Article: Brixham News
Link to article: Between The Lines

By 11.00am the producer, director and camera crew had been up for hours preparing lighting and sets for the soldiers chasing across a field on the outskirts of Brixham. Following close behind them a German military vehicle was also taking part in a scene from a new film Between the Lines.

For one weekend in May the field used annually for the Torbay Steam Fair was transformed into mini sets representing French locations, as this new short film directed by Ashley Wing and written with the collaboration of local playwright David Murphy, is actually set in Normandy! The story follows four British soldiers caught 'between the lines' as an enemy ambush leaves them cut off from their company, after the allied invasion.

Ashley says, I am often asked 'why tell another story about World War Two?' My answer has always been that this is an open ended story about British soldiers from the Cornwall Light Infantry and a German Tiger Tank and I have discarded any stereotypes. This is a story about real people and what they had to in order to survive. I have only 40 minutes to tell it and a very tight budget."

Phil Trayhorne Chairman of Brixham Battery Group has taken on the mantle of producer for the venture having gained financial support from the Heritage Lottery Fund. With limited funding Phil has been supported by communities resources in the form of members of the Brixham Battery Group and the Devon Area Military Vehicle Trust. They have volunteered their services and equipment for filming. Young members of the Battery Group such as Steven and Lee have developed their acting skills taking on roles of German soldiers whilst many of the Devon Area MVT surrounded the filming area with their vehicles waiting to become acting extras as and when required.

During the weekend Phil also changed into a British Captain's uniform ready for a dramatic scene in which he encounters enemy fire whilst talking to the main character before being shot. It really is a team effort by enthusiasts who dedicate themselves to preserving military history. Many of them have provide costumes as well as their trucks.

Clive wearing an American GI uniform explained how he had restored his American Dodge finding it easier to get hold of American spare parts than equivalent British army vehicles of the period. Indeed several Devon Area MVT members expressed their commitment to extensive researching of the 2 nd World War as apart of restoring their vehicles, so that they can now provide 'living history experiences' to help new generations explore the past eras belonging to our grandparents.

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Filming demands patients and the ability to stand around and wait for the crew, like rigger Mike Ford and pyrotechnics man Ian, as they set up each scene. To boost moral over the weekend there was the added incentive of the excellent home baked cooking of the Alpini field kitchen. Indeed the Devon Area MVT catering Corp guarantee 4 star catering by creating all their own bread, cakes and mouth watering meals from scratch.

One of those in this team was the Devon Area MVT Secretary who explained how they often fed people at the special events they go to. He said they were used to catering for hundreds whilst stationed in the middle of a field using different authentic cooking devises from the past, such as their Aldershot Ovens.

At one point in filming before a cordoned off area of set with pyrotechnics could be used for a battle sequence, actors had to wait fair ground amusement trailer to be moved from behind the anti aircraft gun, the neighbouring field before the area would qualify for a place in the film's Dunkirk flashback. Cobbaton Combat Collection who own the anti aircraft gun, believed to be one of three left in the World and Tim Issac who had driven it down on a truck from its home in North Devon said, " We supply many films and documentaries."

www.cobbatoncombat.co.uk

In the films main role of David Hicks, actor Clayton Fussell who auditioned for the part took time out whilst waiting to do his flashback sequence to describe his career to date. From Tor Point originally, Clayton realised at University in Nottingam that his passion was for acting and not a medical career so that he moved into a range of theatre, small TV parts and film extra work.

Having recently completed a post grade acting course in this film he said how much he had enjoyed getting involved in this project, making several trips to Devon for rehearsals before weekend between two intensive weeks of filming. He expressed that he had a fascination with the 2 nd World War because he felt 'it brought out the best and worst in humanity.'

The producer said filming will continue after the two weeks on specially sequences. Then Ashley will take several months out to edit and turn the film a DVD which they would like to share with the community in November, December through a public screenings at the Brixham Theatre.

The film should also go on to be a piece used within the educational sector. On the website about the film Ashley said, "I'm hoping that the determination and local support makes this more than just an amateur film which I am dedicating to Ron Coleman Hon Sec to Brixham Heritage Battery Group who died on Feb 21 st 2006."

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