China Girl blog 24th May 2018

After two weeks, suddenly the sky darkened and the rain came down like tears, wetting the grateful dry earth, as the film crew moved off to their next location. With them went the location Manager Harry; with the bluest blue eyes, we all miss him as he is a great trouble shooter. He left behind him the Greens Team, who manage anything horticultural and  the endless clearing up, of which there is a great deal.

The week’s filming and the preceding month of preparation has for all of us been a surreal experience. Ma said even in her dreams she had not envisaged that such amazing preparation and organisation was needed to put together the huge film; it sent her head spinning.  In all there must have been about thirty huge white trailers for all the actors and different trades and expensive camera equipment. No wonder there were four security guards here at all times.

The gardens and especially the meadow, were transformed with trees and flowers. As we wind down to normality, the estimate for bringing Cothay back to its old self, as it was before the film company set foot here, will be approximately one week. With ten members of the Greens Team, plus a firm of five men to cut the grass and trim hedges and edges.

Each day during filming, work began at 7am and finished twelve hours later, with about 200 people involved in the film. The most delicious food was provided during the day for one and all, in a vast marquee. The only downside was that us dogs were kept shut in the house.

Ma said it is impossible to bring to life such an exciting week. How lucky we were to have such an experience, which none of us will ever forget.

To return to more mundane matters, the garden, which at long last has woken up, is beginning to wear its early summer glory. The wisteria hangs like silken tassels dangling from the walls of the house, like lovely jewels shimmering in the sunshine.

How the ghosts of the past must look and listen in wonder at all that has been going on in the last few weeks. Thank you to the powers that be who chose lovely old Cothay as the film location.