Southcliffe (2013)

Posted on July 3, 2013 by Kent Film Office

David Whitehead (Rory Kinnear) and Anthony (Al Weaver) in a misty street

David Whitehead (Rory Kinnear) and Anthony (Al Weaver) © Channel 4

Director: Sean Durkin

Writer: Tony Grisoni

Starring: Rory Kinnear, Sean Harris, Shirley Henderson, Eddie Marsan, Anatol Yusef, Nichola Burley, Joe Dempsie, Kaya Scodelario

Production company: Warp Films

Kent Filming Locations: Faversham, Faversham Recreation Ground, Oare Marshes, Uplees Cottage, Whitstable, East Kent Railway, Grain Power station, Teynham Court Farm, Canterbury Hospital, The Sittingbourne School and Police Station and many more

Southcliffe is a new four part Channel 4 drama that tells the story of a fictional English town devastated by a series of shootings that take place on a single day. The story is told from the point of view of a journalist who returns to his childhood town to try and unravel the reasons behind the shocking events. The entire series was filmed in Kent, with Faversham doubling as the town “Southcliffe”.

The Warp Films (This is England) production has an array of talent behind it including award-winning writer Tony Grisoni (Red Riding, The Unloved) and directed by 2011 winner of the Sundance Film Festival Directing Award, Sean Durkin (Martha Marcy May Marlene).

The series stars many familiar faces including Rory Kinnear (Black Mirror), Eddie Marsan (Tyrannosaur), Shirley Henderson (Anna Karenina), Sean Harris (Prometheus), Kaya Scodelario (Skins), Joe Dempsie (Game of Thrones), Anatol Yusef (Boardwalk Empire) and Nichola Burley (Wuthering Heights).

In October 2012, Kent welcomed the Southcliffe production team, who based themselves at the East Kent Storage Centre in Faversham and made use of the surrounding beautiful and unique locations such as Faversham, Faversham Recreation Ground, Oare Marshes, Uplees Cottage, Whitstable, East Kent Railway, Grain Power station, Teynham Court Farm, Canterbury Hospital, Sittingbourne Police Station, The Sittingbourne Schoolas well as various other farms, pubs, churches and cafes.

Anna (Kaya Scodelario) © Channel 4	Paul Gould (Anatol Yusef) and police © Channel 4
Andrew (Eddie Marsan) and Anna (Kaya Scodelario) © Channel 4	Stephen (Sean Harris) © Channel 4

The production also made use of the Kent Film Office’s legal powers to close roads for filming, using traffic management and even road closures at various locations.

The Kent County Council Film Office was involved from the early stages actively supporting the production’s location filming. Gabrielle Lindemann, Kent Film Officer explains: “Since Faversham is truly a busy market town, hosting a high-profile drama while keeping disruption to the community to a minimum takes a lot of co-operation between local organisations.

“For example, Faversham Enterprise Partnership liaised between the local community and the production, Kent Highway Services and Kent Police helped to accommodate some tricky road filming, including a key scene on the A299 Thanet Way; Kent Wildlife Trust and Natural England helped with some of the surrounding nature reserves and Swale Borough Council assisted in finding parking spaces for the not inconsiderable number of equipment trucks.”

The Faversham community were thrilled to have such a high profile show choose their town as a backdrop with Laurence Young, of the Faversham Enterprise Partnership, saying: “Local people loved having filming take place around the town and really enjoyed helping the cast and crew.”

Faversham is a beautiful, historic market town which boasts nearly 500 listed buildings and is set on the picturesque Faversham Creek. It has many restaurants, shops, attractions and beautiful walks and has been seen many times on the small screen for productions such as Cook Me The Money (2013).

Don’t miss the first episode of Southcliffe which will be shown on Sunday 4 August 2013 on Channel 4 at 21:00.

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

The Crimson Petal and The White (2011)

Posted on April 11, 2011 by Kent Film Office

Romola Garai smiling away from the camera in a dark dress, two candles sit in front of her.

Romola Garai The Crimson Petal and The White @ BBC

A four-part adaptation of Michel Faber’s international best-selling novel about Victorian Life.

Starring: Romola Garai, Chris O’Dowd, Gillian Anderson, Richard E Grant, Shirley Henderson, Amanda Hale and Mark Gatiss.

Production Company: Origin Pictures, Cité-Amérique

Kent Filming Locations: Eastgate House, The Historic Dockyard Chatham

In this four-part tale of love, lust, desire and rage, Victorian life is revealed in a way never seen before on screen.

