Set against the rugged beauty of the Cornish coast, Right On Time is an intimate drama about two estranged siblings, Lucy and Ben, who are brought back together by their mother’s terminal illness and funeral. The film explores grief, responsibility, and reconciliation as the pair confront old resentments and the weight of caregiving. Combining striking natural locations with raw, heartfelt performances, Right On Time offers a powerful portrait of family, loss, and the struggle to do the right thing when it matters most.

Photos by Courtney Walker-Thompson

TIMELINE

Production breakdown, from January 2025 to October 2025.

Early Stages & Pre-Production

Jan 2025

Location Scouting and Camera Preparation

After some brief, early conversations about the film in December 2024, we started the year with location recces in Cornisj villages Flushing and Mylor - visiting the beach, Tom’s house, and two local churches. It gave us a real sense of how light, sound, and space would shape the film. These early recces also helped shape the script later down the line, with the script being written purposely around each location. Around the same time, we trained on the ARRI Alexa, our chosen camera, so we’d be confident using it on set.

Later in January, the film was officially pitched and greenlit for production. Using pitch materials and mood boards, we pinned down the film’s visual style: natural light, muted colours, and calm, symmetrical framing. We wanted a style that was understated but powerful, one that matched the intimacy of the story.

Feb 2025

Script Table Read and Planning

We gathered as a crew for the first table read of the early script. Hearing the words spoken aloud gave our writer valuable insight into the story’s rhythm and how the quieter, more emotional moments would lean on visuals. It also helped identify dialogue that felt unnatural, guiding the development of the next draft.

March 2025

Early Test Shoots

A two-day test shoot was conducted at the main locations:

At Flushing Beach, lens tests determined the 50mm as the best balance of intimacy and landscape detail. Dolly shots were trialled on the quay.
At the house, interior lighting setups were tested, with outside lights used to simulate daylight. A symmetrical dolly shot in the hallway became a key visual motif.
At St Peter’s Church, a dolly move down the central aisle was tested, alongside lighting plans that emphasised the building’s blue nautical ceiling. Acoustic challenges led to the decision to use lavalier microphones.
Reviewing test footage confirmed the film would be shot in 2.39:1 widescreen ratio.

April 2025

Casting

Casting happened in April, with the team spending a full week auditioning talented actors. The sessions were organised and led by the director and producer, who worked closely to find the right performers for the key roles. This stage was especially important for shaping the heart of the film, since the story depended on natural performances and strong on-screen chemistry.

After the test shoot, we finalised shot lists and lighting plans, confirmed our equipment, and made all the necessary bookings for the June shoot.

May 2025

Final Preparations

All our equipment was in place, and with new 1st ADs, gaffer, and grip crew joining the team, we revisited some locations for last-minute recces. These visits mainly helped the lighting team ensure our gear could achieve the look we wanted. A few adjustments were made along the way - for example, our lighting plans now called for placing hot lights near the windows. To keep the church’s stained glass safe, we swapped the heavier, hotter lamps for cooler, safer alternatives.

Production

10 June 2025

Beach Filming

We kicked off filming at Flushing Beach and managed to get through all eight beach scenes shot in one long but really rewarding day. Starting early meant we could enjoy the soft morning light, as well as arriving at an empty beach without any tourists. A little rain tried to slow us down, with our shots turning out a little more grey than we'd hoped but we stayed upbeat and flexible, keeping everything on track and making the most of our day by the water.

** Originally, I (as Director of Photography) had planned to handle most of the camera work myself, but just one day before our shoot, I unfortunately tore a ligament in my ankle and as a result, some of the camera operation was taken over by our 1st AC

11-13 June 2025

House Interiors

Next, we moved to the house location, where we stayed for a couple days, filming both interiors and exteriors. This location was full of challenges but also really fun - tackling complex long takes, tricky match cuts, and a sweeping jib shot on the driveway despite some less-than-ideal weather. The whole team worked together smoothly, adjusting on the fly and keeping the energy high, which made the tricky shots feel much more manageable. Our lighting and camera team did an amazing job, making the artificial lights feel just like natural sunlight and creating a beautifully realistic daylight look.

15 June 2025

Family Evening Scene

As our 'house' location was actually a real home, we were unable to film our night scenes at night. One of our trickiest challenges was creating 'night' in the middle of the day. The lighting and camera team took the lead, blacking out all the windows and carefully setting up warm lamps to give the room a convincing evening glow. Their attention to detail and creative problem-solving made the space feel authentic, and it was incredibly rewarding to see their work bring the scene to life.

