There’s More To The Moors
Throughout March and April, the Classlane film crew will be travelling around the North York Moors to capture the businesses, landscapes and people that make this area so special. The aim is to promote tourism in the region and to encourage visitors to experience the unique attractions available.
Classlane’s Digital Media Intern, Ottilie Wood, was on hand to describe the start of the shooting process… it’s over to Ottilie:
Our day began with a drive through the Yorkshire countryside to the moors, where we found Hill Top Farm, the premises on which Yorkshire Organic Millers is operated.
Joe Coughlan met us at his doorway and showed us into the building where his machinery is kept. The first thing to be filmed was the first stage of flour production, where the grain is dropped into the machine from a large sack. From here, we moved on to the neighbouring room dedicated to the bagging of the flour. Joe showed the camera crew all the processes of flour production and all were caught on camera. We managed to capture how Joe produces such high quality, artisan flour, particularly with the inclusion of his traditional stone mill at work.
From here we travelled to the Ryedale Folk Museum. Before entering, the crew obtained some exterior shots of the front building and the old tractor that is parked on the grass next to the entrance. The Museum’s first out door exhibition was an old high street dating back to the Victorian era. It consisted of several tradesmen shops. There was such a great variety of exhibits, the most prominent were concentrated on- medieval manor house, the model village and the Iron Age Roundhouse.
The next place to visit was Pattacakes. Here there were some counters displaying, and local produce such as honey and eggs. Anita Tasker and her staff were all very willing to be involved in the production and several worked behind the front counter and in the kitchen, showcasing their freshly baked produce. The shots that were gathered resulted in a film that communicated the homeliness and warmth of the teashop.
The final location of Thursday was the Black Swan at Oldstead. The restaurant was filmed with the candles lit to create a warm atmosphere. To add more interest, the chef made a black forest gateau, which required a waiter to pour hot cherries onto the top of it and melting the chocolate surface. My job here was to cut into the pudding revealing the oozing cherries and chocolate. This provided a close up shot and completed Thursday’s filming.
On Friday morning, two of us met at Dalby Forest Lodges, a set of three self-catering log cabins intended for family holidays. Due to the poor weather conditions, we were restricted to obtaining mainly interior shots. One lodge was used in the film, with its living area, bedrooms and wheelchair friendly bathrooms being captured. A shot of the establishment’s sign concluded our visit to Dalby Forest.
Helmsley was the next destination, where it was Peter Thundercliffe’s turn. His fishmonger shop sells the freshest produce from the nearby coast. Peter was asked to fillet and prepare some fish for his display. Finally, some pots of his homemade lobster bisque were arranged on the top of the counter alongside two lobsters for decoration, showcasing Peter’s distinctiveness and locally sourced produce.
The penultimate place to be filmed was Kala King’s Chocolates and Patisserie. As well as the homemade creations that were displayed all around the shop, Kala was first shown to be decorating a celebration cake for a customer. After this she demonstrated how she makes her chocolates, which would serve well in breaking up the scenic shots.
Finally, the last place to visit was Carr House Farm, a Bed and Breakfast with a large pack of gun dogs. Anna, the hostess, showed us around the rooms, and had also prepared a delicious looking breakfast in the dining room. The final point of interest was the guest sitting room where there was a log fire burning. As the weather was not ideal for exterior shooting, we shall return to Carr House Farm order to capture the dogs training in the field.
Overall, joining the film crew for these two days primarily enabled me to appreciate the need for allowing plenty of time so that if filming overruns in one place, the chances of the day’s schedule being disrupted is lessened. The importance of light was another key factor in the shoot, as an overcast day will translate very poorly onto film. The poor weather meant some places could not be visited such as Ryedale Vineyard. This is where good social skills are needed so that when informing a location that the film crew will not be visiting them negotiation and graciousness are in abundance. I certainly hope to be involved with another shoot, if only for the array of food provided by our very kind models!
In Focus Archives
Testimonials
I like the cut of their jib… its a very professional approach and also very imaginative.