THE fourth feature-length film to be produced by pupils at a Warrington school will hit the screen on July 7 – a week before the final Harry Potter film is released.
“The Dark Side of Magic” (TDSOM) is the first sequel produced by Penketh High School and its in-built media company, Red Rose Media and it follows on from an earlier production, “Louie”, made in 2009.
But while TDSOM may follow on from “Louie” it is also a stand-alone production.
Director Jonathon Kay said: “We never wanted to alienate people by making a direct sequel where you need to have seen the first film to understand what’s going on.
“This was one of the reasons we slightly detached the sequel from the first film by giving it an original title instead of something like Louie 2.
“The Dark Side Of Magic has a completely new storyline so anyone who hasn’t seen Louie will have no problems getting into it.”
The movie centres on young French wizard Louie, played by year 13 student Adam Rowles, as he and a gaggle of his English friends, played by a number of pupils and staff members from Penketh High School, try to stop the theft of an ancient magical book which grants its owner the power to rule the world.
“There are some mildly dark themes in the film but it’s certainly much more of a quirky comedy,” Jonathon added.
TDSOM was produced on a budget of £1,000, which isn’t even one per cent of the £150 million spent on both parts of the “Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows” movie, and was partially filmed in France.
Work on the film began at Easter and it features more than 200 pupils and members of staff from Penketh High School.
TDSOM will premiere on Thursday, July 7 at the Odeon Cinema at The Trafford Centre with a red-carpet opening attended by more than 450 people.
Jonathon said: “You can really feel the excitement around the school. Everyone’s heard about it, everyone’s talking about it. We really can’t wait until the film hits the big screen.”
TDSOM will be released on DVD shortly after the premiere and will be available to buy from Penketh High School. The school’s other three films are now also available to buy on DVD.
A trailer can be viewed at www.penkethhigh.com/communications
THE fourth feature-length film to be produced by pupils at a Warrington
school will hit the screen on July 7 - a week before the final Harry
Potter film is released.
School's film takes on Harry Potter!
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Gary Skentelbery
Experienced journalist for more than 40 years. Managing Director of magazine publishing group with three in-house titles and on-line daily newspaper for Warrington. Experienced writer, photographer, PR consultant and media expert having written for local, regional and national newspapers. Specialties: PR, media, social networking, photographer, networking, advertising, sales, media crisis management. Chair of Warrington Healthwatch Director Warrington Chamber of Commerce Patron Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace. Trustee Warrington Disability Partnership. Former Chairman of Warrington Town FC.
