Film
Since its construction the Alexandra and Ainsworth Estate (often locally known as Rowley Way) has been a popular location for films, TV series and pop promos and we get crews here several times a
year.
Its' striking architecture (as well as the easy parking and access) makes the estate popular with location managers. One of the main reasons for its frequent appearance on film and television is
that that the estates' architecture provides a dramatic backdrop, with it's curved red brick road and it's staggered terraces. The estate has been
used in feature films, adverts and pop videos and it seems nearly every major crime series has paid a visit to estate at some time. Notable examples are 'The Sweeney' (while the estate was still being built),
the last series of Prime Suspect and most recently 'The Bill'. Among feature films there has been the supernatural drama 'Trauma' with Colin Firth and most famously Anthony Minghella's
'Breaking and Entering'.
This being a council estate, the location is often used as short hand for crime and poverty, with set decorators dirtying up
the estate with fake graffiti and rubbish and generally making it look threatening, much to the irritation of many people living here as this totally
misrepresents the estate. It was partly this irritation which has inspired people living on the estate to make their own documentary film about it. This is currently under way but
we will have more information about it when it's complete. Meanwhile, you can find out more about it here.
www.rowleyway.org.uk
And now we have made our own film!
One Below the Queen: Rowley Way Speaks for Itself
Residents have worked with an arts and education charity to make a documentary
film about the estate which is receiving rave reviews, both by fellow residents
and in the press. Find out more and watch the film online at: www.rowleyway.org.uk
Film Club
Residents huddled together in fear at our Halloween Film night. The silence was intense, with muffled popcorn eating and the odd
terrified scream as they watched a double bill of seasonal scarey films. It was
good fun and the resident who organised it is keen to set up a regular film club so watch this space for more info.
Juliette Binoche in a still from "Breaking and Entering"
See some of examples of Rowley Way on film
Breaking and Entering
Three scenes from Anthony Minghella's "Breaking and Entering". Juliette Binoche
plays a Bosnian refugee who lives on Rowley Way with her delinquent son. The
geography is a bit off, because the estate appears to be located right next
to the Regent's Canal off Camden Road.
See
it here.
Prime Suspect 7
Some of the last episodes of Prime Suspect was shot here.
See
it here.
A Christmas Carol
TV update of the Dickens classic with Ross Kemp as a loan shark Scrooge.
See it here.
New England
80's pop promo for the Kirsty MacColl hit.
See
it here.
Trauma
A supernatural drama starring Colin Firth.
See
it here.
Colin
The budget for this zombie movie was apparently £45, which probably makes
it the most low budget film feature film to ever get a DVD release. It was
quite successful at various film festivals and even got some good reviews
in the mainstream press.
See
it here.
Never Never
A Channel 4 series about debt collectors starring John Simm and Sophie Okonedo. Guilty of making our fantastic estate look very grim, but a good story.
See it here.
