UNIT Film & TV Bring Full Picture Post and Colour Grade to BBC Series This Town

The talented UNIT Film & TV team deliver the full picture post and colour grade on the brand new BBC1 Drama series This Town, which premiered last week with all episodes available to watch now.

The new series from Peaky Blinders and SAS Rogue Heroes creator Steven Knight, stars an exciting cast of rising talent: Michelle Dockery (Downton Abbey, Anatomy of a Scandal), Nicholas Pinnock (Life, Marcella), David Dawson (My Policeman, The Last Kingdom) and more.

It is directed by Paul Whittington and produced by Charlotte Surtees and Tim Whitby. Executive producers are Karen Wilson, Martin Haines and Katie McAleese for Kudos, and Jo McClellan for the BBC. Laura Conway (Kudos North), Matthew James Wilkinson (Stigma Films) and Nick Angel serve as co-executive producers. Banijay Rights handled international distribution for the series. The epic six-part series is produced by Kudos (Banijay UK) and Nebulastar for the BBC, co-produced with Mercury Studios, in association with Kudos North, Stigma Films and Nick Angel.

Filmed on location in the Birmingham area, and at Steven Knight’s new Digbeth Loc. Film and TV Studios - This Town tells the story of an extended family and four young people who are drawn into an explosive and iconic music scene. It further delves into a band’s formation against a backdrop of violence, capturing how creative genius can emerge from a time of madness.

The series is co-produced with Mercury Studios (part of the Universal Music Group) who will bring in an exciting range of high profile musical artists to help lay the backdrop for Knight’s incredible story. Acclaimed producer Dan Carey, and Brit and Mercury nominated musician, novelist and poet Kate Tempest, have written the songs performed by the band in the series.

This Town opens in 1981 at a moment of huge social tensions and unrest. Against this backdrop, it tells the story of a group of young people fighting to choose their own paths in life, and each in need of the second chance that music offers.

UNIT Film and TV delivered the full Picture Post and colour grade across the series working closely with DOP Ben Wheeler, Production Company Kudos and the BBC to bring the VFX to life with UNIT colourist Dan Coles carrying out the Grade.

The colour grade carried out by Dan ensured a filmic feel, strong in contrast and bold in use of colour – not overly saturated, but not muted either. The team fundamentally wanted to celebrate this unique time and place with a warmth and vibrancy that was both naturalistic and inviting. Dan enhanced colour separation, and added shape and depth to characters where possible, using a soft highlight and shadow roll off, and embracing the natural texture provided by the lenses.

Steven Knight says of the BBC drama, “It’s about an era I lived through and know well and it involves characters who I feel I grew up with. It’s a love letter to Birmingham and Coventry but I hope people from all over the world will relate to it.”

UNIT head of film and TV Louise Stevenson says of working on This Town, “This Town was a fantastic project to work on. We always love working with Kudos - some of the team have worked with them for over 20 years! Dan ensured the grade played a key part of the atmosphere and storytelling, transporting us to the '80s, Sion ran the online side completing multiple VFX shots, whilst Greg worked closely with the whole team to bring everything together to ensure smooth delivery to multiple broadcasters”.

UNIT colourist Dan Coles comments on the grade, “DOP Ben Wheeler BSC and I have collaborated many times before. We were able to do a pre-production camera test on the Alexa35 using vintage Hawke anamorphic lenses. We looked at most of the key cast members with makeup and in costume – this was an invaluable part of the process and allowed us to make some subtle changes to Ben’s shooting lut giving us something more appropriate for This Town. Once in the grade Paul Whittington (director) along with Ben and I decided we wanted to enhance the stunning and authentic ‘80s feel to this drama. Whilst incredibly cinematic and at times quite gritty we wanted where possible for the images to convey a strong sense of optimism, hope and joy”. 

UNIT Film & TV’s other recent work highlights include The Tourist season two, Grantchester and VERA.

The launch of the brand new UNIT 8 storey boutique facility in Fitzrovia, on Margaret Street this May sees the Film and TV department expansion with more large colour suites and spacious VFX suites.

Watch This Town on BBC iPlayer now.