The Greenhouse Next Door

Aim: A young girl befriends a talking caterpillar and sets off on an adventure through her neighbours garden to get him back to where he belongs.

Daisy, an 11 year old girl with a keen passion for adventure, sneaks into her neighbours back garden. After stealing the beautiful flower ‘Guarianthe Aurantiaca’ from her neighbours greenhouse, she soon realises she accidentally stole something (or someone) else too: her neighbour, Fred Green. Except he’s no longer Fred the Human…he’s Fred the Caterpillar. Daisy must embark on a journey across her neighbours fantastical garden once again in order to return Fred the Caterpillar safely back to where he belongs, and face a few of her fears along the way… 

The Greenhouse Next Door is a children’s fantasy film that employs the use of puppetry in order to create a world that is both rooted in normalcy and also a little bit magical. The film is viewed through the eyes of our protagonist, Daisy, who sees the world around her in a way that is a little more creative than her mum or other children her age. Taking inspiration from 1980’s puppet-based films and also the likes of Studio Ghibli and the Alice in Wonderland franchise, our film intends to explore the wonder of childhood innocence and imagination, and what it feels like when you reach an age where you risk losing that everyday magic.  

This film utilises the techniques of camera, production design and costume departments to their full potential, each department working together closely to create a rich and authentic world for Daisy to conduct her adventuring in! Have a look at some of the visual inspirations below:

Director's Vision:

Cinematography Vision:

The Greenhouse Next Door takes place in a typical suburban village in England, but the garden itself, in Daisy’s eyes, is an entirely different world. We are using both exterior locations and building our very own greenhouse in the studio in order to bring this story and it’s world to life whilst keeping it contained within our own: 

Production Design Vision:

Puppet Vision:

Costume Vision:

With this film, we are aiming to spin a modern day fairy-tale for children, to make them want to explore and utilise their young minds in creative ways everyday, a fairy-tale that could very easily take place in their own back gardens or community green spaces. We want this film to help both children and adults to see the world a little differently and to help them reflect on the power of their own imaginations.

To narrow in on this message is to reflect particularly on the way that young girls and their creativity are treated once they begin to grow up. Boys are seemingly allowed to keep their adventurous and boisterous streaks far into their young adult years, whereas girls are expected to behave ‘properly’ and politely from ages as young as ten. This film is being made in order to show young girls across the country (maybe even the world!) that being a little different, a little more inclined to magic and wonder than other people, is never a bad thing. 

Even the smallest donations would be a massive help towards the making of this film. Every penny goes towards fantastical things such as building our own magical greenhouse, quirky costumes, a talented cast and, most importantly, a high quality, industry standard caterpillar puppet! 

We appreciate every like, comment and share associated with our film, as every single one of these things helps us to get our film made. You can find us on Instagram and Facebook to stay up to date with what we’re getting up to! Any support is support greatly appreciated! 

Naturally, any budding donator would be wanting to know what their money is going towards; allow us to tell you! Find below a handy guide that breaks down our primary costs and needs in order to get this film made: 

Director - Lottie Bowden

Hi! I’m Lottie, the director for ‘The Greenhouse Next Door’.

Being chosen to bring this story to the screen has been such a special honour for me, as I feel very closely connected with its themes and the main character. I was raised surrounded by nature, having the New Forest right on our doorstep as well as a blossoming back garden at home that has been tended to religiously by my mother over the years. The ethereal magic and wonder that comes with the bright colours, creatures and plants of wildlife allows for the imagination to run wild, and I for one spent my childhood ‘away with the fairies’ (as my family say) and constantly dreaming up grand adventures and stories all from the safety of my back garden.

 This film showcases the importance of creativity within childhood, and how nature plays a huge part in that. Not all our audience will have immediate access to a flourishing garden or communal green space, and so we’re bringing a little slice of adventure to them instead with this film and its whimsical characters. I intend to show people of all ages the magic of the everyday with this film, and how much fun there is to be had in seeing things a little differently and using your imagination!

Writer/Production Designer - Sophie Robertson

Hi I’m Sophie! When writing stories for film I enjoy leaning into the fantasy genre. Fantasy stories are important for children, they encourage imagination and help younger audiences start to understand concepts about the world around them. For this script, I wanted to create something that felt adventurous and magical - and I was keen to put a young female character at the centre of this. As they get older, girls tend to stray away from actively exploring and adventuring the world faster than their male counterparts, and I think it's important to create stories that encourage girls to keep engaging in fun and adventurous tasks. Watching a film like this when I was younger may have helped me keep my wide-eyed eagerness about the world as I entered my teen years, which was pushed aside due to peer pressure and social standards. I often found boys could push boundaries and adventure further than I was able to, and as a result I spent many formative years behaving in a way that was not reflective of my personality. 

The greenhouse is to be a fantastical location, inhabited by Fred the Caterpillar, who will be brought to life through puppetry. Working with a puppet previously allowed me to see their lovable and appealing nature to people of all ages and I'm keen to continue using the medium to bring to life creatures, animals and other beings in new and exciting ways. Fred the Caterpillar alongside layers of living plants will help the greenhouse feel like a wonderous extension of what we accept as ‘real life'.

Producer - James Hollinworth

Hi, I’m James, Lead Producer on The Greenhouse Next Door. In my time at Bournemouth Film School I’ve produced a number of short films and I am familiar with the process and work that goes into making a film like this. My role as producer covers a range of responsibilities, including budgeting, organising the crew, casting, sorting through mountains of receipts and, most importantly, keeping everyone alive. I’m excited to be a part of this film and, of course, excited for the opportunity to work with puppets such as Fred the Caterpillar. Throughout the process I’ll be catering the film’s resources towards realising the director’s creative vision, helping to bring to life Fred and the other creatures that inhabit Daisy’s world.

