funding stage **now closed** for feature film set in blackpool

Here is an amazing chance to be part of Blackpool's movie history. An independent feature film is almost ready to shoot and we need your help. Set in a fictitious criminal underworld, The Golden Mile Gauntlet pits our main protagonist (Amy) against a crime-boss she owes money to; whose objective is for Amy to run a perilous course set against his own fun-house monsters. Amy is given five days to pay back her boss, which forces her to question her past & present life-choices and fight for her future.

iconic

Blackpool has a long history as a summer entertainment venue and it's links to the film industry include: Phantom Thread (2017), A Monster Calls (2016), Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (2016) and Nowhere Boy (2009) and has been a setting for many story-lines from TV shows: Coronation Street, EastEnders, and drama 'Blackpool' featuring former Dr Who star David Tennant. Another Dr Who link is Jenna Coleman who was born in Blackpool as too was David Thewlis who played Remus Lupin in the Harry Potter movies.

barriers to success

As most people know making movies can be expensive. There's the filming equipment, the props and costumes, not to mention the compensation to actors and crew for their time and skills. There are also permits and insurance costs to consider along with licensing rights which makes shooting this feature a complicated and energy intensive challenge.

the pitch

Our main aim is to open the movie up for funding in order to keep control and to provide jobs and experiences to people who are genuinely interested in being a part of it. We have many positions in-front-of and behind the camera that we will pay skilled professionals for - we want to get the best looking / sounding movie above anything else. After this, crowd-funders will be offered parts and positions as a reward for their valued contribution. Day-players and extras roles will be available for people who feel their modest acting skills could add to the production. You may not be Daniel Day Lewis or Meryl Streep, but that's okay, we're not Jerry Bruckheimer or Steven Spielberg.

pre-production

Just to reiterate, we want this feature to look fantastic! Filming in Blackpool provides access to some outstanding and colourful scenery along with some dour and deprived locations. Aesthetically, this could create an interesting contrast that gives the movie highlights and undertones. 'Lynchian' comes to mind, David Lynch's movies reveal a dark underworld beneath a thin veneer of normality and beauty; showing things aren't quite how they appear. Which brings us to the Fun-House Monsters, seven in total; and all need bringing to life. Sketches are available, and discussions between costume designers and mask makers will be held in due course (if you feel you have the skills or can suggest someone who does - get in touch!).

ACTOR AND CREW ROLES

The tables below give an indication of how many people are needed for this production. Positions may be added as necessary and some crew positions may need to be merged if talent can't be sourced locally. We want to use as many local people as possible as we feel Blackpool and the Fylde has a huge creative work-force that can rise to this challenge. We have estimated a 13.5 day shoot and hope to budget for a full 15 days for breathing room. Actors will be given their own individual number of shooting days related to the percentage of scenes they'll be needed for (see table below).

virtual read-throughs

Happy to report two fantastic read-throughs by talented actors (arranged by David Bramwell Norris). It's given me a fantastic opportunity to see what works and what doesn't work (as much). 

Next step is to start pulling together all the talent we're going to need for the filming process.

crew call-out

As well as talented actors we also want to work with talented crew in various roles listed below:

council permits

The remaining scenes are all exterior locations in Blackpool, ranging from Town Centre, High Street and Promenade, to Back Alleys, Streets and Beach. The biggest scene is a chase along the Promenade from South Pier to North Pier. This will require lots of extras posing as fun-run runners.