Film / hartcliffe
Behind the scenes on film shot and based in south Bristol
When Will Stone set out to make his award-winning short film into a feature-length piece, he found many doors were firmly closed.
“One person actually said why bother?” Remembers the writer and director of The Fence, speaking about those in the industry he approached about the project.
Unwilling to take no for an answer, the Whitchurch-based filmmaker, along with producer Adam Pickford, worked against the odds to produce the film that is now showing at Showcase cinemas in Bristol.
is needed now More than ever
Set and filmed in locations across south Bristol, The Fence is inspired by stories Will’s dad would tell him of growing up in Hartcliffe in the late 70s and 80s.
With motorbikes, fast cars, punch-ups and a banging soundtrack, the film transports us back some four decades to life on a south Bristol council estate and the characters and community that hold it all together.
It also features a star-studded cast that includes Bristol’s Jayde Adams and Joe Sims, alongside Sally Phillips (Smack the Pony and Bridget Jones), Eugene Simon (Game of Thrones), Paul Cooper (This Country) and David Perkins (Hollyoaks), among others.
Jayde Adams as Miss Bourne is one of the well-known names to feature in The Fence
Making the film has been a roller coaster ride for Will and he says the final product is the result of the generosity of many people who believed in the project and were willing to get involved – from the well-known actors who feature in the film to the people who offered up their vehicles, homes and businesses for free.
Speaking to Bristol24/7 days after the film premiered at Showcase Cinema de Lux in Cabot Circus, Will reflects on the journey: “I thought doing a Fence film on our own was just flat out impossible,” he admits.
“It’s a period drama with lots of moving parts and lots of characters on the move so it’s a really challenging film to do on any budget, let alone one that the industry would consider a micro budget or no budget, which is basically anything under half a million pounds. It’s just a write-off to them.”
“It’s a period drama with lots of moving parts and lots of characters on the move so it’s a really challenging film to do on any budget,” says Will Stone
Will Stone and his team worked against the odd to make The Fence feature-length film a reality
Speaking about the decision to turn the short of the same name into a feature film, Will continues: “I knew from when I was doing the research and speaking to other people that there was a lot more to that community and there were a lot more stories. When I went back to that community, starting with my dad again, for every really funny story I got told there was also a story that was pretty dark about hard times.
“The characters I was talking to were very funny and interesting but also had very hard lives so it was about trying to reflect that in the story. I felt like I would be doing it a major injustice if I turned a blind eye to a lot of the darker stuff.”
Will wanted the film to reflect the comedy but also hardship of life in 1980s Hartcliffe
The Fence was filmed at locations across Bristol
People donated their vehicles for free to be used on the film
Filmed on locations that include Hartcliffe, Stockwood, Whitchurch, Brislington and the Avon Gorge, as well as Warmley and Kingswood, the heart of the The Fence is in south Bristol.
“It feels really good to be one of the few people who put [south Bristol] up on the screen for once,” adds Will.
Alongside the star names, The Fence also features many lesser known people both on screen and behind the scenes – with the cast selected from some 3,000 submissions from members of the public.
Speaking at the premiere, Will said the film has helped kick-start the careers of a number of individuals – a legacy he hopes to continue throughout his own career.
He adds: “The film is great, it’s been the best experience of my life but it’s also been the most challenging experience of my life.
“But it’s definitely worth it and I think we’ve made a really incredible, unique film that both filmmakers can look at and hopefully get something from but also that the general public – especially Bristol – can connect to and relate to.”
The Fence is on at Showcase Cinemas in Bristol for one week only. More information and tickets are available via: www.showcasecinemas.co.uk/film-info/the-fence.
All photos Red Anchor Productions Ltd
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