Welsh horror filmed in England due to smoking ban

A horror about mythical Welsh fairies had filming relocated to north Yorkshire after crew found out about strict non-smoking rules on sets in Wales.

The ban made it impossible to make key scenes look authentic, according to director of Rabbit Trap Bryn Chainey, as the main characters, played by Dev Patel and Rosy McEwen, are chain smokers.

A Welsh government spokesperson said smoking was banned on film sets in Wales, and advice on using specially-adapted e-cigarettes was shared with the team.

While the Rabbit Trap team had encountered other issues around filming in the country, the director called the smoking ban "the nail in the coffin" for its original plans in Wales.

"Both characters are chain smokers," Chainey said.

"It gives the audience a visual hint at the anxiety they're not talking about."

The characters, Darcy and Daphne Davenport, are played by star of Slumdog Millionaire and Monkey Man Patel, and McEwen, who has appeared in Black Mirror and science fiction film Vesper.

There is also a key scene when they reconnect by smoking cannabis in the bath.

"The only workaround would have been using CGI (computer-generated imagery) to make the cigarettes appear to burn and produce smoke," Chainey said.

"That would have looked fake and was out of our budget."

The film - out this month - is about a London couple who move to rural Wales and encounter the Tylwyth Teg (Fair folk).

These are mischievous fairies of Welsh folklore that resemble humans but possess magical qualities.

Their distinctive traits include an intense connection to music - and they are often heard playing harps or singing tunes that are "hypnotically beautiful but impossible to remember".

Chainey said he tried to portray them as "the inner child locked away in all of us", drawn to mud, mischief and the thrill of breaking rules.

As he is half-Welsh, the project was inspired by Chainey's desire to connect with his roots, with the film set entirely in a remote cottage.

Welsh actor Jade Croot, from Merthyr Tydfil, whose character is bilingual, was cast in a main role.

The production team then spent months searching Wales for the ideal location for filming.

It had to appear isolated while still accessible from the road, while the owners had to be willing to allow "pretty extreme renovations", according to Chainey.

This included scenes where the interior becomes overgrown with moss and fungus.

It also had to be affordable.

An ideal location was eventually found in south Wales - but after everything was seemingly in place, the owner pulled out.

"That set us back by months," Chainey said.

"We were really struggling to find a replacement that ticked all the boxes, and we were running out of money."

It was at this point the production company discovered the rule about smoking being banned on sets in Wales.

Pressing ahead would have required rewriting several key scenes - including the moment in which the married couple at the centre of the film reconnect over smoking cannabis in the bath.

It meant a decision was made to expand their search to England, looking for a location that could double for rural Wales, where their characters could smoke.

They found a suitable spot in north Yorkshire, which offered access to moors, forests and mountainous landscapes.

"If anything, it [the smoking ban] was the nail in the coffin of a situation we were failing to make work anyway," Chainey said.

While he said the English location worked "beautifully" from a visual and practical standpoint, he admitted to disappointment that the film could not be shot in Wales.

"Deep down I am sad it wasn't possible to shoot in Wales," he said.

"I still have hope of making films there eventually."

The Welsh government said: "Creative Wales assisted the production during its location search and shared information about filming requirements in Wales, including alternatives available for depicting smoking on screen. These include adapted e-cigarettes developed by specialist effects companies, which have been used successfully on many productions.

"Wales' smoke-free legislation means smoking is prohibited in enclosed or substantially enclosed public places, including workplaces such as film sets.

"We remain committed to supporting the creative industries and ensuring that Wales continues to be an attractive and practical destination for filming."

The situation is slightly different in England as the British Film Commission explains: "A ban on smoking in enclosed public spaces came into force in England on 1 July 2007.

"The ban applies to film sets just as it does to other venues, however, if an actor is required to smoke as part of his or her role, then there is an exemption to allow them to do so for that part of the shoot."