Filming in Helston and Cornwall on new feature-length film

Anyone driving through town may have spotted a group of people in high vis vests gathered around The Bookshop in Helston, at the top of Meneage Street.

It was all due to the first day of shooting on a new feature-length film by the award-winning Kernowfornia Film Company, fresh from success in Monaco, Montreal and the US.

Filming underway  (Image: Helston Packet)

Pieces of Us is a thought-provoking drama filled with twists and turns.

It follows the story of an author, Jack, who meets someone at a book signing. Over the course of the film it becomes apparent that the pair have a connection that runs deeper than either of them realise initially.

Tim Seyfert, who has written the screenplay, is also one of the two co-leads in it. He told the Packet: “You always draw from your own life experiences when writing. I wrote this part kind of based on a little bit of myself.

“It started out with me sitting alone with a laptop, imagining this whole story, and now I’m seeing it come to life, having started out as just an idea.”

Tim has written the script and co-stars (Image: Will Haigh-Gannon)

Tim, who is an English lecturer at Truro College, originally hails from California and co-founded Truro-based Kernowfornia with Ben Fullman – the Cornish half of the company, who is directing Pieces of Us.

Tim’s co-lead in the film is Sinead Ferguson, a third-year student at Falmouth University, who plays Delilah.

Sinead filming inside the bookshop (Image: Will Haigh-Gannon)

She said: “It’s my first proper film. It’s a great honour.

“I’m very grateful and really excited.”

The first day of shooting began on Sunday at The Bookshop in Helston, thanks to owner Gilly Sealey, with The Lady Eve Vintage next door acting as a ‘green room’ for the cast and crew, thanks to owners Jan Williams and Bee Pellow.

Scenes were also filmed outside (Image: Will Haigh-Gannon)

Filming in Helston will then move to Lismore House, with permission from Adam and Sarah Corbridge – who will also be making cameo appearances, as a driver and art gallery manager respectively.

Adam told the Packet: “It’s good for the town. They’re using as many people as they can who are local, and locations nearby. It’s a tick in the box for Cornwall and especially Helston.”

Adam Corbridge from Lismore has a cameo part in the film as a driver (Image: Helston Packet)

Other filming locations in Cornwall over the next two weeks will include Castaways at Mylor, as well as Falmouth University and Marazion.

The film has also received the support from local businesses, including GR Furniture Cornwall at Coverack Bridges, which is custom-making a bench that will be used for scenes at Lismore.

Director Ben watches a take (Image: Will Haigh-Gannon)

For production manager Will Haigh-Gannon, originally from Mullion but now living in London to pursue a career in the film industry, it is a dream come true to be involved in such a project on home turf.

“We’re all Cornish-based crew and cast,” he said. “Being on set here, I just love it. It’s beautiful to watch it all come together.”

Two of the production team ready with the clapperboard (Image: Will Haigh-Gannon)

Line producer Georgina Richards agreed that it was a big thing for Cornwall.

“I’ve been in the industry for ten years, but in terms of Cornwall there just isn’t enough down here,” she said.

A scene filmed inside the bookshop (Image: Will Haigh-Gannon)

“Normally all the prep happens in London or Bristol, and they bring their teams down here to shoot. It’s really lovely to have it all here.”

Watching from the sidelines in the green room has been Jan, of The Lady Eve Vintage, who said she was struck by how professional the whole set up was. She added: “I think people think because it’s in Cornwall it’s small time, but it’s not, it’s a big time.”

The top of Meneage Street was a hive of activity on Sunday (Image: Will Haigh-Gannon)

Pieces Of Us is the second film written by Tim, who was also scriptwriter and director for Nowhere, which has achieved critical acclaim worldwide and won the following awards: Monaco International Film Festival 2023 – Winner of Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress; Golden State Film Festival 2024 – Winner of Best Score; Florence International Film Festival 2024 – Winner of Best Screenplay; Beverly Hills Film Festival 2024 - Official Selection; Niagara Canada International Film Festival 2024 – Winner of Best Dramatic Screenplay; Montreal Independent Film Festival 2024 – Winner of Best First-Time Filmmaker; Los Angeles Independent Film Festival 2024 - Official Selection.