Budget movie’s Long Road to Farnham
AS the Bourne Woods stages the shooting of yet another multi-million dollar blockbuster, Avengers: Age of Ultron, in another part of Farnham the creation of a subtle independent film is under way.
The Long Roadd is local director Craig Griffiths’ second feature, and this week filming took place at the Rural Life Centre, which provides the setting for a campsite in Northern Ireland.
Operating on a shoestring budget, Mr Griffiths is shooting the film in fits and bursts as money becomes available, and the scenes currently being made at the Tilford attraction were only made possible thanks to a flurry of crowd-funding last month.
The movie follows the story of Guy Harris, an arrogant and money-obsessed city high-flier who has ruined his relationships with his friends and family members.
On discovering he has a fatal brain tumour he hits the road in ‘Bluey’, a rusty old MG, to see his estranged father in Belfast one last time.
Along the way he experiences the highs and lows of the road, meeting several people who show him what his life might have been.
“I like working on small films,” said 44-year-old Mr Griffiths. “There is a real freedom to it. It’s great fun and a real adventure.”
The Figrove-based director’s first film, Through The Looking Glass, was made in a house in Dorset in just 45 days, but has since been taken up by a US production company which intends to pitch it to online film provider Netflix.
He hopes for a similar passage for The Long Road, although Mr Griffiths has been in discussion with people in the cinema industry with a view to screenings.
“Most of the time the cast and crew number no more than 10,” he said. "It allows us to work quickly.
“We have shot waterfalls in Wales, also at the Devil’s Punchbowl.
“If you have the right eye you can do that and it doesn’t cost too much. There’s also a skinny dipping scene,” he added.
“But that’s being done on a beach, so we'll spare the people of Farnham that.”
The lead roles are being played by Paul Mundell, as Harris, and Phoebe McIntosh, who plays Rosie, his ‘romantic equal’, according to scriptwriter Mr Griffiths.
“She takes Harris on the road and makes him a better person,” he added. “But it’s not a traditional romantic role – there’s a bit more balance.”
The film is due for release next year, meanwhile Mr Griffiths continues to write scripts for other films, directs videos and is assistant director on other works.