16 June 2025

Funeral Sequence at St Peter’s Church

Our final big shoot day took place at St Peter’s, with the pews filled mostly by residents from Flushing itself. Having locals participate brought a real sense of community to the film, and they were thrilled that their beloved church was one of our locations. The church team treated our set with care and respect, almost as if it were a real funeral, even providing freshly cut flowers on the morning of the shoot. Careful staging and attention to symmetry gave the funeral sequence its emotional weight, and we kept continuity by marking seating positions for each extra. The coffin was a handmade prop, lovingly crafted by our production designer, Daisy. The day was full of warmth and collaboration, with everyone coming together to bring the scene to life.

16 June 2025

Wrapped!

By the end of the month, filming was complete. Despite setbacks (including injury and bad weather) we wrapped on time and even managed to capture extra shots for flexibility in the edit.

Post-Production

July 2025

Editing Begins

July was all about the edit. We carefully pieced the film together scene by scene, paying close attention to structure, rhythm, and the emotional pacing of each moment. It was a thoughtful process, making sure every beat landed the way we wanted and that the story flowed naturally from one scene to the next. The Director and I (as editor) spent long, focused hours refining transitions, tightening performances, and shaping the overall tone, enjoying the satisfying challenge of bringing the film fully to life.

August 2025

A Short Break

In August, we hit the pause button on the film to focus on academic essays and other commitments. A few of our core crew members also relocated to different parts of the country during this time, which naturally slowed things down, but it also gave everyone a chance to recharge and return with fresh perspectives.

September 2025

Picture Lock

By the end of September, the edit reached picture lock — meaning no more changes to timing or structure. With the story finally set, the film was ready to move into its final technical phase.

Once the edit was locked, we dove into sound mixing and colour grading. This was the stage where the film really came to life — carefully balancing dialogue and ambience, shaping the emotional tone of the soundscape, and enhancing the natural, coastal aesthetic through colour grading. We also began collaborating with a composer, who created original music to complement the story, adding another layer of emotion and depth. It was exciting to see all the individual pieces coming together to fully realise the world of the film.

October 2025

Finishing Touches

In October, we will be putting the final polish on the film. The last tweaks to sound, colour, and music will come together, and every detail will be carefully refined. With the story fully realised on screen, the film will soon be ready to share with the world. Excitingly, we will be just a few steps away from the premiere — watch this space!

CAST & CREW

Jessie Lee

Ethan Hockley-Webster

Heidi Dorschler

Harry Bird

Tom Bent

Gilly Molesworth-St Aubyn

Ed Ellis-Smith

Abbiy Donaghue

Robin Chandler-Payne

Sophie Molesworth-St Aubyn

Bethan Radford

Theo Kemp

Tiggy White

Izzy Chedzey

Bethan Davies

Ben Jacob-Haigh

James Day

Oliver Richards

Daisy Musselwhite

Natalie Shapton

Rosemary Jennings

Robyn Kirkby

TBC

Lucy

Ben

Jackie

Arthur

Writer & Director

Producer

1st Assistant Director

Script Supervisor

Assistant Script Supervisor

Director of Photography & Editor

Camera Operator & 1st AC

2nd Assistant Camera

Gaffer

Spark

Sound Technician

Production Designer

Costume Designer

Makeup Artist

Composer

With a special thank you to everyone who donated to our fundraiser:

Atelier 3 Architects

Zachary Banks

Michael Bowden

Nick Bent

Tamsin Bent

Bill Batten Concrete Cutting

BJP Stonework & Building Ltd

Mel Blake

Ed Bloor

Boon331

Emma Button

Jennifer Chen

Alastair Cookson

Crossley Hill

Dampoc

Design Foundry Limited

Demetri Detsaridis

Caroline Farr

Joshua Gordon

Amber Hill

Emma Hinton-Popa

Ruby Jackson

Jimmy

Robert Kazmerek

Tom Kirkman

LTC Specialist Scaffolding Ltd

Louis M

Sandra Radford

Jean Radford

Sophie Rainbow

Roshan

Madeleine Shields

Felix Schulte-Strathaus

Becky Sheaves

Kate Simpson

Swashbuckle

Ellie Szczerbiak

Amaya Torres-Rahman

Joe Walker & Magda Kuclo

Antonia Willis

James Wood-Collins

Richard Xu