THE sight of Hollywood A-listers, directors and their crews could soon become more common in Dorset.

BCP Council has launched the BCP Film Office with the aim to bring more productions of every size to the conurbation.

The office will assist filmmakers through the process of selecting their locations, creating a single point of contact to process applications simply and quickly.

It is hoped this office will help to promote and support productions being made in the area, while boosting the economy.

The authority has received £25,000 in UK Shared Prosperity Fund money from the government for both 2023-24 and 2024-25 for the office.

Its purpose will be to encourage filming in the area, increasing the council’s income and film-led tourism.

This, the authority hopes, will help to boost the local economy by bringing people into its hotels, shops and restaurants before, during and after the production.

There has been a rich history of films being fully or partially filmed in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, with the office hoping to boost the numbers of productions both major and minor in the conurbation.

Productions made in the area include Netflix’s The Sandman, which saw hundreds of people come to Sandbanks for a week in 2022.

Other productions to feature the area are Morris: A Life with Bells On starring Derek Jacobi and Naomi Harris, and horror film K-Shop, produced by Bournemouth-based White Lantern Film.

Through the creation of the new film office, the council is also hoping to encourage the next generation of filmmakers.

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The authority said it works closely with both Arts University Bournemouth and Bournemouth University in their filming programs and will continue working with both to improve filming and keep talent in the area.

Councillor Andy Martin, portfolio holder for customer, communications and culture at BCP Council, said: “We live in a beautiful part of the world, and the new BCP Film Office makes it easier for filmmakers to take advantage of that.

“I’m hopeful we’ll see a boost to our local economy as a result and, if one of our gorgeous beaches is featured in a blockbuster or two, that’s a huge added bonus!”

For more information, visit the BCP Film Office website.