Film-makers seek wartime movie extras
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Front Lawn Films will be shooting its latest film, A War Story, at locations throughout the far north, claiming the landscape is the perfect setting from which to tell the story.
As well as wanting to use the scenery for the production, Front Lawn Films is looking for local acting talent to take part as extras.
The group of seven final year students from the University of York has big plans for the 25-minute production, looking to enter it in the BAFTA Short Film Awards and, if it’s successful, sell it to be shown in movie theatres across the UK.
Director Tom Day (21) said that after considering other areas across the country to shoot the film, they took one look at the county and said they didn’t have to look anywhere else.
“In Caithness it does help that you feel like you have gone back in time when you arrive from elsewhere,” he said.
“That is not meant in a derogatory way, what I mean is that it helps with the period look, such as we can find things like a stone cottage in the middle of a field.
“We wouldn’t find something like that anywhere else in the UK and from a filming aspect it is great to know that places like this still exist.
“Once the actors get up here to do the shooting, the scenery will definitely help them immerse themselves in that world.”
A War Story focuses on a young British boy with a German grandfather, who decides to enlist in the British Army during the Great War in 1917.
It is planned to release the film in 2014 to coincide with the 100th anniversary of World War One and tell its story based on one of the most important and devastating moments in history.
The students have raised £4000 for the project and the film will also form part of their final year of studies.
The county was suggested as a possible film location by producer Ian Packard (22) who used to have relations that stayed in Wick.
He said they have been hard at work getting scenes ready at locations which include Dunnet Forest and the TA Hall in Wick.
For the film to really tell their story, he said they need the assistance of volunteers to act as extras.
“The film is part of our final year project at university and our department was quite surprised about how grand scale we’re going,” he said.
“We have already received a lot of help from people in Caithness who have put us up and seem fairly keen to be involved.
“We have spoken with groups and individuals are very keen to get involved with the industry. I they would like to take part it would be a great form of work experience for them.
“We’re really happy to get as many people to be involved as we can. If anyone is interested we ask them to get in touch with us.”
The company is particularly keen to get up to 20 male volunteers to take part in a registration scene at the village hall.
Once the film has been completed, it hopes to hold a special screening at Thurso cinema.
Filming will begin on February 1 and is expected to take up to 10 days.
Those interested in taking part are asked to e-mail Ian Packard at ipackard@me.com
