Client
NPSA
Fire as a Weapon Behind the Scenes | NPSA
This large scale production involved stunt work, large numbers of extras, a huge crew, CGI and an ungodly amount of GoPro CCTV cameras to man…
Director
Aubrey Reynolds
Producer
Aubrey Reynolds
The Brief
A continuation of our work for the Home Office’s Security Control Room Operators course, this project was commissioned to add a multi-threat, highly complex ‘Fire As A Weapon’ element to the interactive training resource to really push the participants on the last day of the course and fully test all they have learnt.
The client also needed a supporting drama that explored the dilemma of a burning building vs armed attackers, and how the SCR can keep people informed in a frantic, fast paced, ever changing situation, so that they make the correct decision to preserve life.
Our Approach
We designed a “real life” scenario based around an outside plaza with multiple bars and restaurants that come under a multi-threat terrorist attack (including a Fire as a Weapon element).
Trying to find a location that would allow us to set it on fire, and not matter how controlled it was, proved to be very difficult, so instead we went a CG route. Using green screen and clever art department, we created an area of the location that can have the CG fire added to it. Then, after filming our 28 x 20 minute single take CCTV feeds, we rebuilt the location (this involved photomapping and creating a fully 360 photorealistic model) and added the fire and smoke FX using compositing, rotoscoping and 3D modelling.
We also produced 2 x 8 minute dramas that highlight this dilemma: “do you leave a burning building into a possible attack or do you bide your time to avoid the attackers?”
By focusing on the same characters in the same situation, but with one significant change (the SCR making regular announcements) we were able to show how that one action by the SCR can really shape people’s responses and save lives.
Shot across three days, this involved filming multiple scenes at the same time, with slight variations and character action changes, in order to make the two divergent narratives.
