The Newham Film Office, managed by The Film Office, works across a multitude of different projects each year, from Feature Films to TV Drama, but sometimes it’s the smaller briefs which can be the trickiest. Originally launched in the 1970s, the now infamous Pepsi Max Taste Challenge, involves members of the public taking part in a blind taste test to decide which is the better tasting cola, Pepsi Max or regular Coca-Cola. The Taste Challenge has been refreshed for 2019, and is teaming up with famous contributors including Chabuddy G, of the BBC mokumentary series “People Just Do Nothing”. The challenge follows British comedian Asim Chaudhry’s entrepreneurial alias as he attempts to become a social media influencer… attempt being the key word here…
Looking for 2 versatile spaces to film their spoof documentary, they required a large busy controllable space where their contributor could interact with members of the public, and a separate location where he could park his van. The back of the Stratford Centre worked perfectly for the first brief and had a large footfall on the day to achieve that town centre feel. Abbey Lane Underpass located near Abbey Mills, a controllable pedestrianised underpass, was perfectly suited to the second part of the brief, being a quieter spot and able to provide vehicle access.
Jacob Hughes-Rodgers, the Film Officer on the job commented “With such a short turnaround for the filming, and the release date fast approaching, it was key to find the right space for this particular productions needs. As with all filming in busy public spaces it’s important to be aware of the specificities of shooting around members of the public. Both locations worked fantastically to keep that fair balance of a great filming location and minimising the impact on local residents / businesses. As a big fan of the series it’s great to see the finished product, and I look forward to receiving my free crate of Pepsi!”.
For more fantastic locations across the borough or to register your property please visit FilmHub!
