Notable productions

Mother and Wild

Great White Shark Productions

This award-winning independent feature film, written and directed by Mark Forbes.

A bereaved Mum and daughter take a trip down to Hastings old town.
Extensive filming took place in Rock a Nore, Hastings beach, the East Hill lift and Hastings Country Park Nature Reserve.

Brighton
CK films/Red Rock Entertainment

The film has been adapted from a play by Steven Berkoff, starring Larry lamb, Lesley Sharp, Phil Davis and Marion Bailey.

This production used various locations in Hastings especially along the promenade.

Viewers can expect to see this production in the spring of 2020. 

Giri/Haji
Netflix/BBC

The eight-part series, directed by Julian Farino, for the BBC and Netflix is based in Tokyo and London. Starring Kelly Macdonald, Will Sharpe, Takehiro Hira and Yosuke Kubozuka.

This production used Hastings as its film unit base and used various locations in Hastings, such as Bottle Alley and the beach.

Taste the Difference

During Summer 2010, we worked closely with the production company on this major Sainsburys commercial which showcases the very best of our historic Old Town.

Joe's Palace
BBC

Writer-Director Stephen Poliakoff brought Michael Gambon ('Harry Potter') and Rupert Penry-Jones ('Spooks') to Bodiam Castle for this study of a relationship between a reclusive billionaire and the naive teenage son of a cleaner.

Is There Anybody There?
Heyday Films

Harry Potter producers Heyday Films' brought Sir Michael Caine ('Batman Begins') and Anne-Marie Duff ('Shameless') to Hastings for this 80s set comedy-drama.  Extensive filming took place on the West Hill and seafront. 

Foyle's War
BAFTA-winning drama series. Greenlit Productions/ITV

The biggest production ever to come to Hastings first visited us in 2001 when a chance conversation between Council Officers and series creator Anthony Horowitz saw the town become the only South Coast location in the show to keep its name!  Foyle's War is a massive production that requires huge logistical support from the Council.  Thanks to our strong links with the producer, we've even been able to publish a special tie-in book which is now on its fourth edition!

When I Was Twelve
BBC Drama

BAFTA award-winning director Dominic Savage brought this controversial drama about runaway children to us in late 2001 after struggling to find a local authority willing to help with the production.  After carefully considering the content of the script and balancing it against the sophistication of the target audience (post watershed BBC2) we worked closely with his team on major night shoots throughout the town. 

The Final Curtain
Feature Film. Universal

Written by John Hodge, part of the team behind 'Shallow Grave' and 'Trainspotting', this thriller about a fading television personality who turns to murder starred Peter O'Toole, Adrian Lester and Aiden Gillen. 

Some Voices
Feature Film. Film Four

Simon Cellan Jones brought new 007 Daniel Craig, 'Basic Instinct 2' and 'Blackpool' star David Morrissey and Kelly Macdonald to town for extensive filming throughout the town centre as part of this wry, touching portrait of schizophrenia. 

Last of the Blonde Bombshells
BBC Drama

Starring Judi Dench (in a role that won her a Golden Globe), this major production came to town for several days and saw our seafront given a loving period touch. 

I Want You
Feature Film. Polygram

Acclaimed director Michael Winterbottom's dark fable saw Alessandro Nivola and Rachel Weisz spend two weeks in Hastings, filming extensively on the beaches and throughout the Town Centre.  

Grey Owl
Feature Film. 20th Century Fox

Directed by Lord Attenborough and starring the then 007 Pierce Brosnan, this loving biopic of Grey Owl, one of Hastings' most famous sons, came to town for four days in the late Summer with filming taking place on Milward Road and along several other streets.  In partnership with 20th Century Fox, we even arranged for a unique charity premiere to take place at the Hastings Odeon which saw Lord Attenborough himself in attendance.

My Boy Jack
ITV Drama

Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe came to Batemans to film scenes for this major ITV1 drama.  The film tells the tragic true story of how Rudyard Kipling used his influence to secure his beloved a son a commission in World War One only for the boy to go missing in action within days.

Other productions:

The following have all recently come to Hastings and surrounding areas, for film, television productions:

• Rankin Film
• Flirty dancing (BBC)
• Foyle's War (ITV)
• The True Voice Of... (Channel 4, with Sophie Okenodo)
• Joe's Palace (BBC, Stephen Poliakoff)
• My Boy Jack (ITV, with Daniel Radcliffe)
• Is There Anybody There? (Heyday Films, with Michael Caine)
• Blue Peter (BBC)
• Stakeout (Children's BBC)
• Art Attack (Children's ITV)
• Cutting Edge (Channel Four)
• Supernanny (Channel Four)
• Heaven and Earth Show (BBC)
• The Hotel Inspector (Channel Five)
• How to Be a Property Developer (Channel Five)
• Location, Location, Location (Channel 4)
• Property Ladder (Channel 4)
• A Place in the Sun (Channel 4)
• Celebrity Wife Swap (Channel 4)
• The ONE Show (BBC)
• The People's Millions (ITV)
• Children in Need (BBC)
• Annapurna (BBC Radio Four)
• Disney (Ford, Disney)

Editorial Shoots/Commercials

• Fatface
• Boden
• Ted baker
• Red Magazine
• M & S
• Financial Times
• Mens Health
• Wall Street Journal
• H and M
• ASOS
• Monsson
• Pokémon Go
• HSBC