Producer - Mia Lindley

Hello! I'm Mia, and I'm very excited to be the co-producer of The Greenhouse Next Door! Although I've produced a variety of films over the last two years, I haven't had the chance to delve truly into the world of casting, and this film has really opened that up for me, with challenges such as child actors, as well as puppeteers and voice actors. Having previous experience working with and teaching children, I understand how important media is and the impact it can have when expanding young minds, and I absolutely love the concept of this film! I'm no stranger to working with puppets either, so I am somewhat familiar with what processes we will face up ahead. I can't wait to get stuck in to such a fantastical world!

Director of Photography -Jake Kettyles

Hi! I’m Jake, the director of photography for The Greenhouse Next Door. Having spent my time in Bournemouth Film School working on outdoor fantasy and puppet-based projects, this film immediately grabbed my interest - I love using cinematography to allow otherwise fantastical elements of film to feel real and part of a world for the viewer. My vision for this film’s cinematography is greatly influenced by the works of Jim Henson, especially ‘The Dark Crystal’ and ‘Labyrinth’: The the sprawling wide vistas and storybook-like colour tints of these films truly immerse you into their magical worlds.  The use of colour in ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’ and lens choices in the recent works of Lubezki are also proving as key inspirations in my research for this project - specifically making Daisy appear small in the seemingly overwhelming garden of the Greens'. Working closely with a muppet-style puppet last year, I cannot wait to continue experimenting with puppet photography and it’s challenges, with ideas like shooting Fred in a ‘faux macro’ style making me more and more excited by the day! I cannot wait to help make this magical story come to life and show off the incredible work done by all the crew on camera.

Gaffer - Evan Chapman

I’ve always been interested in children’s media and it’s creative potential. Growing up on the muppet show and fantasy novels, I’m excited to work on the greenhouse next door as the Gaffer. Daisy’s journey with Fred will be a brilliant project to see come to life, I’m especially eager to light the puppets! As Gaffer, I will be responsible for lighting throughout the production, achieving the DOP and Director’s creative vision.

Cam Op - Sandy Honca

Hi I’m Sandy! And I’m part of the camera crew team as camera operator. I’m very excited for this films creatively magical childhood themes to come alive, right on camera! It is my job to work closely with our little friends, Fred the Caterpillar and Daisy in capturing their story to what the Director and DOP would like.  I’m very excited for this little story to come alive.

Costume Designer - Ombline Durand

Hi, I am Ombline and I am part of the Design Team with Anna and Seren as the Costume Designer.

I love this film because of the themes it contains. I think it’s a shame that magic is something we lose as we grow up and this film is full of hope, nostalgia and childhood wonder. When we develop the costumes, we aim to convey the brightness and happiness of childhood to give them life and emphasise their character; to show through their costume the qualities we see in them. We’ll get to go on this journey with these characters and that’s very special.

Costume Department - Seren Purchase

Hello I’m Seren and I’m on the costume department with Ombline and Anna.

I connect with this film because of the nostalgia and nature elements, a certain tree or flower can remind you of childhood, which is something I can identify with. Developing costume designs for each character, the aim was to give them life, give them personality and a past, because I see these qualities clearly within this film, it will make this design experience really worthwhile and a lovely journey.

Sound - Jack Fisher

Hello, I'm Jack Fisher, and I am the sound recordist for The Greenhouse Next Door. My role is to record the sound while we're filming so that the voice of the wonderful characters in Sophie's script can be brought to life. I think this project is going to be a unique and interesting challenge for as I have always wanted to do work on a film who's sound scape is almost entirely dependent on nature and using that to create a larger than life and adventurous feel for the audience.

Makeup Artist -Phoebe Le Tocq

Hi! I’m Phoebe, the Head Makeup Artist for The Greenhouse Next Door. Throughout my time at AUB, I have worked on multiple film productions and take pride in my ability to bring the director’s vision to life in the best quality. The Greenhouse Next Door is such a beautiful story about imagination and adventure, which I think really resonates with our inner child that is too often suppressed and forgotten about in today’s society. I can’t wait to reflect the whimsy of the story through my makeup designs and help the characters come to life.

Editor - Vi Hopper

I really wanted to be a part of the greenhouse next door as I loved Labyrinth growing up, the puppets were always a little scary but had a sense of enchantment about them. Having never worked on a children's film before I am intrigued by the concept and look forward to seeing how this all cuts together. I am excited for the challenge of working with puppets and looking forward to working on an amazing film with an equally awesome crew!

1st AC - Jacob Nicholson

What initially pulled my focus to this project was the innocence of the story being told and the creativity with which it would be brought to life. As 1st AC, it is my job to guide the viewers eye to what the DOP and Director feel should be in focus so that the you can be pulled into the whimsey of the story without distractions.

If you’ve read this far, then you’ll know all there is to know (for now!) about our special little film-in-the-making. Thank you for supporting our journey, and watch this space for updates! Thank you! – The Greenhouse Crew 

Looking to make a contribution in conjunction with a business? Contact us to discuss sponsorship and logo placement in the film's credits.

Prize Draw Terms and Conditions:

• To enter the draw select the "A4 Poster & Caterpillar Kit Giveaway Entry"
• For free postal entry contact [email protected] 
• Entries will close on the 7th of December
• The winner will receive one A4 poster & one 'Make your own caterpillar kit'. Designs subject to change.
• The winner will be selected at random and contacted by 1/1/2024
• Participants must be 18 or over