After our involvement in season 2 team PB were asked to help out with season Three. This season was to have some major battles to plan and train large numbers of supporting artists during prep.
Bootcamps.
The Battle of Gullett.
Throne Room.
Prep for battle.
Early in prep our team helped form the tactics and formations employed to for the final battle. With the Winter Wolves leading the assult to breach the walls and gates.
Archers to provide the WW with close fire support to keep the enemies heads down, cavalry and infantry to advance behind and follow up once the signal of a breach is given along with Close Air support provided by dragons.
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.
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.
Thank you to all the Supporting artist for your hard work and commitment.
Team PB have more opportunities for the right people. (Open to Ex Armed Forces based in the UK only)
As more productions start gearing up this year, more quality Military Technical Advisers are required on the team.
Team PB does not take anyone, and you will need to read a simple set of instructions before applying.
Most importantly, you must have worked on set as a supporting artist on at least three features and three TV productions. Six jobs in total. A list of some of the main extra agencies to join are at the bottom of this page.
Open to former members of HM forces only. (Proof of service required).
1. Must have good availability and can react to fastball call outs.
2. Willing to travel worldwide and for prolonged periods. Some overseas productions can last from eight weeks to six months.
3. Physically fit, no pie eaters, dodgy knees, or bungiee backs. If you can’t run with the pack and do the same, you’re asking cast or an SA to do. you’re not fit for task.
4. The ability to communicate at all levels and be respectful to others. The firm but fair approach.
5. Good work ethics. Trust and respect towards the production crew and the company providing you work opportunities.
6. The ability to read simple instructions and act on them without supervision, but also the ability to work unaided.
7. DBS check required.
8. Must understand the difference between making a documentary and drama.
Cast and supporting artists training in surveillance and weapons and tactics.
Selection and training supporting artists in Estonia.
The team flew out to Tallin, Estonia, to conduct the selection and training of the Estonian impressive supporting artists and to advise on the action scenes.
Uk shoot.
For the UK shoot, we travelled down to sunny Hankley Common in Surrey. First, the team selected veterans who Team PB had previously trained to fill the roles of the US Delta Force rescue team.
A few BTS photos and videos from Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny preparation. Team PB was approached to provide bootcamps for the opening WW2 scenes and Roman Army scenes.
At the time, Covid 19 protocols were still in force.
A few behind the scenes pictures of the boot camp and filming of season 2 House of the Dragon.
Like all productions, Team PB works on, and whatever your opinions of the finished product are. It does not take away the hard work and dedication tje cast and crew put into these shows.
A big thanks to all the supporting artists who worked hard for us during the boot camps and filming.
Bootcamp.
Filming.
Hit the link for more information on up and coming productions.
So, I thought I would delve deeper into the subject if only to help settle the blood pressures of our armed forces community and help the costume department as a point of reference for the future.
Firstly, the recipe on how to shape a beret.
1. Take the beret and stick it on your head first, to make sure it’s the correct size, ensuring the bow is central to the back of your head, and Pull the access cloth to the right and see how far the beret pulls towards your right ear. It should not cover the right ear.
Ensuring the brim sits straight across your forehead, 2.5 cm above the eyebrows
It’s not always easy for some.
2. Adjust the bow, so the beret is not too loose, but equally not too tight around your head as it’s going to shrink a little after point 4.
3. Fill two bowls, one with warm/hot water and one with cold water
4. Dunk the beret in warm water first, but do not completely submerge. Keep the leather band from getting wet as much as possible by holding the beret by the inner liner when dunked. Once satisfied, the outer is completely wet, take out, and gently wring the beret to get rid of any excessive water.
Don’t overdo it with the wring, or you might stretch the fabric too much.
5. Repeat the same process with the cold water.
6. Fit the damp beret on the head, ensuring you fit it as in point 1. Adjust the bow at the back again to the desired size. Place your cap badge over the left eye just above the leather band. Get a mate to lightly mark where the badge holes need to be made.
7. Take it off, then place small holes with a knife where the marks were made. Most badges come with a backing to help hold the badge up straight.
8. Once the badge and backing are fitted, replace on the head as in point 1.
9. While holding by the cap badge backing, pull the beret cloth to the right and down towards your right ear, ensuring you dont pull down so hard, you end up stretching the cloth over your right ear and shoulder.
At the same time, smoothly shape the left side over and style around the cap badge to your desired style.
10. Once satisfied, keep on your head for a few hours if possible, adjusting every now and again. This will help mould the beret in place. If still not satisfied, repeat steps 4 and 5, but with the badge in place. Don’t pull down at the back if it feels uncomfortable, or you will get this.
