City in the Kanto Region. Accompanying him on this quest is Pokémon Pikachu (Ryan Reynolds) and together they find some dark secrets in the city.

The film stars Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool, The Hitman’s Bodyguard) as the voice of Pikachu, Justice Smith (Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, The Get Down), Kathryn Newton (Supernatural, Big Little Lies), Rita Ora (Fifty Shades Darker, Fifty Shades Free), Ken Watanabe (Godzilla, Isle of Dogs) and Bill Nighy (Love Actually, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest). Directed by Rob Lettermen (Gulliver’s Travels, Goosebumps) and written by him with Nicole Perlman (Guardians of the Galaxy).

Some scenes in the film were shot on Anchor Wharf at The Historic Dockyard Chatham which has hosted many films including Sherlock Holmes (2009) and Peterloo (2018) and TV shows such as Call the Midwife (2012-2020) and Vanity Fair (2018).

POKÉMON Detective Pikachu was released in UK cinemas on Friday 10th May 2019.

 

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map.

The Corrupted (2019)

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Liam (Sam Claflin) pictured wearing a black vest in a boxing ring, talking to someone who's face we don't see as their back is to us.

Sam Claflin in The Corrupted ©IMDb

Writer: Nick Moorcroft
Director: Ron Scalpello
Starring: Sam Claflin, Charlie Murphy, Naomi Ackie
Production Company: Eclipse Films, Riverstone Pictures
Kent Locations Used: Dartford Marshes

The Corrupted (2019) is a crime thriller set in East London ahead of the 2012 Olympics. Ex-con Liam (Sam Claflin) has lost everything at the hands of a local crime syndicate run by Clifford Cullen (Timothy Spall) who have forcibly acquired land to sell at a high profit to the developers. In an attempt to reconnect with his family, he is caught up in a web of conspiracy, crime, and corruption.

The Corrupted was written by Nick Moorcroft (Fishermen’s Friends, Finding Your Feet), directed by Ron Scalpello (My Name is Lenny, Bobby). The film stars Sam Claflin (Hunger Games, Peaky Blinders), Charlie Murphy (Peaky Blinders, The Foreigner), Naomi Ackie (Yardie, Cleaning Up), Timothy Spall (Sweeney Todd, Mr. Turner).

The atmospheric Dartford Marshes by the QEII Crossing featured as the setting of a crime scene.

Dartford became a market town in medieval times and has a long history of industrial and cultural importance, and to its north, across the Thames estuary, lies Thurrock in Essex, which can be reached via the Dartford Crossing. The town centre lies in a valley, through which the River Darent flows. Previous productions which filmed here were The Escape (2017) and London Spy (2015).

The Corrupted will be released in UK cinemas on Friday 10th May 2019.

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map. 

High End Yaariyaan (2019)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Movie poster depicting the title High End Yaariyaan and stars Jassie Gill, Ranjit Bawa and Ninja in a silver Rolls Royce with Big Ben in the background.

High End Yaariyaan (2019) Film Poster – © Pankaj Batra Films

Director: Pankaj Batra
Producer: Pankaj Batra, Dinesh Auluck, Sandeep Bansal, Manmeet Bindra
Production Company:Pankaj Batra Films, Pitaara Movies
Starring: Jassie Gill, Ranjit Bawa, Ninja, Navneet Kaur Dhillon, Neet Mahal, Musskan Sethi
Kent Locations Used: Cobham Hall, Herne Bay

High End Yaariyaan is the story of three friends Karanvir (Jassie Gill), Manga (Ranjit Bawa) and Sachin (Ninja) who attend college and share a flat in London. The film documents their complex relationships and romantic pursuits.

The three friends played by  Jassie Gill (Mr & Mrs 420 Returns, Sargi), Ranjit Bawa (Khido Khundi, Bhalwan Singh) and Ninja (Channa Mereya) are accompanied by love interests Navneet Kaur Dhillon(Amavas, Ambarsariya ) as Seerat, Neet Mahal (Dulla Vaily, Hard Kaur) as Pooja and Musskan Sethi (Paisa Vasool) as Mandy.

High End Yaariyaan is directed and produced by Pankaj Batra (Sajjan Singh Rangroot, Channa Mereya). Fellow producers include Dinesh Auluck (Goreyan Nu Daffa Karo, Jatt & Juliet 2), Sandeep Bansal (Bikkar Bai Sentimental) and Manmeet Bindra (Dangar Doctor Jelly, Kaashi Amarnath).

Production used various locations in Herne Bay during filming. The Pier, Beach, Clocktower and Central Bandstand are featured throughout. Cobham Hall and grounds doubled as a London College which Karanvir, Manga and Sachin attend.

Cobham Hall is a private school set in a historic house located in 150 acres of Grade II listed parkland. Features include a stunning ball room, library, cobbled courtyards, formal gardens, water towers, modern classrooms and sports facilities, including a swimming pool.  Previous productions to film here include Wild Child (2008) and Bleak House (2005).

Herne Bay is a coastal resort in Kent which is home to the world’s first free-standing purpose-built clock tower. Nearby attractions include the Pier, beach, Reculver Country Park and Wildwood.  Big Bad World (2013) and You Are Whole (2016) have previously filmed here.

High End Yaariyaan was released in the UK on Friday 22 February 2019.

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map.