The director and writer of a film set in North Yorkshire and featuring Game of Thrones star Mark Addy has spoke about the inspiration the “ravishing” Moors provided him.
The Runaways has just this week come out on DVD after a brief but well-received cinema run that was cut short by the coronavirus pandemic. The film follows the story of three siblings from Whitby and their two donkeys as they go on an adventure across the Moors when their father (Addy) dies suddenly.
The film was directed by Sheffield-based director Richard Heap who also wrote the script after being inspired by one of his many visits to North Yorkshire.
He said: “We go up there on weekend trips often and it’s just got the most dramatic and beautiful scenery.
“When you write something it is useful to have reference points for inspiration. That area provided them for me.”
There are some breathtaking shots throughout the film and of landmarks including Whitby Abbey.
Mr Heap said: “We shot it when the heather was out and the farmers said it was the most spectacular they had seen it in years.
“I thought when I was making the film of the Full Monty in Sheffield and how people would want to visit and tick off the places that were used in the scenes. I wanted The Runaways to be the same thing for North Yorkshire. It became an important element.”
The film is carried by the three siblings, played by young actors Molly Windsor, Macy Shackleton and Rhys Connah, and features a typically captivating performance from Game of Thrones star and British actor Mark Addy, who Mr Heap described as a “true gentleman”.
Mr Heap said: “When I first met Mark Addy he said I was a brave man choosing to work with children and animals. But actually it was a joy.”
He also talked of the issues faced by having two donkeys on set, saying: “They were great to have on set. You could get a bit of animal therapy.
“If things were going bad you could go up and give them a cuddle and you’d feel better. They were a nuisance sometimes, as they’d always eat grass (sometimes the actors coats) and wouldn’t start walking on command so the kids had to be strong with them. “
The film was made for people of all ages and was a hit with crowds and critics when it had a run through UK cinemas earlier in the year.
Mr Heap said: “The movie has really hit home emotionally with mothers and teenage girls. But in general people with a deep connection to the outdoors and British countryside have appreciated seeing familiar landscapes up on the big screen.
“I think naturally people view anything from their own life experience so kids will hopefully catch on to the adventure side of it and I think adults will see it a little like you have i.e. the impact the bigger world has had on these youngsters lives.”
He added: “I showed a 20 minute run of the film to my 12 year old boy during the edit and he really laughed during the bit when the boy is distracting the railway guard so the other two can get the donkeys on the train, principally when he twigged what was going on in the background as Ben and the guard were talking. It made me realise that for that moment my boy was probably on the station platform himself, inside the action, and it felt magical for me to see that level of engagement.
“When I was pitching The Runaways no one believed there was an audience for live action family/adventure films. They said there was no way to compete with the Disney/animation juggernaut. We’ve obviously had numerous preview screenings and I have felt the audience really connect deeply with our film. If people want to have an alternative to Cloudy with Meatballs 2 then this is a chance to show it!”
For more information, to view the trailer or to order a DVD copy visit: https://therunaways.film/.
