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Red Riding star chooses Leeds for directing debut
THE Seacroft estate has seen many real-life dramas played out on its streets.
Now actor-turned-director Paddy Considine is using it as the main location for his first feature film, Tyrannosaur.
Starring Peter Mullan, who won Best Actor at Cannes with My Name Is Joe, and Olivia Colman, from TV's Peep Show, the 1m film is set in an unnamed northern housing estate.
It follows the fortunes of the violent and self-destructive Joseph who finds hope when he meets Christian charity shop worker Hannah.
The title refers to a nickname for Joseph's wife, whose death sparks his descent into depression.
Described as "a cross between a love story and a western" by producer Diarmid Scrimshaw, the screenplay was written by Considine.
It is a joint production between Warp X and Inflammable Films, backed by Film4.
Bafta-award winner Diarmid, 38, said: "It's a story about how love and friendship can be found even in the darkest of places.
"Although we are shooting in Seacroft it's not a kitchen-sink drama, it's more intimate than that.
"A lot of British films shooting on housing estates tend to portray everybody in a negative way, they're either a drug dealer or prostitute.
"In reality 90 per cent of the people are good people. That's something we've experienced in Seacroft. People have been incredibly warm to us, we've never felt threatened.
"St Vincent's charity shop, where we've shot some scenes, have been brilliant and really supportive."
The Yorkshire Evening Post was allowed on set in Kentmere Close where an empty semi-detached had its windows and doors blacked-out for a night scene being shot indoors.
Paddy Considine, who has starred in Dead Man's Shoes and The Red Riding Trilogy, was deep in concentration and unavailable for interview as he was "in the zone".
But Diarmid added: "The script is so strong, Paddy's got such a positive vision, and we've been able to build such a great team that we're all very excited about the film."
The film's 12-strong cast also features a debut performance from eight-year-old Samuel Bottomley from Odsal, Bradford.
Diarmid, who has also worked with The Arctic Monkeys and The Mighty Boosh's Julian Barratt, said: "We had been struggling to fill the part, but as soon as Paddy saw Samuel's audition he wanted him straight away.
"Thanks to the hard work of people like Hugo Heppell, from Screen Yorkshire, there is a wealth of acting talent and films crews here which is what drew us to Leeds."
The film is due to be released by Optimum early next year.
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Friday 25 May 2012
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