Emmerdale director reveals harrowing Tom and Belle abuse scene secrets
An Emmerdale director has given an insight into the filming of a harrowing Belle and Tom scene
Emmerdale director Aashish Gadhvi has revealed how they shot a harrowing scene in Tom King (James Chase) and Belle Dingle’s (Eden Taylor-Draper) abuse storyline in an insightful social media post.
Taking to Instagram, Aashish shared a clip from a recent episode of the ITV soap, which saw Belle hiding in the bathroom after being violently attacked by husband Tom.
Alongside the powerful scene, he shared his ‘director’s notes’, which revealed exactly how they achieved the ‘perfect execution of performance, camera movement, lighting and sound’.
‘The camera movements were heavily influenced by Alfonso Cuaron’s Roma, in which extreme situations are filmed with a slow moving camera and unbroken takes,’ Aashish explained.
An Emmerdale director has given an insight into the filming of a harrowing Belle and Tom scene
‘This for us, worked to create a sense of claustrophobia as we wanted the audience to be right in there with Belle.’
He went on to explain how the ‘beautiful lighting’ juxtaposed the ‘harrowing vision’, before praising the performances of both Eden Taylor-Draper and James Chase.
‘The scene is brought together by a powerhouse performances from Eden Taylor-Draper. Equally as important is James Chase who we don’t see in this scene, but only hear. This sound wasn’t added in post, he was actually behind the door banging on it, to create that sense of realism that we were trying to attain.’
Tom’s abuse of Belle has been ongoing for several months, with harrowing scenes showing the vet asserting his control over poor Belle.
Tom first lashed out at Belle last year after she declined his marriage proposal.
The pair went on to get married after Belle proposed to Tom, and Tom’s worrying behaviour has since continued.
Viewers have seen him place cameras in their home in order to keep tabs on Belle’s movements, as well as criticising her family and outfit choices and pressuring her into having a baby.
Last week, Tom punched Belle in the stomach during a row, which left her completely traumatised.
In more recent scenes, Tom has begun to spread the narrative to the other villagers that Belle is the problem, while continuing his gaslighting and manipulation of her.
When Tom made cruel comments about Lisa Dingle on the anniversary of her death, Belle lashed out at him. Will the residents believe Tom’s narratives, or see him for who he really is?
