William Sugg & Co craft heritage lanterns for new Bridget Jones’ film

British heritage lighting manufacturer William Sugg & Co has brought its craftsmanship to the big screen, playing a role in the visual storytelling of the highly anticipated new film Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy. The company was approached by the film’s production team to recreate four replica columns and lanterns, restoring an authentic London streetscape for a pivotal scene. With a tight deadline and meticulous attention to detail, William Sugg & Co delivered authentic, handcrafted pieces that seamlessly blend into the aesthetic of the film.

Neil Stanton, Commercial Director of William Sugg & Co. explains: “We are absolutely delighted to work on such an iconic project. Bringing our expertise to the world of Bridget Jones and contributing to such a beloved film series is truly special. Our team has poured their passion and dedication into ensuring that every detail of the pieces we have designed and made, enhances the charm and ambience of this much-anticipated new film. We are proud to be a part of this project and it was wonderful to see how our work has helped bring Bridget Jones’ world to life”.

The lanterns are Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea (RBKC) Lanterns, a range that William Sugg & Co restores on a regular basis, so a replica version was familiar, and the required tooling and jigs were already available. However, the column was not part of their standard range and required the William Sugg & Co team to initially draw and then create a pattern to cast from, to replicate the original columns.

Having previously supplied authentic heritage lanterns for high profile feature films, the team had experience of working closely with film production companies to meet their exacting briefs, so were confident they could deliver what was required.

The challenge

Filming was due to take place on 12^th July 2024, leaving just twelve weeks from the point of enquiry. Normally, a 12 week period is needed just to produce the new column pattern, with at least another four weeks for the column manufacture and finishing. The lanterns would also usually take between eight and ten weeks to produce considering other existing commitments. It was evident that meticulous planning of the Sugg team’s production schedules was needed to ensure that they met these tight deadlines.

The process

Within a week William Sugg & Co had costed and provided a quote to the production company, advising that an order would need to be confirmed by 1^st May to achieve a shipping date of 7^thJuly.

After clarifying some additional details, an order was placed with on 2^nd May and it was then activated into the production schedule.

William Sugg & Co immediately visited the filming location and took measurements of an original column. These were provided to one of the designers who created the technical drawings for the column, which were issued to the pattern maker after client sign-off. By 15^th May the pattern maker had been given full CAD files and had started their work with an expectation to complete the patterns in five weeks or less. The foundry was then required to have the cast columns ready by 1^st July.

Meanwhile production of the lanterns started on 15^th May with the creation of production drawings and a complete BOM to match the order specification. Due to commitments from existing client orders, physical production did not start until 14^th June and was completed on time and on budget by 25^th June.

The lanterns, carefully crafted from copper were provided bare, without electrics, as the production company wanted their team to install gear that was compatible with the film’s lighting requirements. The column was a replica in cast aluminium, usually the columns would be cast iron but the client wanted something lighter that was easier to work with. The pattern makers were ready on 10th June and casting started at the foundry on 13^th June with all four columns cast by 18^th June leaving sufficient time for fettling and finishing before they were shipped to the factory.

Finishing touches

On arrival, the columns were acid-etched to provide a suitable surface for the prime coat. The top coat was left for the client to complete by their in-house set production team, to meet the specific design requirements of the scene.

Tom Rea, Production Buyer at OWL Films, commented: “The lamp posts are in position and look absolutely fantastic, you’d never know they were a new addition… they really are tremendous and will feature very heavily at the start of the film in a key opening scene.”

With a commitment to craftsmanship and heritage, William Sugg & Co successfully delivered on a challenging timeline, ensuring that their lanterns helped to capture the timeless charm of London’s streets. The team’s meticulous attention to detail and passion for authenticity have played a role in bringing the beautifully recreated street scene in Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy to life.