WHY SCHOOL PUPILS ARE FILM STARS!
WHEN film producers took to Facebook asking for a Welsh choir late on a Tuesday afternoon, a Carmarthenshire school answered and found themselves on a Bollywood set five days later.
On Sunday, 29 children and two music teachers from Ysgol yr Hendy packed on to a bus and headed to the Brewery Field in Bridgend as instructed.
There, they were met by a film crew working on Jungle Cry, a film described as Bend It Like Beckham meets Slumdog Millionaire, which is being filmed in Wales.
The film is about the real story of an Indian youth rugby team which won a “world cup” against the odds, and is being produced by Bollywood producer Prashant Shah.
It turned out the Hendy pupils, all aged seven to 11, were required to sing at the opening ceremony of the tournament, which is depicted in the movie.
The choir and two teachers stayed at the cold and blustery field all day, stepping up to sing as and when required.
“The children were so good,” said head teacher Rhian Kenny afterwards.
“They had to take their coats off while they were singing, and then hang around until the next take.
“It was a really good opportunity for them to see how the film industry works.”
A crew of more than 120 have arrived in Wales from India to film the $5 million (£3.8 million) budget movie.
The Ospreys rugby region has helped set up filming at Bridgend and Swansea, with the Scarlets region holding the “world cup final” at Parc y Scarlets.
International rugby referee Nigel Owens will ref the final match of the tournament in the film’s concluding scenes.
Filming also took place at St Helen’s rugby ground.
The schoolchildren and their teachers gave up the whole of Sunday to take part.
Mrs Kenny said: “They did some filming in the morning and they said it was a wrap, so we all got on the bus to go home.
“But halfway back, we got a call on the bus saying they hadn’t finished and there was more to do, so we had to turn the bus around.”
It was a rush to make sure all the necessary consent forms were signed and sent back to Mrs Kenny, before the children could have a taste of stardom.
“I’m so grateful to the two music teachers, Sian Lloyd and Linda Nicklin, who gave up their time,” Mrs Kenny added.
“Without them the children couldn’t have done it.”