The tale takes viewers into a hidden world in which a young prostitute and a prominent businessman embark on a dangerous relationship with epic consequences.

This version of Michel Faber’s novel, The Crimson Petal and The White, has been adapted by acclaimed playwright and screenwriter Lucinda Coxon (Wild Target, The Danish Girl) and directed by Marc Munden (Touching Evil, Utopia).

The four part series stars; Romola Garai (Atonement, Suffragette), Chris O’Dowd (Bridesmaids, This Is 40), Gillian Anderson (The X-Files, The Fall), Richard E Grant (Withnail & I Downton Abbey), Shirley Henderson (Trainspotting, Bridget Jones’s Diary), Amanda Hale (Bright Star, Persuasion) and Mark Gatiss (Match Point, Sherlock).

The production visited Kent where they filmed on location at The Historic Dockyard Chatham and Eastgate House in Rochester.

The Historic Dockyard Chatham is a popular filming location in Kent due to its authentic period backdrops, including cobbled streets and Georgian as well as Victorian architecture. Victor Frankenstein (2015), Grantchester (2014), and The Golden Compass (2007) have previously filmed at The Historic Dockyard Chatham.

Eastgate House, situated on Rochester High Street, was formerly a large private town house. Built by Sir Peter Buck; it has now been restored and is owned by Medway Council. Productions such as Jekyll and Hyde (2015), BBC’s The Mystery of Edwin Drood (2012) and Great Expectations (1989) have previously filmed in Rochester.

The Crimson Petal and The White will be shown on BBC Two on Wednesday 6^th April at 21.00

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

Wild Child (2008)

Posted on February 4, 2008 by Kent Film Office

Emma Roberts (Poppy), Linzey Cocker (Josie), Sophie Wu (Kiki), Kimberley Nixon (Kate) and Juno Temple (Drippy) all dressed in fancy dress posing at the camera.

Emma Roberts (Poppy), Linzey Cocker (Josie), Sophie Wu (Kiki), Kimberley Nixon (Kate) and Juno Temple (Drippy) on the set of Wild Child. Giles Keyte: copyright: © 2008 Universal Studios. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Directed by: Nick Moore

Written by: Lucy Dahl

Starring: Emma Roberts, Natasha Richardson, Aidan Quinn, Alex Pettier, Shirley Henderson

Production Company: Universal Pictures, StudioCanal, Relativity Media, Working Title Films

Kent Locations: Cobham Hall

Emma roberts soaking wet emptying water from a red shoe with her bed behind

Emma Roberts and Kimberley Nixon in school uniform frowning at each other in a corridor full of students

Writen by Lucy Dahl, the daughter of literary giant Roald Dahl, “Wild Child” follows the antics of 16 year-old Poppy (Emma Roberts) on a search of self-discovery and maturity. Brought up in Los Angeles, Poppy has been living a selfish and spoiled existence. Fed up with Poppy’s attitude and behaviour, her father ships her off to an English boarding school where she’s faced with strict rules, curfews, school girl hierarchies and scary teachers. Will Poppy be able to remain the ultimate Wild Child?

Starring Emma Roberts (Hotel for Dogs, Nancy Drew), Natasha Richardson (The Parent Trap, Blow Dry), Aidan Quinn (Legends of the Fall, Unknown) Alex Pettyfer (Magic Mike, I am Number Four) and Shirley Henderson (Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Bridget Jones Diary Franchise).

Shot on location, “Wild Child” was mostly filmed at Cobham Hall, near Gravesend, in Kent. Already a boarding school for girls, the location was perfect for the film. The country house has become an increasingly popular filming location and has played host too many productions including The Great Fire (2014), the BBC’s adaptation of Bleak House (2005), and Agent Cody Banks (2003).

Laura Goldfinch as an extra on set - standing in school uniform on a field with cars parked behind

Local Kent girl Laura Goldfinch was lucky enough to be an extra on the film.

“On the fourth day of filming, two women approached me and revealed Kimberley Nixon, one of the young lead actresses, was absent and they needed a stand-in for three night shoots – me!!! I found myself whisked away into my very own trailer and travelled down to set in the same cars as Juno Temple, Alex Pettyfer and the amazing Shirley Henderson!”

“When the whirlwind rush of Wild Child was over, my life went back to normal, but my attitude towards my chosen career changed for the better. To this day I am grateful for having been given this opportunity and that Kent was chosen as the location for the Wild Child Production. Since Wild Child, I have gone on to have other successes working as a supporting artiste and actress in other Film and Television productions.”

Wild Child was released in cinemas in August 2008 and is available out on DVD.

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

Kent's Premier Film Commission