Posts Tagged Black Country Living Museum
On Set with WPC56 – Series Three
Posted by sparks68 in BBC, Birmingham, Black Country Living Museum, WPC 56 on November 12, 2014
As filming of series three of the cracking daytime drama WPC 56 approaches it’s halfway point, the cast and crew have, once again, been filming scenes at the Black Country Living Museum in Dudley. On set, filming scenes from episode three of the latest series, were new cast member Claudia Jessie (WPC Annie Taylor) and series two regular Liam Jeavons (PC Tommy Perkins).
Actors Oliver Rix and Matt Kennard were pictured sheltering from the heavy rain beneath brightly coloured umbrellas and new girl Claudia Jessie sported a rather fetching spotted rain hat. They were also both caught in action, in a chase scene that included a stunt jump between canal boats.
To give the show that authentic 1950s feel a bus from the Black Country Living Museum collection can also be seen in the shots. The restored 1952 Daimler West Bromwich Corporation Transport bus, GEA 174, was added to the collection in November 2013 after a nine year restoration project.
The Drone Cam mentioned in a tweet by Daniel Brocklebank (Carl Saunders) is also pictured flying above the museum’s main street.
The full set of 41 pictures can be viewed on the ContactMusic.com website.
The West Midlands Entertainment website, Native Monster, have also released a short video of some of the action filmed at the Black Country Living Museum this week.
We Are The Freaks … Goes Large with Justin Edgar
Posted by sparks68 in 104 Films, Birmingham, Justin Edgar, Large, We Are The Freaks on April 16, 2014
We Are The Freaks (2013)
We Are The Freaks is the latest movie from Birmingham’s very own Justin Edgar and 104 Films.
Following its success at the Edinburgh Film Festival last summer the Handsworth born writer and director brings the anarchic movie about three misfits having the night of their lives to wonderful The Electric cinema in Birmingham on Friday 25th April 2014 for a special screening and a Q&A session with the director and some of the cast (Sean Teale and Amber Anderson).
Set in Birmingham during the end of the Thatcher government with a thumping 90s soundtrack, from bands such as New Order and Happy Mondays, the movie introduces us to Jack (Jamie Blackley – Misfits), Chunks (Sean Teale – Mr Selfridge & Skins) and Parsons (Mike Bailey – Skins) and draws some of its influences and styles from the likes of The Inbetweeners, Ferris Buellers Day Off and Trainspotting.
There are a few obvious Birmingham locations included in the two minute trailer (see below) including Water Street (last seen in By Any Means), the former ATV/Central studios and the iconic Birmingham Municipal Bank vault.
The movie gets a quick DVD release too and is available from 5th May 2014 so there will be more opportunities to discover the Birmingham locations in your own home.
Large (2001)
Justin Edgar is no stranger to filming in Birmingham as his 2001 feature film debut Large was shot on location in and around Birmingham and The Black Country and edited at Pebble Mill. Filmed in just six weeks in March and April 2000 on a budget of £1.4m it featured cameos from TV stars Les Dennis and Phil Cornwell.
The movie didn’t fair too well at the cinema but was a huge success in the DVD market having been picked up by Pathé distribution. This tale of a young eighteen year old trying to keep to the strict conditions of his rock star father’s inheritance picked up a cult following that meant it sold around 30,000 copies to the home entertainment market.
There are a number of Birmingham locations to spot throughout Large, but the shooting style gives them an odd colour cast throughout that makes Birmingham look a lot more vibrant than normal.
The former Bell Edison Building on Newhall Street is the location where a young Jason Mouseley (Luke de Woolfson) discovers the details of his father’s will and the strict rules for him to collect his inheritance when he reaches 18 years of age.
The changing city landscape is noticeable in a few scenes however one is the more obvious than most as the Suffolk Street footbridge was demolished around eight years ago, some 5 years after the film was released and we also get a fleeting glimpse of Alpha Tower and Central TV Studios. Interestingly the characters were off to the Registry Office on Broad Street, which moved to Holliday Wharf in February 2006, but instead of using the ‘real’ offices they headed into a ‘re-signed’ Baskerville House for the ceremony.
In one scene outside the ‘Registry Office’ you can see the Municipal Bank and the Central TV Studios Reception on the other side of Broad Street.
Also featured are The Burlington Arcade, Cherwell Court in Sutton Coldfield and a scene at the Black Country Living Museum.
Further Information
Behind the Scenes at Dancing on the Edge
Posted by sparks68 in Dancing on The Edge on March 3, 2013
As I write I still have the final episode of this great period drama to watch, but the first four episodes have been gripping. After a slow first twenty or so minutes the drama really kicks in, especially as the character personalities start to develop, adding extra intrigue to the drama. The music, whilst not my normal listening pleasure, has been fabulous and really helps set the mood of the period.
The cast are all excellent with star performances from Matthew Goode and Chiwetel Ejiofor and Stanley and Louis respectively. I should also add that the vocal performances from Angel Coulby and Wunmi Musaka are simply breathtaking and lift the Jazz band sound once they are added to the line up in episode one.
If you’ve missed the series the DVD and soundtrack are available to order on Amazon and I highly recommend them both.
Birmingham Film & TV Tour update
I recently met with Film Birmingham again and we have discussed the possibility of including some of the locations used in Dancing on the Edge in some TV & Film walking tours later this year. I’ll update this site with details as and when they become available, so watch this space.
Meanwhile you can check out some fascinating behind the scenes photographs of Dancing on the Edge from Creative England on their Facebook page, including the stunning Ballroom at the Grand Hotel on Colmore Row and the impressive Banqueting Suite at Birmingham’s Council House. They also feature other West Midlands and Warwickshire locations with details of scenes filmed at Dudley’s Black Country Living Museum and Alcester’s Ragley Hall.
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