11. Once dry and happy, cut away any access bow and tuck away inside the leather band. Some units like to sow a beret backing over the band entrance to ensure no lose ends fall out.
12. The final touch is to gently shave the beret of any fluff.
The style of the beret can depend on several factors, mainly the country and unit represented and time period depicted, so the way in which the beret is shaped and worn varies.
what might be the norm now might not have been the same in the 1940s!
Other nations styles
United States.
Spanish army.
French Tarte Chasseur.
All those steps are easy to follow if you have the time, but now, for the realities of filmmaking.
Costume departments are always up against it with longer working hours than most on set. Cast, Stunts, and Supporting Artists all need to be dressed ready for an 0800 call time. So with 500 people to get ready, you can imagine their workload.
It’s understandable if beret shaping is the last thing on their mind when a director wants to shart shooting at 0800, not 0801.
Whether I identify scenes where berets are worn during the script notes phase or on the shoot. I will always try to flag it up and offer to help the costume department where I can in advance, but you need to offer help, not rush in, and do it without asking. Set etiquette. Very important.
At times, costume suppliers will send the berets, brand new with even the plastic inside a few days before a shoot and will stipulate the berets have to be returned as new or the productions get charged the full price. Not always the case, but I have witnessed it a few times.
If the budget is tight, it causes problems as the costume department will be reluctant to allow the berets to be shaped correctly, worried it could affect the suppliers’ returns policy.
It’s not the costume departments fault, of course, as most would not know how or why there is a need to shape military Berets or how it won’t really affect the return policy.
As long as the productions hired a military costume specialist or advisor, that is!
However, on rare occasions I have had time with the costume department in advance and managed to convince them to allow me to take the berets out for a few days before a shoot and shape them to the respective heads during a boot camp.
On other occasions, we have simply not had the luxury of time, and the berets have turned up on the day of the shoot. The Gentleman is a prime example of all departments working together under limited time constraints.
While on location in Turkey filming The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare a new scene had been written depicting a UN monitoring team from the British Army.
A platoon commander and his platoon Sgt moving between VCPs when the main character gets an unexpected call.
It was the opening scene to the series, and first impressions last, so the main cast member Theo James needed to look the part as much as the production would allow as with the rest of the soldiers on set.
Making something work with only a few days to order gear and get it either flown over or found locally was not an easy task to as much right in the time given, and considering we were already working flat out on the movie in the same location, the team did not do a bad job.
For example, finding the correct weapons and vehicles in turkey as the export times for licenses to fly from the UK can take weeks.
MTP uniforms, boots, webbing, berets, correct rank, and beret badges all needed to be flown over once costume was satisfied with my suggestions.
On the day of the shoot, the berets had just arrived via a flight the following night.
All the berets were brand new and of various sizes.
I received the Supporting Artists and Berets, including the main cast, 20 minutes before the shoot.
All the badges were the same standard UN badge, but there were no officer versions, so there was nothing we could do about that.
There were no badge backings, so I made one out of stiff cardboard and showed a costume assistant how to make the rest up quickly.
Luckily, the costume designer had the hot and cold water to shrink and shape the berets as best I could in the time given.
Each man was lined up as I went through the various sizes to match each head, including the main cast.
Then, I began the shaping process as described above but left out sowing a bow backing and shaving them.
But job done and on the van to set
The hard part is encouraging the actors to not pull the back of the beret down throughout the day. Something I needed to closely monitor and correct after each take.
There was a lot more to do, and make do, with what was supplied on the day, but this blog is about berets.
Some things you just have to get on with and do your best, and there will always be the armchair nit picker desperate to impress on social media. It’s just one of life’s mysteries.
So there you have it. Employ a military advisor or military costume specialist and avoid the most hated debate amongst the veterans community, because as much as some people think it doesn’t matter, it will when a lack of planning and thought makes the headlines for all the wrong reasons, which can ruin all the hard work making drama only remembered for one thing.
Firstly, a big thank you to all the hard work and resilience of the supporting artists who helped make this movie.
My job is to train mass numbers in the basics of drills and tactics of the projects target period in the shortest time possible in a safe and controlled environment.
Everyone is required to go through a rigorous assessment to ensure everyone is fit and healthy.
Prior preparation and training before a shoot ensures everyone knows their role in the bigger picture on the day.
More photos will be posted in due course.
We can advise, not dictate.
Historical advisors are on hand to advise on the history of the project.
Military advisors are on hand to assist the director in forming the supporting artists to the desired look of his direction.
Advisers can only advise. We cannot insist as its not our train set.
