Broadchurch Creator Champions Dorset's Rising Filmmaking Stars

Chris Chibnall, the writer and creator of the popular TV drama Broadchurch, is working to support new filmmakers in his home county of Dorset. Broadchurch, which won several awards, was set and filmed around West Bay on Dorset's Jurassic Coast. Chris came up with the idea for the show while sitting on East Beach in West Bay, and now he wants to help young people in Dorset believe they can make movies too. He is going to be the curator for the From Page to Screen festival, which will take place in Bridport next month. Chris says he hopes his involvement will encourage the next generation of filmmakers, especially those who might not think the film industry is for them because they live in a rural area. He remembers that when he was growing up, he did not know anyone who worked in TV, film, or books, and it all seemed very far away. Now, after adapting Agatha Christie's book Seven Dials for Netflix, he is excited to help others get started.

The From Page to Screen festival is an annual five-day event that celebrates movies and TV shows adapted from books. As curator, Chris has organized Meet the Makers sessions, where people can hear from leading figures in the film industry. Some of the guests include James Strong, who directed Broadchurch and Mr Bates vs the Post Office, composer David Arnold, who worked on the James Bond film Casino Royale, and Suzanne Mackie, who produced The Crown and Calendar Girls. There is also Eddy Pearce, a location manager who has worked on films shot in Dorset like Ammonite and Persuasion. These sessions are meant to give advice and inspiration to people who want to work in film, especially those from smaller towns.

Festival organizer Ines Cavill says she hopes the festival will inspire and engage the next generation of creative people in Dorset. She points out that even though Dorset is a rural area, there is a lot of creativity in the community. George Earwicker, a 26-year-old director who lives in Dorset, just finished his first feature film, which was partly shot in the county. He says it can be tough to make movies in a rural place because there are not as many resources or funding opportunities as in big cities. However, he believes the key is not to give up and to build connections with other local people. The From Page to Screen festival, organized by Bridport Arts Centre, will run from April 22 to April 26. Organizers hope it will help young people in Dorset see that they can be part of the film industry, no matter where they live.