A Wimbish business has been used as the filming location for a new independent film.

24/7 tells the story of a dramatic night in a rural, open-all-hours petrol station.

Family-run Brooklands Garage on the B184 Thaxted Road was handpicked for its unique look.

The short film was written by Alex D Reid, directed by John Jencks and produced by the Electric Shadow Company in association with independent London-based film production company Frank & Lively and founder Marcie MacLellan.

Nicola Brooks, owner of Brooklands Garage, said: "We are delighted that our uniqueness was recognised by the film company. We were very pleased to play host to them for a few days.”

Saffron Walden Reporter: Filming at Brooklands Garage, WimbishFilming at Brooklands Garage, Wimbish (Image: Jenifer MacLellan)

Locations manager Rebecca del Tufo, a former Walden resident who used to work with Saffron Screen and who now lives in London, said that knowing the local area so well had been a tremendous help when it came to finding the right elements that were needed.

She added: “Ollie and Amy, the helpful staff at Brooklands, were invaluable."

Rebecca also praised local catering and support services, and said that some residents and farmers had allowed them to shoot a handful of scenes on their property.

Saffron Walden Reporter: Director John Jencks was in Wimbish, Essex for the filming of 24/7Director John Jencks was in Wimbish, Essex for the filming of 24/7 (Image: Jenifer MacLellan)

Director John Jencks' previous work has included his debut cinematic release The Fold starring Catherine McCormack in 2013 and The Hippopotamus, based on a novel by Stephen Fry which was released in 2017.

Producer Marcie MacLellan's previous work includes the BAFTA-nominated feature film, Apostasy, which also went on to be shortlisted for 17 international nominations.

In 2018, she was nominated Best Producer by the National Film Awards and Best Debut Producer by BIFA. Her narrative short films called Rise Up were on environmental issues for Reboot The Future and were designed for classrooms beyond the UN Climate Conference (COP-26) last year.

Marcie said the success of the shoot was dependent on the support and patience of many Walden locals.

Saffron Walden Reporter: Martyna Knitter, Director of Photography, at Brooklands Garage, Wimbish for the filming of 24/7Martyna Knitter, Director of Photography, at Brooklands Garage, Wimbish for the filming of 24/7 (Image: Jenifer MacLellan)

During filming, there were traffic lights so some of the shots could be done without much background noise.

More details about the film, its cast and its anticipated screening locations are set be released in the Spring.


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