New sci-fi movie being filmed in Chichester

The film called Is It is being directed by Jay Natrajan, mostly known for his visual arts work on Maleficent, Madagascar, Jupiter Ascending, Despicable etc.

The idea is to make two short live-action films leading into a feature film to be made later this year.

Sophie explains: “It is a mystery thriller sci-fi. The starting point is that the lead male actor moves into a village and ends up not knowing what is real and what is fiction anymore. Things happen that seem real but are unreal and there are a couple of female characters that arrive. I'm playing two parts, one in reality and one who could be real or might not be real. It is set in the present but also in a timeless universe. There is no specific location though it could be set in Chichester!”

The film-makers are using a number of Chichester-area locations including a hospital and a physiotherapy bureau and they are hoping to use a community centre plus a couple of streets.

“And it is a very different approach to the film with this one. Straight from the audition get-go everything was filmed including the rehearsals as if it was the actual filming and then we're going to be making the film through to the middle of May. It should take a couple of months to put together after that.

“Since I have known the Chichester FilmMakers it's been very exciting to be part of them and building up the Chichester film community even though I'm not based in Chichester. But I'm always trying to get involved where I can. And it is very exciting to be working with Jay. He has worked on such big films and he's got such great experience.

“I have been acting for ten years on and off but for the past two years full time. I thought it was now or never. I've had things happen in my life, losses, just life happening and I thought I'd better get on with it if I'm going to do it and actually follow my dream. And it has been good. Since January I've been working every week.”

Sophie has done a number of things on TV including Adiabin, a series in Iraq: “That was amazing. We were filming somewhere that was 6,000 years old it was great. And then I was a day player on SAS Rogue Heroes. A day player means that you come in for a couple of days and that was incredible. It was boiling hot but it was a great experience. On SAS Rogue Heroes there is a lot of fighting scenes and I was in the middle of it. There were chairs flying over me and bottles flying over me. It was scary. But it was a really great experience!”