Pre-production is under way on The Sculptress, a major independent movie inspired by the remarkable life of internationally acclaimed British artist Barbara Hepworth – and aspiring filmmakers are being invited to take a front row seat on set.

The arthouse film, set in London, Cornwall and Norfolk, traces Barbara’s journey from traditional to landmark modern artist, fuelled by her love affair with her muse, the painter Ben Nicholson. Set in the 1930s against the backdrop of the looming Second World War, the couple’s already complex relationship results in a potentially devastating twist.

With rising star Cassie Compton in the title role and seasoned theatre actor Tom Lawrence as Ben Nicholson, Cornwall-based writer and director Alex Bailey brings together a dynamic cast and a talented group of filmmakers to tell this important and intriguing tale on screen for the first time.

The Sculptress

Now its production is to double as a unique education opportunity for film fans and students who will be able to subscribe to a dedicated Facebook LiveView channel via the Sculptress Kickstarter campaign, launching on February 8.

This unique, close-up experience offers the chance to watch and learn from an experienced professional crew as they prepare and shoot two key exterior crowd scenes with the principal cast and background actors. In-depth, behind-the-scenes footage, broadcast before and during the shoot, will allow complete immersion in the filming process. There will also be interviews with the main crew members in all the major departments – from camera, sound and art to costume, hair and makeup – and all clips will be saved for catch-up and repeat viewing.

“It’s going to be the best film course ever,” says Alex. “We have a desire to educate and inform while making a film about a remarkable individual who against the odds managed extraordinary achievements in her lifetime.”

Producer Fozia Khaliq adds: “I would confidently say that the film we are making is important and significant in terms of art history.”

The Sculptress

Initial shoots by the sea at Crackington Haven, on Bodmin Moor and at Stockers Farm, Rickmansworth provided the footage for a cinematic trailer, which beautifully showcases the essence of the production. Future filming is scheduled later this year for locations in Cornwall, London, Happisburgh in Norfolk – the place where Barbara Hepworth and Ben Nicholson first met – and in the authentic period setting of the Black Country Living Museum at Dudley.

The £50,000 Kickstarter campaign will support the next stage of production, with additional finance looking to be secured from film funding sources and private equity investment utilising the Government’s tax efficient SEIS/EIS scheme to complete the film’s required budget.

Alongside the Facebook LiveView experience, rewards offered include the chance to be an acting “extra”. There are also exciting opportunities for art and film enthusiasts to become involved as associate producers.

The film is scheduled for completion and first independent cinema screenings by December 2017, followed by showcases at major film festivals in 2018.