More and more Film and TV production companies choose Kent as their number filming location choice. We asked our recent work experience student, Luis Carey to find out why
An example from 2015 was Avengers: Age of Ultron (Joss Whedon) used Dover Castle for some interior scenes in the opening sequence of the film which can be seen here. Another example comes from Wonder Woman (2017, Patty Jenkins) where Lower Hastlow was featured as a military encampment.
So why do these huge blockbuster films choose to film in Kent? I think it’s authenticity. As modern society focuses on technological innovation, Kent prides itself on finding middle ground between innovation and retaining tradition and authenticity.
The Garden of England has some of the most beautiful filming locations in the UK
This means that when a film with a more historic theme needs an authentic setting, Directors chose Kent, as it offers historic locations virtually untouched by urbanisation, such as Dover Castle for example. So why is this important? well by using an authentic set within a production, it contributes to the overall spectacle and allows the audience to fully invest themselves within the narrative.
An example is the film adaptation of Pride and Prejudice (2005, Joe Wright) which used Groombridge Place for the home of the Bennets. The use of Groombridge Place meant that the film was more realistic as the building was constructed in the period in which the film/book is based.
This can also be seen with the BBC adaptation of Wolf Hall (2015) where various locations around Kent were used as many of the manor houses built during the Tudor period are still standing today. This demonstrates the importance of holding onto monuments from the past which can be appreciated in modern times, in this example through the medium of film.
Therefore, I think that the main reason Kent is so frequently used by directors, is that this county has been able to retain its heritage through its architecture and environments, which means the authenticity and realism directors want within a film are prevalent all over the county.
