Development

Development of the film began in late 2019, with Guy Potter writing the script as a follow up to his micro-short Prey, a film created on assignment for Sundance Collab.^[5] Intending to expand on the format of Prey, it was decided that Trengellick Rising should also be shot on Black & White 16mm film, and hand-processed in much the same way.^[6] This became an integral part of the Trengellick Rising production.

In March 2021 it was decided that the film be performed entirely in Kernewek, or the Cornish language. The script was translated by Cornwall Council and the Trengellick Rising fundraising page was launched on Kickstarter.^[7]

On the 1 April 2021, Trengellick Rising was successfully financed through Kickstarter, achieving 145% of its target. The project raised £6,550 from 103 different pledges from all over the world.^[8]

Filming

Filming began in August 2021 in locations around Bodmin (including Jamaica Inn) as well as near the Hartland Heritage Coast. ^[9] Filming on the project wrapped a few weeks later.^[10]

Processing and developing

In October 2021, the director Guy Potter began to develop the footage by hand, in a makeshift darkroom at home. Mixing the chemicals and processing the film himself, he developed over 3,500 ft, over a kilometre of film negative.^[11] In an interview with BBC Cornwall, he described this as “the hardest part of the production so far” but that the resulting aesthetic was “scratchy, raw and rough around the edges, much like the story itself.” ^[12]

Post-production

In August 2023 post-production finished on the project after a year of editing and sound design. It was subsequently entered into festivals.^[13]