Jane Austen’s Sanditon filming in Bristol
An ITV adaptation of Jane Austen’s final story Sanditon will shoot partly on sets built at The Bottle Yard Studios (pictured) in Bristol.
The eight-part story follows the adventures of a young woman who finds herself in the developing coastal town of the title and embroiled in the lives of the local people who depend on Sanditon becoming a success.
Red Planet Pictures is producing the series that is written by Andrew Davies with Rose Williams and Theo James starring.
Sets have been built on a 22,000-sq-ft interior production space at The Bottle Yard Studios and a major 1820s-style Regency street set stretching nearly 70 metres is being built on back lot space.
Sanditon will also film on location in Bristol and in north-east Somerset, with production supported from the Bristol Film Office and the Bath Film Office.
“There is a wealth of locations in this area perfect for period drama and particularly the Georgian period where our story is set,” says Alex Protherough, head of production at Red Planet Pictures. “The country houses, Bath and its elegant Regency architecture, [and] even the Somerset coastline all offer a wide range of locations perfect for Sanditon.
“The Bottle Yard Studios are perfectly located to access these locations and they have more to offer. Sanditon was always going to require an element of set building, as is often the case with continuing drama productions of this size.
“The construction and studio spaces at the Bottle Yard have made Bristol the obvious place to base film and television production in the area.”
Bristol’s UK production profile has been boosted by The Bottle Yard Studios. All four series of the BBC’s period drama Poldark used the facility as a base and the Svalbard-set Fortitude recently filmed interiors at the studios. Rebooted adventure game show The Crystal Maze constructed its special set at the facility as well.
In November, the city was confirmed as a site for one of Channel 4’s new Creative Hubs.
Producers have also gravitated to Bristol Harbour. The location stood in for Guernsey in 2018’s wartime feature The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, and doubled for Ireland’s Cobh Harbour in the 1950s-set Stan & Ollie.
Image: The Bottle Yard Studios
Also on The Knowledge
New film and TV studio to open in Hertfordshire
A new, purpose-built film and TV studio is to open in Hertfordshire this spring, the first high-spec facility in the St Albans area.
Government reveals plans for north-east production powerhouse
Following the announcement during the recent budget that Crown Works Studios in Sunderland would receive up to £120m funding, the Government has released more on its plans for the north-east to become a production powerhouse.
Sunderland studio gets funding through north-east devolution deal
The government has announced a devolution package for the north-east of England which confirms funding for a major new film and TV studio in Sunderland.
First set specialist moves into Digbeth Loc. Studios
Set construction company 4Wood has become the first set specialists to move into Birmingham’s Digbeth Loc. Studios.
BBC Elstree Centre sold to AXA IM Alts
Alternative investment company AXA IM Alts has acquired BBC Elstree Centre – its first investment in the UK studio market.
Plans revealed for Hull film studio
Plans have been revealed for a purpose-built film studio in Hull, including a 19,700 sq ft soundstage.