The director of a major new feature film being shot at this year's TT races has said the Isle of Man itself will play as important a role in the plot as the race itself.
Amazon MGM is developing a film called "Isle of Man," starring Channing Tatum and Eve Hewson.
Director Reid Caroline said his connection to the island goes back to childhood memories of his mother.
In an interview with Radio TT, Reid said: "She said her favourite place in the world was a small island in the Irish Sea called the Isle of Man.".
«"It wasn't until years later, when I was doing research for this film, that I realized this was the place she kept telling me about," he said.
For Caroline, a personal connection defined the direction of the production.
«Love for this place»
«"My goal is to capture the love of the race and also the love of this place," he said, adding that the film will show not only the TT race itself but also "the beauty of this place and how it comes alive during race week.".
Caroline first visited the site four years ago and said nothing could have prepared him for experiencing the TT races in person. He said that spirit would be "extremely important" for the film, titled "Isle of Man.".
«"You hear a lot about what TT is and you see a lot on video, but you can't prepare yourself for how special it is when you first get here," he said.
Calling it "the purest sporting event" he had ever experienced, he said the riders competed "for the love of racing" and the film aims to help viewers understand the feeling of freedom experienced by competitors on the mountain course.
The production has seamlessly integrated into the TT paddock, working as part of a dedicated racing team made up of actual competitors.
Caroline said authenticity was central to the project from the outset, with the team determined to accurately portray both the races and the island without disturbing the competitors.
He added that fans should simply continue to behave as normal if they encounter the film crew.
Isle of Man resident Jessica works as an extra on the BBC project.
Among those already appearing in front of the cameras is Isle of Man resident Jessica Newing from Colby, who will spend two weeks in Trinidad and Tobago working as an extra.
She applied after a friend mentioned that producers were looking for extras. Her character is a TV reporter, so she hoped she'd get a chance to "interview" Channing Tatum.
«"It was really exciting," she said, adding that being involved in the race made this year's TTs "a little bit special.".
Alan, a TT fan for 20 years, said it would be easy for him to play the role of a fan in the [BBC] film.
Fellow extra Alan Cooper, from Douglas, said taking part in the event provided a rare opportunity to see both sides of the story.
He said that after many years as a spectator, he was keen to see the behind-the-scenes side of the TT racing.
He said he was also drawn to the film industry by his curiosity, especially since large-scale productions were relatively rare on the island.
He, playing the role of a TT fan, said: "I can play a TT fan quite easily. I've been doing this for 20 years.".
Kenneth said he hoped the film would be beneficial to the island [BBC].
Douglas resident Kenneth Susaya said he signed up after a friend mentioned the opportunity.
He said he thoroughly enjoyed being part of a Hollywood production during the two-week TT festival, as he had never worked as an extra before.
«"This doesn't happen every day," he added.
He said projects like the Isle of Man could have a positive impact on tourism and help raise the island's international profile.
«"I hope this will be good for the island," he added.
Read more reports from Isle of Man on BBC, watch program BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook и X.
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Isle of Man TT Races