STORY:

Christmas Eve 1945. The world is in pieces. But for one for young war widow, hope comes in from the snow...

PRODUCTION:

Winter's End began life after a meeting with the head of ITV West about commissioning a half hour programme. ITV wanted to screen the short film "The Christmas Eve Snowfall" but they needed another short to fill out the other half of the 30 minute slot on Christmas Day. It was decided that another short film would have to be made, and so Winter's End was born...

A call was put in straight away to Will Griffin, and Simon and Roger Pearce. Will to help with the story and eventually write the script and Simon and Roger to operate and light respectively. Everyone agreed. The story then evolved slowly over the next few weeks. Director Paul Dudbridge had always wanted to revisit the Second World War again after "Katie's Mission" (2004) and wanted to work with Will Griffin again. "Will has a great understanding of story and after Snowfall, turning to him for a Christmas themed plot was a no brainer."

Will comments "It was never about someone walking in and just making someone get over the loss of a spouse there and then. It was about recognising they needed help and starting them on that grieving process. Paul and I always like the juxtaposition of sorrow in a place and time that should be celebrating and happy."

Faced with the largest film project to date, Producer/Director Paul Dudbridge expanded the Hanover Pictures production crew to include Producer Anna Charlett. All admin, location finding, and bringing in half the heads of department was all now down to Anna.

It was a real coup for the production when award winning Camera Operator/Director of Photography Roger Pearce agreed to shoot the film. Roger recently won Best Camera Operator from the GBCT for his work on "Casino Royale". Meetings were held to talk about the style and look of the film and the approach to shooting. For sound the production turned to long time collaborator Simon Cole. Having worked previously on "Coldharbour" (2003), and "The Christmas Eve Snowfall" (2005) it was the film's first and only call.

Auditions were held at ITV West where actors from all over the country attended to audition for the four parts. In the end Amie Higgs from BAPA (Bristol Academy of Performing Arts) musical theatre school secured the lead role of "Julia". Actor David Hopewell was cast in the role of "The Old Man" after meeting with Paul on another film. "David was playing a west country farmer in a viral for the web. I was two weeks away from auditions and still hadn't found my 'Old Man' actor. When I approached David, the west country accent dropped and this gentle low voice greeted me. It was then I knew I had found him."

Principle photography took place on Friday 6th June to Sunday 8th June 2008 in Kenn village hall, Kenn, North Somerset. After looking at a few other village halls in the surrounding areas, Kenn was chosen for the fact that it hadn't been touched since it's construction in 1918. It was a quiet neighbourhood with fields surrounding it for adequate parking and kit. Shooting this weekend proved to be one of the hottest of the year for the extras in period costumes and the crew under lights in a tin roofed hall. The schedule was dictated by the two night shoots that ended the first two days of filming. Filming in June meant the sun didn't set till at least 10.30pm so the crew set up the camera and then had to wait till dark to grab the shots required.

The first evening shooting required crew members to lay over 100ft of special effect snow for the opening of the film. Fibre glass roll out snow, coupled with paper snow and fine snow powder for detail was used to surround the hall, and finally to finish the effect, falling snow was produced from a snow machine.

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