Insight 45 - Magazine - Page 23
Adam Morley
including the actors’ and writers’
strikes, we’ve worked with government,
education, and the sector to establish a
more sustainable approach to industry
growth. Despite a decade of global shocks,
Hertfordshire has remained resilient,
innovative, and at the forefront of the
screen industries.”
Productions filmed in the county vary in
size and include The Crown and Bridgerton
which both made use of Hatfield House
while Ricky Gervais’ After Life was set in
Hemel Hempstead Old Town.
In a further boost for Hertfordshire Film
Office, Manager Pippa Cawdron has been
appointed as the new Chair of Film
Offices: UK (FO:UK), a forum sharing
best practice and knowledge to boost the
national film and TV sector.
Pippa will use her extensive industry
knowledge and experience gained at
Hertfordshire Film Office, and previously
at Dacorum Borough Council, to support
the organisation and build connections.
Hertfordshire Film Office is currently the
lead office for FO:UK and alongside Pippa’s
CASE STUDY: SELVEDGE
Sci-fi film, Selvedge, was made in
Hertfordshire after the HFO connected
producers with locations including
Woodoaks Farm, Berry Farm, Space
Film Studios and the disused Bovingdon
airfield strip, which were adapted by the
film’s production designer to create a
futuristic sci-fi look. Hertfordshire Film
Office also attended on shoot day to
provide support.
The film follows a mixed-species families
of AI and humans fleeing their homes
due to prejudice, and will soon be
streaming on Dust, the short film sector’s
Celia Taylor
Pippa Cawdron
appointment, expands the county’s USP as
a proponent of both independent UK film
and global international brands.
Pippa said: “I am delighted to take up this
position and look forward to what will be
an exciting and insightful journey both for
me personally, and for how Hertfordshire,
already a global screen hub, can connect
with other regions to grow the domestic
film and TV industry across the UK and on
our own doorstep.”
In recognition that a sector cannot
continue to thrive into the future without
a talent pipeline, Hertfordshire Futures
is collaborating with the University of
Hertfordshire on a ground-breaking
project - The Propeller Stages.
This will create a cutting-edge film studio
to deliver top-tier training in creative and
technical skills for the film and TV industry,
and was launched in response to the need
to fill 20,000 to 50,000 job roles in the
screen sector - a skills gap identified from
British Film Institute and Screen Skills
research.
Dr Stephen Partridge, Dean of the
School of Creative Arts, University of
Hertfordshire, said: “A plan to nurture
a diverse workforce, concurrently
addressing long-established barriers
to entry for those from less privileged
backgrounds, is long overdue.
“The biggest challenge is to develop a
diverse high calibre workforce at the scale
required by the sector. If we can develop
four functioning stages over the next
two-three years, each producing six-eight
features per annum alongside other
smaller production projects, then we’ll be
achieving meaningful impact to support
the workforce needs of the sector.
equivalent of Netflix.
Hertfordshire Film Office Manager, Pippa
Cawdron, said: “We’re thrilled
to celebrate Selvedge, a powerful
short film supported by Hertfordshire
Film Office. Despite a tight budget,
we connected the team with iconic
locations, collaborating with Dacorum
Borough Council to make their vision
a reality. A shining example of female
directorial excellence, Selvedge
highlights what’s possible with
collaboration and creativity.”
Director Aleksandra Czenczek led a
multicultural cast and crew from diverse
backgrounds including writer Mehzeb
Chowdhury, actors Amelie Leroy, Olufemi
Ajibade Houghton, and Ella-Rose Minott,
and producers Adriana Kulig and Amina
Hassam.
Amina said: “Hertfordshire Film Office
very kindly put me in touch with various
people and locations who were happy
to step in and agreed to support our
project. The team is hugely grateful for
allowing us to film in these sought after
locations. We will certainly continue
our relationship with Hertfordshire Film
Office and use them again for future
projects.”
"Hertfordshire has
remained resilient,
innovative, and at
the forefront of the
screen industries"
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