LOCATION RESEARCH

LOCATION RESEARCH

Hatchlands Park House

When originally planning this idea, I wanted to use a fairly grand, old location- as the story is meant to be set in an old house.

For exterior shots, I scouted various National Trust properties as they all have grand houses and gardens, which would be ideal for the type of building I am looking for. I visited Claremont Landscape Gardens in Esher and Polesden Lacey in Bookham to determine where to take exterior shots. Another location I wanted to visit is Hatchlands (pictured right), however it is closed for winter.

Even though both these locations have grand houses, it would be impossible to take photos inside them as, at Claremont, the house is closed to the public and, at Polesden, photographs are prohibited from being taken.

CLAREMONT LANDSCAPE GARDENS
The first location I visited was Claremont Landscape Gardens. Here are some locations at that property that could work well with the story of my idea:

This house upon the lake could be the location which Grace
(the ghost) originally died. Instead of being drowned in a
bath, as the initial idea states, she could be drowned in the
lake.

This the Belvedere Tower. This could be the exterior of the
the grand old house that the couple in the story move into.
I could Photoshop Grace standing in one of the towers as the
couple walk towards the property.

The long driveway of the house creates a feeling of suspense,
as the audience can see Grace in the tower but the couple
can't.

As it is gated, the use of Photoshop will be required. If this
was used, then another location will be required for interior
photographs.

The surrounding gardens offer stunning views of the lake.

POLESDEN LACEY

The other property I went to was Polesden Lacey. As the following photos show, there is a lot more on offer at Polesden, than Claremont. However, both would be suitable for my project. Here are some locations at Polesden that I think would be suitable for my story:

Polesden Lacey is home to a huge mansion, which would be
perfect for the grand old house in the initial story idea.

As the house is so big, each angle offers a different visual
perspective of the house. The opportunity to produce a
variety of different photographs is very real.

One problem with taking photos at Polesden Lacey is the
fact that it is seemingly very popular with the public. Taking
photos will prove difficult with a lot of people walking around.

This is the front of the house. Everything about the house is grand.

The pet cemetery on the grounds produces a creepy atmosphere,
perfect for a horror project. In relation to the story, this
could be where Grace's body is buried.

The gargoyles and other decorations scattered around the
gardens help to create an eerie, ominous atmosphere.

Polesden Lacey as a variety of different grounds- including
a herb garden.

This stone bath is ideal for this project, as it is in an area
of the property that is often not frequented by the public.

In relation to the story, it could be the bath in which Grace
was drowned by her mother.

Overall, out of these 2 National Trust properties, I would say that Polesden Lacey lends itself the best to my project as there are lots of locations on the premises.