As another year of filming comes to an end, we take a look back at some of the outstanding TV Dramas that have visited us in 2023. TV Dramas have had exponential growth in the last few years and we are always delighted to welcome them into the borough at our wide range of filming locations. Check out some of the most recent releases below…
Slow Horses
Season three of the Apple TV Drama Slow Horses starring Oscar winner Gary Oldman has hit our screens following the success of seasons 1 and 2 in 2022. The series continues following Jackson Lamb and his colleagues in what may be Slough House’s most fascinating operation yet. Here at the Lewisham Film Office, managed by The Film Office, we were ecstatic to welcome such a production into the borough for filming. Slow Horses took to the streets of Lewisham earlier this year to film on Halesworth Road, Undercliff Road and Shell Road. Large-scale productions in densely populated locations indeed present various logistical and practical challenges. Addressing these issues require planning and liaison across multiple council departments, along with multiple site visits in collaboration with the locations team. The objective was to develop a strategy that not only catered to the creative needs of the production but also minimised the impact on the local region.
Jacob Hughes-Rodgers, the Film Officer on the job said, “The successful execution of the shoot, without any major issues, was a gratifying result of the extensive preparation and hard work invested. When large-scale productions come to town, it is crucial to ensure that the borough receives tangible benefits and advantages. This can include local spend, job creation and other positive impacts that contribute to the overall development of the community.”
We were also thrilled to place 4 local students from Goldsmith’s University on paid work experience as location marshalls for their filming day. Facilitating employment on film sets is a fantastic way for productions to give back to the local community and provide valuable work experience to those local students who are looking to get their foot in the door in the industry as productions often chose to bring them back for more work throughout the series!
You can catch all episodes of Slow Horses Season 3 on Apple TV+ now.
Breeders
Sky Original ‘Breeders’ is a new comedy exploring the trials and tribulations of parenthood. Parents Paul and Ally, played by Martin Freeman and Daisy Haggard struggle to balance their full-time careers while dealing with all that comes their way with raising their children, Luke and Ava. This is Sky’s 4th and final season of Breeders following on from it’s big success since the release of it’s first series in 2020.
The production filmed scenes at the lovely Brookmill Park, and three residential streets in the borough, Laurie Grove, Cranbrook Road and Pepys Road with scenes in private properties as well as scenes on the street.
Breeders available to stream on Now TV and Sky now and you can watch the trailer below!
Smothered
A new Sky Original has arrived, a romantic comedy with a twist. Titled ‘Smothered’, this series features Danielle Vitalis and Jon Pointing as the lead actors, portraying a captivating story of two contrasting worlds coming together in the name of no-strings-attached fun. Since it’s release it has received praise from critics for it refreshing take on the rom-com genre.
Smothered had scenes taking place at many of Lewisham’s streets which offer a wide range of backdrops from Ringmore Rise with it’s excellent views of the city, to the bustling hub of Deptford High Street. The production had scenes popping up at several other streets including Strickland Street, Admiral Street & Collins Street. Keep your eyes peeled for all these locations as ‘Smothered’ is now available to stream all episodes on Sky and NowTv now!
Take a look at the trailer below!
Ann Summers
Multinational retailer Ann Summers paid a visit to the borough earlier in the year to film social media photo and video content for their new ‘Glow Time’ collection at the fantastic Broadway Theatre. The campaign included best-friend-duo Mariam Musa and Adeola Patronne, hosts of BBC 1XTRA’s “Pressed” podcast, who are known for their hilarious, honest, and fearless take on every group chat dilemma and the campaign’s focus is on empowering you to feel body-confident this party season. The Broadway provided the perfect back-drop for a glamorous photoshoot with it’s grand 1930s features and theatrical ambience, proving it’s versatility and potential as a filming location.
You can checkout all the content from this glam-filled shoot on the Ann Summers instagram here and some behind the scenes footage below!
We look forward to visiting many more productions in the borough in 2024, and from all of us at the Lewisham Film Office – we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
