Interviews
Rob Pursey, MD of Touchpaper Films & Executive Producer of Being Human.
1. Being Human was such as great series for Bristol especially as it was mainly shot on location, I was hoping you could give a brief background to the programme and how it came to be set here?
When it was first developed we wanted the characters to live in a biggish city. We were keen on Bristol because it’s got a real diversity of locations. It also has a number of older locations and we wanted a gothic flavour without having to dress them. Also as it’s really hilly you can get real depth and a sense of lots of people living around using a long lens. It is a BBC Wales Commission and we were using post production in Cardiff so it was easy to nip over the bridge too.
2. What was your experience of filming in the city?
We were very happy with the house we used as a focal point, and we constructed the set nearby. The city is compact so we were able to minimise travel to locations near the set so logistically it is very good. Occasionally we needed wilder countryside and as it’s near the Mendips we were also able to get that easily. Bristol kept providing the diversity of locations we needed.
3. Where were most of your crew from?
Lots of them were from Bristol, we had no difficulties getting the technical crew, it was a good crew, the show was made on budget and people enjoyed working there. The costume designer was from the Borders, the DOP from Dorset and the directors were brought in. Casting was mainly in London but we had local casting and got some good people. The cast and crew who had come from London really enjoyed living and working in the city.
4. We thought that the series was here to stay especially as Annie couldn’t leave the house in Totterdown. Was the move to Wales always going to happen?
It wasn’t always going to happen. By series 2 the characters were on the run because of all the terrible things they’d done which drove them to move to a new place.
5. What can cities (Bristol) do to encourage productions to film there?
Producers are always looking for more value, license fees are not going up…looking for where you can achieve the result with a bit of extra…Bristol involves less travel and a range of locations and quite a lot of talent in a small radius which in itself is attractive. It’s nice to know that a city wants the production and will help to deal with any difficulties as authorities react in different ways to having a film crew on their doorstep. Where possible grants being available,… anything to make budgets go further is the main challenge really.
6. As the MD of Touchpaper TV, you must have an insight into how the world of television commissioning is changing. The pilot episode of BH was broadcast at 9pm on 18 February 2008. As part of her review of the pilot, the Reading Chronicle's Narin Bahar began an online petition to lobby BBC Three commissioning editors to greenlight a full series. Over 3,000 people signed. Do you think this is the future of what gets commissioned and what doesn’t? Is television becoming more democratic?
No. The effect of the online campaign has been exaggerated in my opinion. People [commissioners] will trust their own judgment.
7. Syfy has ordered a 13-episode first season of an U.S. remake of Being Human. Does Touchpaper have any involvement in it? Do you think it will cross-over well with the interest in supernatural beings – with Twilight etc?
Touchpaper have been involved in talks from the beginning about the essential elements of the show. The companies involved [Syfy & Muse] have a good working relationship and it’s about to go to press so I’m unable to comment further.
8. Is there likely to be a feature film? Based in Bristol of course?
A feature film has been put forward as an option. We saw getting a US series as the bigger prize, but it has been proposed. If I had my way it would be filmed in Bristol.
Interview June 2010.