My sand pit...
Firstly I have to say just how enormous the scope of this was. The beach sequence in the movie is just a few minutes, but we were their for 3 days doing 'that' shot, and other bits and pieces, and with 1,000 extras all dressed exactly the same it becomes a fight to just get noticed by each other, let alone the crew. Thankfully they had given us groups... I was Blue group, which was the featured group. We went to the front of every shot, and were basically 'featured soldiers'.
First up was green screen, in which we did different poses and movements in small groups which they could duplicate... but I don't think this was used anywhere. We had to stand around smoking Herbal cigarettes and try and look cool, which did not work in my case. My clearest memory is throwing a match down to try and raise those coolness levels, only to be told "Don't throw matches on the green screen!"
That day we also filmed the shot where Robbie sees the beach for the first time, and Blue group was once again thrust right to the front, at the water's edge. They did some close ups from here, and I was sandwiched between two twins. I thought "Awesome! When I watch the movie I'll be the one in between! I'll lean forward a little just to emphasise my position..." But no. That was cut too.
The next day we did 'that' shot. The whole morning was pretty much dedicated to Blue group. We walked around with a couple of the 1st ADs, and Art Directors and they placed us, one by one, into our positions on the beach. At this point I could see that this was going to be pretty special, so I hung back in the group, waiting patiently for what I knew would be a brilliant position. I waited for a while, then tried to get on the boat... I didn't get on (a bit gutted). Then came a request for drunk soldiers on the merry go round, but it was vintage and you had to be a certain weight... which I wasn't (I was more gutted). Then we were asked if we would go naked, get covered in oil and then run through the action for a little extra money... no.
Then came the sand pit, I got a front row seat on the ground watching the point where James McAvoy pauses for a moment. A nice position, and I got paid to lie on the beach all day. Awesome! Turned out to be a good place to be. In the movie you can see me as James McAvoy turns around to survey the beach. As he looks around I take off my helmet and ruffle my hair a little... after having my scenes cut as an extra on many occasions this was very special, and so amazing to see on the big screen!
The next day we we were in a cinema, and this is where it got a little crazy... We were shooting a scene that didn't make the final cut. In the scene an RAF officer is being beaten up, and the soldiers in the cinema want to tear him to pieces because the RAF aren't flying them out, and they don't understand why. Robbie intervenes, with his two friends, and carries the officer out to save him from a lynching. I was sat in the front few rows and basically we had to shout for his blood, and lynch forward to try and get the officer. Doesn't sound like much, but It was intense. Whilst I, and the few others from the first few rows, were climbing over seats (and each other!) to get to the officer, there were wood backed seat cushions being thrown down at us, and when you get hit by a projectile cinema seat from behind it hurts... a lot.
With about 200 random men dressed as soldiers all baying for one man's blood and charging forward constantly it was quite a shocking sight. It was very, very real, and therefore very easy to get hurt. I must have crunched a certain... delicate area... quite a few times climbing over the seats, but the adrenaline of charging forward just masks all the pain, and it is such an exhilarating thing to take part in. Its like getting to have a fight with about a hundred other people, but knowing that you won't get hurt too badly, and you're guaranteed to win!
The scene ends with a small group of us soldiers charging at the door as Robbie takes the officer out, and we are all shouting for blood, and cheering on what we think will be the ultimate beating. This was quite an experience too, allowing me to shout some choice swear words at the boom mic... but with an RAF twist. I won't say what they were, but I was very pleased with myself.
All in all the experience was amazing. Working 15 hour days, sharing a two man between three burly men, eating tinned spaghetti (and throwing it back up again), and getting paid just £50 a day... but I would happily have paid them for the experience.
Those few days I felt like I'd lost my identity, I was no longer Dave Conway, I was just 'Soldier', lost amongst an army of similarly faceless people all with the same experience, and the feeling that we were all a little bit closer to history...
My national service
