Epic re-telling of The Odyssey on the Yorkshire coast features more than 400 aspiring actors and rising stars

More than 150 businesses, drama organisations and dozens of community organisations including RLNI, RSPB and Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, as well as hundreds of local residents, have been taking part in audio and video recording sessions retelling Homer’s classic tale.

Some of the region's radio presenters have also been involved as narrators and performers on-screen and will continue to be part of The Odyssey as it evolves.

All major roles have been cast and production is well under way for what promises to be a truly epic experience.

The first episode of the story will be released in November, across Animated Object’s website and on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.

It aims to set the scene of the story and introduce the Olympian Gods in their modern form, with narrators switching between the real world and the fictional world of The Odyssey.

More episodes are set to be released in December which focus primarily on Thetis - a Goddess of the seas and her wedding to the mortal king Peleus and will also show how Eris the Goddess of Chaos sets events in motion that will eventually lead to the Trojan Wars.

This has been supported by a series of large-scale sand art projects filmed by drone, which will feature in the opening credits of the episodes.

The entire story will be told with the backdrop of the Yorkshire Coast and will show it off in a new light, featuring stunning sunrises, beautiful beaches and spectacular scenery.

Sequences have been filmed on the beaches of Spurn Point; on land and in the sea at Withernsea; Hornsea; Skipsea; Bridlington; on the cliff tops at Flamborough and Filey Brigg; along the Cleveland Way and on boats under the cliffs at Bempton and from Scarborough to Whitby – an epic tale across the whole of the Yorkshire Coast.

Dawn Dyson-Threadgold from Animated Objects said: “We’ve had a really positive response from locals and businesses up and down the coast.

"We’ve met people with different levels of experience - many of whom have never performed before but have been keen to get involved in this epic adventure on screen.”

Kerry Carruthers, Chief Executive of Yorkshire Coast BID said: “To see the Odyssey capture the imagination of people young and old, vying for a lead role, is brilliant to see.

"This will be the biggest event series [one of the most ambitious community film projects] told in the UK using the Yorkshire Coast as its natural backdrop and the team are only at the beginning of telling this epic tale, that has seen over 100 businesses alone get involved.”

Tim Tubbs from Scarborough Theatre Company added: “Big respect to Lee and Dawn who ran our filming day at the YMCA briskly and brilliantly.

"Can’t wait to see how this cover creative duo turn all these filming sessions into a contemporary version of the Trojan Wars epic.”

There are many more dates for the diary for this exciting and ambitious project, with an enchanting lantern trail in Robin Hood’s Bay on the weekend of December 4-5, special large-scale screenings of The Trojan Wars which will be an interactive event touring to six towns along the coast in February 2022 as well as live music and giant puppet visit in April and May 2022.

Episodes in the new year will focus on additional characters and how the love affair between Helen and Paris sets off a series of events that will change their world, as well as meeting major figures in the story including Odysseus, Achilles and the dread King, Agamemnon.