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Where was Get Santa filmed? What did Last Tango In Halifax Shoot? Which locations were used in the John Lewis Christmas advert?
Throughout 2014, Creative England’s Production Services Team has been busy providing locations, crew and securing filming permission for a variety of productions, from feature length films to the beloved John Lewis Christmas advert.
Below, you’ll find details of the team’s involvement in some features you’re likely to see this December…
Feature Films
Get Santa
Our Crewing team worked closely with Scott Free Films and the Production Executives on the feature film Get Santa. The film follows a young boy who, with the assistance of his father, helps Santa save Christmas after they find him asleep in their garage following an emergency crash landing.
Creative England’s Production Services Team helped with finding local Heads of Department and a main team crew for the festive production. The crew had a close working relationship with the Line Producer and Production Co-ordinator on the film and they dealt with over fifteen enquires for the production from the sound, make-up, locations and art departments.
Where Was Get Santa Filmed?
Our Production Services Team supported the feature in key filming locations within Yorkshire, including Harewood Estate which doubled for Richmond Park in Central London. Our team were also vital in securing filming permissions for important chase sequences on roads in and around Leeds. Creative England’s Production Services department were also the first point of call in connecting the production with property owners in the county for recces and assistance with securing filming permissions.
Other notable locations featured in Get Santa include Wetherby in Leeds; Bradford Town and city centre, Park Place in Leeds, East Riddlesden Hall and The Craven Arms in Appletreewick. The film also used HMP Lancaster Castle for its prison scenes and our team provided support for the costume department during dailies whilst on set in this region.
Creative England’s Production Services Team has an ongoing relationship with the Duchy of Lancaster which helped secure filming permissions in the prison registered on our filming locations database. All together, the Production Services Team created up to one hundred and twenty days of work for crew members on Get Santa.
Nativity 3: Dude where’s my Donkey
Creative England’s Production Services Team was also involved in the third instalment of the Nativity film series, Dude Where’s My Donkey?. The latest offering from this festive franchise follows Mr Poppy (Marc Wooton) and new teacher Mr Sheperd (Martin Clunes) as they travel to New York city with the class to try and find Archie, the missing donkey. However when Mr Shepherd loses his memory, his attempts to find Archie and reunite with his fiancée Sophie are threatened.
Which Filming Locations Were Used In Nativity 3: Dude, Where’s My Donkey?
Creative England’s Crewing Team helped the film’s Co-Producers to hire local accountants, Production Co-Ordinators, Health and Safety advisors, a 3rd Assistant Director and also source a production office that suited the film’s regional shoot. The team also provided assistance in recruiting staff for the Art Department, working alongside Production Designer Tim Stephenson.
The film series was primarily shot at Bablake School in Coventry and part three returned to this location to shoot selected scenes. Additional sequences were filmed at the Holy Family Catholic Primary School which is also located in Coventry as well as Drayton Manor Theme Park and Bourton Model Village.
You’ll recognise some iconic filming locations used in Nativity 3 such as the Thames and London eye and some not so well known ones like Coventry’s West Orchards shopping precinct and Leamington’s All Saints Parish Church.
TV Programmes
Last Tango in Halifax
Celia (Anne Reid) and Alan (Derek Jacobi) are lost lovers since Alan’s late wife never forwarded his letter of apology for missing their first date back when they were teenagers. Cut to present day and both now have children with relationship issues; however their estranged parents once again grow closer. The third series of Last Tango in Halifax is due to air this Christmas time.
Our Production Services Team helped facilitate filming permissions at Halifax Borough Market which features in the café scenes. They also provided help with on-location filming at Halifax Minster as well as scenes shot in Harrogate town centre. This was achieved through Creative England’s Film Friendly Partnership programme with Calderdale Council.
Last Tango in Halifax series 3 airs on BBC One at 9pm, Sunday 28th December
Christmas Adverts
John Lewis Christmas Advert – Monty The Penguin
Creative England were involved in this year’s John Lewis Christmas advert, providing support on the sledging scene which was shot at Hillyfields, Loughton, Essex. This famous section of the advert was shot during July earlier in the year using fake snow and most of the other scenes were filmed in and around the East London area.
Boots Christmas Advert
The residential house that features in this year’s Boots Christmas advert was located at Carpenders Park in Hertfordshire. The residency was sourced with support from Creative England and their Film Friendly Partnership with Three Rivers District Council.
Need help filming in Leeds, filming in Hertfordshire or filming in Coventry?
For more information on Creative England’s film office, to register as part of our ever expanding crew database and to keep up to date with the latest information on everything Production Services, visit their section of the website and follow @CEngalndProdn
