Written by new-contact on Mar 26, 2013. Posted in Production News

Jack the Giant Slayer creates fantasy kingdom on location in Norwich Cathedral

Bryan Singer’s epic fairytale fantasy Jack the Giant Slayer filmed on location in the UK, with studio bases at Elstree in Hertfordshire and Longcross in Surrey. Norwich Cathedral in eastern England was also used for interior scenes involving one of the story’s castle locations.

“The Location Manager and Set Designer were seeking a building of the right proportion for the giants,” recalls the cathedral’s Estates Manager Phil Thomas: “It also had to have upper levels where they could interact with the humans. They looked at other cathedrals but Norwich fitted the bill and we were willing to clear the diary to accommodate them.”

Fake stone walls were installed in the cathedral up to a month before the shoot, with modern elements such as the gift shop hidden from view, as well as the building’s more ecclesiastical features.

We managed to minimise disruption and maintain the schedule of worship – something that we promised to do right from the start of negotiations, and delivered.

Nick Fulton, Location Manager

“With very careful planning,” comments Location Manager Nick Fulton, “we managed to minimise disruption and maintain the schedule of worship – something that we promised to do right from the start of negotiations, and delivered.”

“Daily worship had to continue throughout the filming period as it has done for more than 900 years,” Thomas adds: “Fortunately, we were able to relocate services to different parts of the building. Lastly, we were strict about food and drink being on site, men taking baseball hats off and so on. The location team were excellent at reinforcing these conditions.”

(Cathedral still courtesy of Jarrold Publishing; Jack the Giant Slayer still courtesy of Daniel Smith/Warner Bros/Legendary Pictures)