Thomas Duke is a London-based film fanatic who has turned an obsession into an art form.
In 2017 he started a project called Stepping Through Film, which has seen him recreate scenes from films such as Joker and Dunkirk and TV series as diverse as Friends, The Crown and Sherlock. So we were delighted to welcome Thomas to Puzzlewood and to discover it’s been on his wish list for some time! Here’s what Thomas had to say.
“I’ve been in love with film all my life – it’s allowed me to escape to a multitude of wondrous worlds and meet some incredible characters. It’s a magical experience to step through the screen and actually stand where talented artists and filmmakers have created their own cinematic visions. I feel really lucky in this day and age to have the internet at my fingertips, a place to share and discuss all things film with people who share my passion. I’m always on the lookout for interesting locations to visit for my Instagram page – the more obscure the better. Puzzlewood has been on my radar for a while now but, due to distance and weather, I just hadn’t been able to visit until quite recently.
From lightsaber-wielding Jedis to giants, sorcerers and a flying blue time machine, these woods have seen it all and I was so excited to come and explore Puzzlewood. And it didn’t disappoint. It was a rather surreal experience in terms of environment and film content – so much has been filmed at Puzzlewood and it was a perfect place in which to immerse myself deep within its otherworldly foliage and deep-rooted nature.
One of the main reasons for visiting was the BBC TV series, Merlin. This show, which was brilliant in its imagining of the young Merlin’s world, was a huge part of my childhood. I used to watch it every week with my nan. The mythical tales of Camelot became etched on my brain and I loved the fantastic chemistry between the two leads, Colin Morgan as Merlin and Bradley James as Prince Arthur. After a little research, I found that a lot of the woodland scenes seen were filmed at Puzzlewood. It was at that moment that I realised I would have to visit and see what I could create!
It was truly wonderful to explore one of the key locations for this beloved show and even more so to share the magic with the world via social media. Of course, Merlin is only scratching the surface of Puzzlewood’s film and TV credentials. I find it quite amazing that one of the biggest films of all time was also shot in the woods – Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Here was another glorious scene to capture, lightsabers and all! It took some planning and a decent amount of detective skills to find the specific settings, but I got there in the end.
It was a pleasure to see this location for myself and I hope to return one day soon. There’s still so much more to see and I loved every second of it – you can go around the woods again and again via its pathways and each time you’ll find something new! Thanks for the magic within the movies, Puzzlewood.”
We are very proud that Puzzlewood can play a supporting role in so many amazing films and TV programmes. Why not come and see for yourself what an inspirational place it is?
