FILMING has started on a new prison drama which will mostly be shot in Scarborough.

Actors and crew have been on set since Monday at the former Victorian prison, in Dean Road, which will be used as one of the main locations during the six-week shoot.

And 67-year-old Frank White, of Seamer Road in East Ayton, is carrying on a family tradition, when he plays the part of a convict, because his great grandfather was one of the original jailers when the prison was operational.

He said: “I’ve done it before – I worked alongside Michael Caine when he was in Little Voice. I just like it. Either you like it or you don’t. It’s the full involvement and filming is what you normally don’t see.”

The gritty Brit-flick, which is called Screwed and is based on the best-selling novel of the same name by former prison officer Ronnie Thompson, is being directed by Reg Traviss.

Mr Traviss has a number of successful films behind him, including Joy Division and Psychosis – and Screwed is likely to be just as hard-hitting.

The lead role of Sam Norwood is being played by James D’Arcy, who previously starred in the Russell Crowe film Master and Commander, and he said the film represented his character’s journey after leaving the army.

He said: “I think it’s great. It’s a prison story but it’s told from the point of view of the prison officers. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like that before. I think Reg really knows what he wants to do.”

And he added it was good to be working in an authentic location because purpose-built sets often lacked the atmosphere of Dean Road gaol.

Officers from Scarborough Council helped in finding suitable locations for the film around the town and shooting is set to take place throughout this month and October.

The council hopes the gritty movie will be as big as a success as Little Voice, which starred Michael Caine, Ewan McGregor, Jim Broadbent and Jane Horrocks.

The crew are still asking Scarborough people to volunteer to be extras at various locations during the shoot.

Extras co-ordinator Johnny Lynch said there had been a good response so far to an appeal published in the Evening News last week.

He said: “We had about 300 people reply. It’s been phenomenal – from the moment it was in the paper. I’m still getting messages coming through. The people of Scarborough have really got behind us.”

He added that he was mainly looking for men to fill the roles of convicts and prison officers. “We can fit a few women in but we are mainly looking for men.

“If you’ve ever watched a film and wondered what it’d be like to spend a day on a film set this is your chance.”

He said that people who were interested in getting involved had to attach a recent photograph to an initial email and send it to him and he will get back in touch.

From The Scarborough Evening News on Wednesday, September 15, 2010.