Filming a Feast | Stirling Castle
Recreating life in a medieval castle authentically on film – without a single line of dialogue- was one of the most ambitious projects we’ve taken on at Chocolate Films Glasgow.
The Dark Ages
Since the early days of film, we’ve been fascinated with the medieval period- a dim period of arcane practices and legendary characters which seems so barbaric to our modern sensibilities. The brief we received from Stirling Castle was to strip away some of the cliches that usually accompany cinematic depictions of the medieval age, and work with historians and their expert staff to make the idea of a medieval kitchen more realistic and relatable.
Stirling Castle receives over half a million visitors per year, with many of them being international tourists- so we decided to keep the film completely dialogue free, utilising body language, camera movement and a host of visual storytelling techniques to create a dramatic reconstruction of the Kitchens without words.
Jousting the Creative
We handled the creative and script-writing completely in-house, working closely with historians from Stirling Castle and Historic Scotland. Together, we made sure no myths or common falsehoods about the medieval period were being perpetuated by the film, and that every detail was considered for its historical accuracy.
Extensive research was conducted to source authentic costumes and props, as well as several site visits to plan out the action of the film and identify the best locations within the castle to shoot in.
The film had to appeal to a broad audience, from school trips and families to keen historians who might analyse every frame. Finding the right balance between education and entertainment was crucial.
Lensing the Medieval World
The shoot was scheduled on what ended up being the coldest day of the year. Our wonderful cast was suited up in period-accurate regalia, and we battled the cold to set up some of the most elaborate lighting setups we’ve ever done, to fill the dark and sometimes semi-subterranean castle rooms with realistic sun beams and bounced soft light.
The Stirling Castle team were on hand to help with costuming, props and even standing in as extras- every object used as a prop was vetted for its historical accuracy, down to the type of bread eaten by the Queen!
It was important in such an iconic historical location to be sensitive to the special needs of the site, using eco-friendly LED lighting and simulating a fake fireplace to avoid any risk of damage to the castle. Generators got us round the limited power options on site.
Historical Film Experts
The film has now been installed in the antechamber to the Stirling Castle kitchens, set for millions of viewers to enjoy over the years. It joins the large number of films we’ve made which are installed in museums and galleries all over the UK and beyond.
Chocolate films have produced many films for use in Museums which deal with the tricky art of bringing history to life visually, to supplement a museum exhibit or gallery exhibition.
Our Installation for Biggin Hill Museum painted a vivid image of WWII RAF pilots’ lives, and we created a practical guide to Victorian cooking methods for Kew Palace.
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