The Alverton is a stunning grade II listed building that’s been in Truro since 1830. As the crew arrived in the morning to unload equipment, they were captivated by the grandeur of the hotel's historic exterior. However, it was upon stepping inside to ‘The Great Hall’ where everyone was in awe. The hotel staff were fantastic and had set up a glamorous and sophisticated dining set-up with lanterns for every table. In my view, however, what stood out even more than the impressive venue was the professionalism and commitment of all involved. It was fantastic to see everyone work so collaboratively together, across year groups and across courses too.

We began the day by shooting the dressing room scene in the ‘Oak Suite’ before moving into ‘The Great Hall’ to shoot some of our awards ceremony scene. Our talented AMATA actors delivered outstanding performances, and a special thanks goes to Katie Goldsmith, who travelled all the way from Bath to bring the character of ‘Sylvia Jones’ to life. At 3pm our extras arrived on set, all dressed in formal wear. Their enthusiastic participation involved cheering for Sylvia before and after her acceptance speech which created an unforgettable atmosphere. In the evening, we moved outside and gave the extras photography cameras to transform the outdoor space into a vibrant paparazzi scene.

We are very grateful for the support of the Student Project Fund which has been key in enabling us to secure this wonderful venue as well as cover other expenses including costume budget, art department and travel reimbursement. We applied for the funding as the project was being collaboratively made between sixty people studying various courses across Falmouth and Exeter University.

Here are some testimonies from some students who attended the event:

“Millie Clamp, Television & Film Production 2nd year (Director) – I had an amazing time directing our film at the Alverton! It’s such a beautiful venue and we all felt so privileged to be able to shoot there. The staff were all so lovely and incredibly helpful. Thank you!!” 

“Keira Savage, Acting 3rd year (Olivia Winston) - I had such a great time filming When Stars Collide! The fact that for a second-year film we were able to shoot at the Alverton Hotel is really amazing! It was a truly brilliant day.”

“Louis Sutton, Television & Film Production 2nd year (Editor) – Working on set at The Alverton was an incredible experience and such a grand location. It was fantastic.”

“Maisie Pepperell, Costume Design for Film & Television 2nd year (Head of Costume) - We were so lucky to have our costumes shot with the backdrop of the beautfil Alverton hall and it is great to see the actors in their costumes on the day with the set and hair and makeup done. It was a fantastic day seeing all of our hard work all coming together.” 

“Ollie McCartney, Television & Film Production 2nd year (1st Assistant Director) – Filming at the Alverton was such an incredible experience! The venue was so grand and expansive, it really added detail and value to the project.”

“Lucy Rigby, Law and Business LLB 2nd year (Exeter) - My experience of being an extra at the Alverton was a great escape from studying law as well as being able to work with Falmouth University was an enjoyable experience. The day was run very smoothly and extremely well organised, with having lots of extras I can imagine it would be hard to keep to time, but the organisers kept it professional the whole time. Being an extra was like nothing I have ever done before and watching how a film is made was very interesting and cannot wait to see the final product.”