The Frankenstein Chronicles filmed Belfast as London

Gothic TV drama The Frankenstein Chronicles has filmed a second series on location in Northern Ireland, using Belfast as a stand-in for 1830s London.

By Nick Goundry 11 Oct 2017

The Frankenstein Chronicles filmed Belfast as London
The Frankenstein Chronicles

Gothic TV drama The Frankenstein Chronicles has filmed a second series on location in Northern Ireland, using Belfast as a stand-in for 1830s London.

Filming took place entirely on location and was supported in part by the Northern Ireland Screen Fund, which offers an investment of up to 25% of a production’s overall budget, in addition to the UK’s high-end television tax relief.

Northern Ireland has a relatively small production industry but the combined financial programmes available make it an appealing filming location.

The Frankenstein Chronicles made use of Belfast’s multitude of historic warehouses and architecture to achieve the period visuals they were looking for.

The series is a reimagining of Mary Shelley’s classic 1818 novel and follows Sean Bean’s police officer as he investigates the crimes of a foe who is reanimating the dead.

“It was never on the table to film the show in a studio setting,” says Catherine Geary, the series’ location manager, in comments to KFTV.

“The intention was always to create the story world in real locations, to help give depth to the drama.”

Shooting largely in real locations has helped craft the show’s specific period visuals and identity, even if the team had to respond to the challenges of filming in places that were not designed for production.

Production took place at the same time that the BBC was shooting its period drama The Woman in White, so the two teams had to communicate their respective schedules against the backdrop of a smaller filming hub.

Northern Ireland's production industry has grown in the space of just a few years. Low-budget shoots are prolific in Belfast, but the city is best known internationally as the home of HBO’s Game of Thrones, which starts filming its eighth and final season next week.

Belfast Harbour Studios is currently home to the sci-fi drama series Krypton, a prequel to the Superman story that has the potential to become Northern Ireland’s next big international project.

See KFTV's production guide for more on filming in Northern Ireland.

Image: ITV

Northern Ireland has a relatively small production industry but the combined financial programmes available make it an appealing filming location.

The Frankenstein Chronicles made use of Belfast’s multitude of historic warehouses and architecture to achieve the period visuals they were looking for.

The series is a reimagining of Mary Shelley’s classic 1818 novel and follows Sean Bean’s police officer as he investigates the crimes of a foe who is reanimating the dead.

“It was never on the table to film the show in a studio setting,” says Catherine Geary, the series’ location manager, in comments to KFTV.

“The intention was always to create the story world in real locations, to help give depth to the drama.”

Shooting largely in real locations has helped craft the show’s specific period visuals and identity, even if the team had to respond to the challenges of filming in places that were not designed for production.

Production took place at the same time that the BBC was shooting its period drama The Woman in White, so the two teams had to communicate their respective schedules against the backdrop of a smaller filming hub.

Northern Ireland's production industry has grown in the space of just a few years. Low-budget shoots are prolific in Belfast, but the city is best known internationally as the home of HBO’s Game of Thrones, which starts filming its eighth and final season next week.

Belfast Harbour Studios is currently home to the sci-fi drama series Krypton, a prequel to the Superman story that has the potential to become Northern Ireland’s next big international project.

See KFTV's production guide for more on filming in Northern Ireland.

Image: ITV

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