Since starting my journey in the film industry, 2014. I never thought I would end up working on such a production as Gladiator 2. The sets were the biggest the team or I had ever worked on.
Every day walking on set in Malta and looking at the Colosseum getter larger as we walked towards it, was an unforgettable experience, and to be able to hold a bootcamp in the Colosseum is never going to be beaten.
A big thanks to my “amazing” team who throughout this production conducted :
– Training & Delivery of more than 10 military style bootcamps in 3 countries & 2 continents with multinational military & civilian supporting artists in extreme conditions.
– Working at an extremely fast pace with excellent professionals both in front and behind the camera.
– Organising, managing & sharing our own humility, humour, experiences & professionalism throughout.
From Morocco to Malta then to finish in the UK, over an 8 month period of time this had it all, Blood, sweat & tears, hard work, passion and desire to get the job done.
A special thanks to Sir Ridley Scott for trusting me to deliver the goods.
“Strength & honour”
Camp Morocco.
Team flew to Ouarazate in Morocco working at Altas Studios Which is considered to be the larges studios in the world.
The Moroccan Armed forces provided the bulk of the Supporting artists. The team first go to work selecting the right people for the job by running our famous team PB bootcamp selection test days. Its quite simple. To earn a place on our bootcamp you need to demonstrate you have the right metal attitude and physical dexterity to work on a large scale production. If one man out of 500 can not keep up with the pack during a shoot, the whole shot can be ruined.
Once The selection is done we start with basic marching, Formations and tactics required for the scenes. In total 500 Supporting artists are trained. With all bootcamps overseas there will be language and culteral considerations. April is one of the driest months with tempatures ranging from 75 to 95 fahrenheit, dust storms in the afternoon and the majory of the supporting artists nearing the end of Ramadan 12th March to 10th April.
Week one 250 men split into three Company Groups.
Week 2 another 250 men.
Week three the best 300 with advance training in archery and artilery.
JOB DONE ON PHASE ONE.
Camp Malta.
The team then travelled to Malta.
To do it all again hundres of supporting artists put through their paces in order to get them match fit and ready for Ridley.
The AD Team with James looking a tad stressed at the start of Malta.
The Circle of Death.
Mission. Select and train supporting artists in the role of Praetorian guards. They’re to March out of the shadows and form a circle within the arena without any markers.
This was an important scene, and one Ridley wanted to get right in as little time as possible.
With 12 cameras watching, there was no room for mistakes.
Here’s the problem. The Colosseum is not a perfect circle. It is more an oval shape, and only 3/4 of the structure was built.
The SAs needed to make sure they did not overstep and potentially overtake the main cast Paul Mescal, who would walk out to take his place in the arena. This meant paul would also need to make sure his pace was fast enough so as not to hold the SAs up for the scene to work.
Solution. Tallest guys at the furthest end. The Shortest at the Shortest section.
We started the training using sports markers, which we paced out to make an exact circle with the centre at the spot where the carriage would land.
Over time, we reduced the markers until each SA knew his mark without the need for them.
Each would count 12 paces on the left foot. With the shortest guys marking time for the first four paces before moving forward.
That way, everyone would meet in the circle at the same time. If you watch carefully, you will notice the pause in them moving forward.
The plan worked, and Ridley got his shot first time round, and the team got the Ridley thumbs up. (They don’t get dished out likely)
Then the writers and actors strikes it us, so the production went into Hiatus for a few months with a movie only half way filmed.
Once back up and running. More bootcamps for the new and to remind the old guard.
THE PEGASUS CONNECTION.
One of the perks of the job is to get something in from my old regiment inseted into a scene. Not always possible mainly due to copyright clearances of cap badges, and for Gladiator being set a few years before the birth of the Parachute Regiment, quite a feat, but managed it for Gladiator 2.
After some research I managed to find out the Third Augustan Legion in North Africa, used the Pegasus as their standard. So I convinced props and Ridley to use it for the opening battle, it stayed as the main standard through the movie.
Although slightly different from the Roman version The Pegasus was Introduced during the Second World War and recognised as a symbol of British Airborne Forces for many years.
I manaaged to get it in the The Day of the Jackal, but thats for another blog post.
Two former members of the Parachute Regiment and friends’ who live in Malta, Phil and Dave.
our final bootcamp
Camp Uk.
Then out of the blue a call to shot some additional footage in the UK in a location near Brighton beach. First Training hundres more Supporting artists at Shepperton Studios was required to get them match fit.
Job done.
link to a hint of future WORK
