Joshua Polley

One of the challenges of the project were the shear volume of army bags, water canteens and weapons needed for battles scene and the marching armies. All weapons (swords, muskets & bayonets) had to be historically accurate as well as stage safe for stunt battles. We fabricated mini mortars, cannon loading tools, telescopes & gilded Napoleonic ceremonial & battle swords.

The replica weapon count and action props for all armies that we fabricated and painted were:
Prussian
-500x muskets
-250x swords
-200x flags
-30x drums

French army
-500x muskets
-250x swords
-200x flags
-30x drums

Russian army
-500x muskets
-250x swords
-200x flags
-30x drums

British army
-500x muskets
-250x swords
-200x flags
-30x drums

Austrian
-500x muskets
-250x swords
- 200x flags
-30x drums

We devised a way for the soldiers to fix their soft bayonets to their soft muskets in action and developed a laser cut carbon fibre sheet armature for our swords to keep them strong, wobble free and thin. Our technics were so successful Baptys (the armoury) have taken our research & development and use them today in their moulding manufacturing

A huge challenge was to supply 18th century hand props. Purchasing these were often out of production budget and when we did find them in antique markets they were often old & decade.
Due to this we had to fabricate our own which included many intricate makes, gold platting and gilding, fine art painting and sewing. We made replica Napoleonic coronation snuff tins, shaving tins, gold plated toothbrushes, fobs, Josephine’s historically accurate personal vanity items and cases. We also manufactured 100 silk and lace parasols and 100 silk, lace and beaded fans. We replicated so many writing quills that we had to go to the Swan rescue foundations and ask for their assistance in supplying the feathers! We also replicated leather “pony express” message bags, treaty folders & diaries all historically accurate and akin to those in museums and books. we also had 500 period correct champagne bottles hand blown. Our fabrication and sourcing team had the challenge of producing an array of props to suit homeless beggars, poor & rich soldiers, French aristocracy and Emperor/Empress fineries. This challenge was amplified by the Production Designer (Arthur Max) & Director (Ridley Scott) keen eye and knowledge of the ear - we had no room for error!!

Logistically this project was super challenging - we had no studio sets or shoots, every part of the UK project was filmed on Location in stately homes all around the UK which are notoriously difficult to dress, shoot and strike due to the restrictions, we dressed and struck and stood by on up to 7 different locations in any one week running 2 units concurrently. Our battle field shoots were shot in freezing snowy & rainy conditions. We had to build, age & dress 2 army camps in each battle location comprising of 250 tents which included Soldier, General, Imperial & Royal tents, there were 4 battles locations in UK alone. Our far away location was Malta which aside from the 40 degree we staged the battle of Toulon where we assembled 20ft ladders for the army to breach the wall, a forge and an Egyptian campaign. Throughout the UK & Maltese locations all battle scenes were shot day & night, the schedule was gruelling


On completion of the show many of our props were so coveted they were bought by prop house to bolster their 18th century stock and will continue to live on in future Film & TV productions!

Despite the challengers of this production my team and I were proud and privileged to be a part of something so epic and magnificent.