Museum to star in Nigel Slater film

The Black Country Museum will be used as a set for a film starring Helena Bonham Carter, which brings to life the Wolverhampton upbringing of food writer Nigel Slater.

Regional film agency Screen WM is to invest in the production, which will get under way this week.

The agency is supporting the film through its Advantage Media Production Fund, supported by regional development agency Advantage West Midlands, and the European Regional Development Fund.

It isn't yet known how much cash will be invested in the film.

Shooting will begin this week in and around Birmingham and Wolverhampton, with bosses announcing today that some scenes would also be filmed at Dudley's famous Black Country Museum.

Helena Bonham Carter will play Slater's step-mother in the nostalgic drama for BBC1, which will trace the writer's journey to adulthood through evocative tastes and smells.

The 60s-set adaptation of the chef's best-selling book Toast, will see a young Slater played by child star Freddie Highmore, who took the title role in Tim Burton's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

The autobiography talks of Slater's life in Sandringham Road, Penn, and later in a village in Worcestershire. He talks about his time at Woodfield infant and junior schools as well as visits to the Battle of Britain pub, now demolished, and shops in Penn Road.

The film is being produced by Ruby Films for the BBC and it was announced today that it would create around 35 jobs for local film crew.

Bosses at Screen WM said at least twice its investment amount would be spent directly into the local economy through employing local crew and using local facilities such as locations, caterers, hotels and restaurants during the four-week shoot.

The production will also be taking on four local trainees to gain on-set experience as part of Screen WM's production placement scheme.

Screen WM launched in autumn 2007 to help people take the first steps into film and TV production, and it provides on-the-job work experience.

Members of the supporting cast have also been found locally, some from the Birmingham School of Acting.

Suzie Norton, chief executive officer at Screen WM said: "We are delighted that Ruby Films has made Birmingham and the Black Country its home for the production.

"The film will make excellent use of the region as the backdrop to a unique and touching story, and the economic impact, through employing local crew or using local facilities, cannot be underestimated."