Production Focus: Finding Emily

Finding Emily: A Rom-Com Made In Manchester

For the teams at Space Studios Manchester and Screen Manchester the arrival of the new feature film Finding Emily in cinemas starting 22nd May is an important and exciting moment as both facilities hosted the production.

Alicia MacDonald’s directorial debut stars Spike Fearn and Angourie Rice. It tells the story of a lovesick musician who gets the wrong number for his dream girl and teams up with a driven psychology student to find her. Together, they spark a hilarious, campus-wide frenzy that tests their own hearts and ambitions along the way. The film is produced for Working Title by Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner. Their films, including “Bridget Jones”, “About Time”, “Love Actually”, and “Notting Hill”, have earned 14 Academy Awards and six Best Picture nominations. Olivier Kaempfer (Lollipop, Polite Society) also produces the film.

Finding Emily was filmed in and around Manchester with some interiors shot at Space Studios Manchester. Production set up unit base at Space, had its production offices at the studio and filmed on Stage 06 where the Emily’s Bedroom set was built. The Podcast studio was also created on site, as well as Owen’s Bedroom which saw one of Space’s dressing rooms transformed.

The production also engaged a cohort of Screen Manchester’s production trainees who gained invaluable hands-on work experience across the shoot.
Studio Co-ordinator Nikki- Leigh Rogers shares some inside information on the making of the series from her point of view.

“Having Finding Emily with us here at Space was so exciting. Working Title are known for such iconic British movies and Finding Emily fits perfectly into that mould. We’re so proud to have hosted cast and crew and been a part of creating this world.”

In addition to the work done at Space Studios, Screen Manchester, the screen agency for Manchester worked with the production to give access to locations across the city region.

Film Office Manager, Bobby Cochrane shares details of the brief he and his team worked on and the locations viewers will see as the drama unfolds.

“We worked closely with the Finding Emily Locations Department to secure multiple locations across the city that showcased Manchester in all its glory. A wide range of different settings were required, which was fantastic to showcase the diversity of the city to a global audience.

The film follows the story of two students, so the production required locations to match the look and feel of a city university campus.

Past alumni will immediately recognise the Student Union on Oxford Road, The Sackville Building on Sackville Street, Manchester Central Library and Alan Gilbert Square. Some past visitors to Manchester may recognise the iconic Manchester public house Peveril of the Peak and other popular hang-outs, including Via on Canal Street, Z Arts on Stretford Road, Pot Kettle Black on Angel Gardens, Electric Shuffle on Deansgate, the Northern Quarter’s Night and Day Cafe and the iconic Curry Mile in Rusholme.

We also facilitated permissions for a range of characterful locations including Naysmith Street in historic Cheetham Hill, Piccadilly Records on Oldham Street, Cambridge Street and Castlefield. It was wonderful to be briefed to secure such a spectrum of city centre locations, and we can’t wait for the world to see our city!”

A still from the Finding Emily trailer showing Owen (Spike Fearn) cycling along Canal Street. (Image: Universal Pictures UK)

Screen Manchester’s Crew and Facilities Manager, Elli Metcalfe explains more about the roles assumed by production trainees.

“The chance to work with Working Title on Finding Emily was absolutely priceless when they invited us to supply trainees to the production. We were so grateful to the team who gave our ambitious new entrants the chance to work across the Art, Costume, Hair and Make-up, Props, Sound and Locations Departments.

There was also an opportunity for one trainee to experience working in a busy Production Office. Providing hands-on training like this is one of our driving forces at Screen Manchester but without the access granted by forward looking teams like Finding Emily it wouldn’t be possible. We can’t thank the production team enough for making these opportunities a reality.”