Looking for airsoft/MILSIM players to play soldiers in a student film (London, UK)

[bully78]

I would caution those volunteers that that you would be potentially portraying the British Army as fascists (or eqivilent of Nazis), and that is something I would not be comfortable with. A film portraying prejudice with predjudice; makes me think of left-wing propaganda.

yep had the same thought 

 

[LeemaCZ]

As it happens, the Met have produced guidelines for filming with firearms, including airsoft, which I'm sure the OP is following:

https://www.met.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/f/af/filming/guidelines-for-filming/

I agree that it's a very good idea to comply with their guidelines, but I do take issue with their use of the word "must", which implies a legal obligation.  On recent evidence, if you try and do it on the sly, you're most likely to receive some very grumpy Words of Advice, and be in the market for some new underwear. https://www.islingtongazette.co.uk/news/police-detain-london-screen-academy-students-at-gunpoint-1-6359423

Again for emphasis: I am not recommending that anyone take part in public filming unless the director can show that they've squared it with the feds.

yeah, I am aware of that group of students, there was quite a fuzz about it - but as I said - I am intending to inform the authorities and discuss it with them (local borough film offices and Met Police Film Unit)

as for the sites - thank you for your recommendations but we're not intending to shoot at an airsoft site - the main story resolves around a boy hiding in a house - so we're looking for a house (preferrably with basement or an attic) - the soldiers would come in at the end and try to grab him - I might try to shoot an addition scene for the "News footage" where the soldiers would fight (at an airsoft site) - but not sure about that yet - as far as I know - Bunker51 is an indoor site right? are there any outdoor (forests, fields, hills or fake cities) sides in or near London?

 

[LeemaCZ]

But as for the British government and army, you guys do have a point. I am rewriting the story now in a way that it does not say a specific country it takes place in. As for the military, it was a fictional branch/unit from the start.

I am gonna go for a "Beasts of No Nation" approach (if you've seen the film, it takes place in an unnamed fictional African country with fictional factions).

 

[Tommikka]

.....are there any outdoor (forests, fields, hills or fake cities) sides in or near London?

Quite a few, for example Campaign at Cobham off the M25

They have had film and TV work on their site for many years, it was the venue for Mission Paintball back in the day, and we were there for a day providing equipment for movie myth sequences in “How to survive a disaster movie” 

I was able to make it on screen for a segment outside the original building used in Mission Paintball

 

[LeemaCZ]

3 hours ago, Tommikka said:

Quite a few, for example Campaign at Cobham off the M25

They have had film and TV work on their site for many years, it was the venue for Mission Paintball back in the day, and we were there for a day providing equipment for movie myth sequences in “How to survive a disaster movie” 

I was able to make it on screen for a segment outside the original building used in Mission Paintball

Thank you! I will definitely think about that one.

But in case it works out, would they be ok with airsoft guys running around instead of paintballers?

 

[Tommikka]

Thank you! I will definitely think about that one.

But in case it works out, would they be ok with airsoft guys running around instead of paintballers?

I don’t think they run airsoft, but business is business.  They run multiple activities and have film use listed 

https://campaign-paintball.com/film-location-hire/

 

[Macv276]

Sounds like an interesting project. I'd be up for it, providing the concerns above were addressed, especially representing the Army as fascists ect. I get your '1984' style thing, but maybe get your soldiers wearing black kit or something. Also, I don't want to end up looking down the wrong end of a Met AFO's G36! 

Like I say, if everything is legally sound and the we'll just be a stateless representation of generic soldiers, I'm in.