Location for King of The Gypsies

[billywizz]

as there ain't a gypsies section on here yet I'll stick this thread in here....this is primarily a question for richK i reckon but if anyone knows owt about this please pipe up........

shane has mentioned that a script for this film is on the way so it would appear the wheels are in motion for the film to potentially be made.....

my questions are thus:

at what stage would you (or someone else in your profession) get the brief to scout for locations.....?

what factors determine where a film gets made.....?

is there any reason why some of this can't be filmed in uttoxeter....?

cheers

[RichK]

I'm often in discussion about projects up to six months prior to shooting, not all projects discussed proceed to greenlight, and often I end up doing a different project if dates etc clash. Same as any self employed person in that respect. Usually begin paid scouting (but will often do a few freebie days in v early prep) about 8 weeks before the start of shoot.

It's not a case of being given carte blanche of the whole country (or world!) to find the locations.. although it probably is if you're scouting for a "Bond!" - as I've mentioned before, Shane's films have so far been co-financed by the East Midlands screen agency www.em-media.org.uk - and a proviso of their funding is that the film is shot in their area. The effect of this is that for every £1000 they put in, they expect the production to spend £5000 (or at least more than £1000) in the region. Hotels, crew wages, locations, photocopying, meals, editing, stock, equipment hire etc. This boosts the local economy, keeps local people like me employed and gets cinematic corners of the region shown in cinemas around the world.

In theory, no reason at all why the film can't be filmed in Uttoxeter, although it is just outside EM Media territory (in Staffordshire, which falls under West Mids) but the borders are slightly porous. The school scenes from Romeo Brass were filmed in Uttoxeter, for instance. But, to film there, Uttoxeter would have to be the best looking location for the scenes in question. There might be something in the hillsides around the edges of the town, but generally it is fairly flat, with some not-overly-attractive new buildings in the town centre. Contrast it, say, with Pateley Bridge in Yorkshire, where you slope directly into town off the bleak and open moors, or Betwys-Y-Coed in Wales, dominated by the deep scar of the nearby river and thick woodlands, and you start to build a picture of how the whole thing works.

Some places just have a "wow" factor which is hard to describe.

For the record though, I have absolutely no idea what's happening with K of the G, none at all. In this biz it's prudent never ever to assume anything, just flit from project to project, do the best job you can and see what pans out really.

Hope that answers your Q!!

[billywizz]

cheers for the response rich......i take the point that even though bartly is from uttoxeter, it isn't the most photogenic town in the world..... can't imagine it would look too authentic watching a bare knuckle fight scene in the carpark of frankie and benny's.......plus his old gaff near the racecourse is no longer there so there's no point filming there......

it's just wishful thinking on my part i guess, seeing as shane has put the town on the map it would be great if he could put it on the big screen too......

anyway mate, if and when it happens I hope you get the nod, and if you're easily influenced by large bundles of cash let me know and I'll get some kind of collection started....