BBC Vigil: A deep dive into the murder drama from the producers of Line of Duty

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It’s the TV drama that took hold of the nation during the bank holiday.

Starring Suranne Jones and Martin Compston, BBC 1’s Vigil comes from producers of Line of Duty and written by Tom Edge who also wrote parts of The Crown.

The story revolves around Chief Detective Inspector Amy Silva (Jones), who is tasked with investigating the death of a crew member whose body was found in a nuclear submarine Trident.

Although initially written off as an accidental overdose, Amy suspects foul game and sits aboard the stifling ship to begin her investigation.

Here we reveal the secrets of making the long-awaited thriller.

Suranne Jones plays Amy Silva in Vigil (

picture:

BBC / World Productions) Research

While Suranne says she didn’t do much research into the lives of submariners because she wanted to find out about her character over the course of the series, she spoke to a whistleblower. “The first thing is [the detective] Kahn said, “Will that happen?” Soran remembers.

“First thing, it’s drama and she said ‘We’re going to have a team’ and I said ‘I know that’s the point, she won’t have a team.'” And she went ‘Oh my God, she had to do everything herself.’

Shawn Evans as Glover in Vigil (

picture:

BBC / World Productions)

Sean Evans, who plays HMS Vigil coxswain Elliot Glover, went to the Royal Navy who put him in contact with some submarines.

“I spent a lot of time chatting with them, to find out what their jobs entailed and what was required,” Shaun says.

“The subs I talked to were just really interesting and interesting guys, and by talking to them I got a sense of the camaraderie between them, and what it must be like to do the work.

“You can miss a lot when you are away at sea – your children are born, loved ones die, major life events. The job they do is not taken seriously.”

Martin Compston’s quaint Las Vegas home, his infant son, and his wife in the line of duty came out as spectators discover a ‘copied’ duty line scene after a shocking death.

picture:

BBC / World Productions)

Soran says of Amy: “She’s a brilliantly complex character, thrown into a very fraught situation as her power wanes.

“I think what the team tried to do is really modern. We have a true, old-fashioned story of the boys in the fact that it’s going on a submarine and it’s a police investigation. And they put a couple of leads [Rose Leslie plays DS Kirsten Longacre, below left] At its core, which I think is cool and refreshing.”

Vigil, a recent talk, covers topics such as mental health. Suranne drew on her own experiences in therapy for 18 years while playing the character.

“I myself had anxiety and depression, and I was on medication, so my life research was enough for that,” she says.

“I’m glad we’re covering it the way we are, and putting it on a major show that covers it in entertainment.”

The Submarine The BBC’s submarine-based murder drama proved to be very popular (

picture:

BBC / World Productions)

The Royal Navy’s ballistic missile submarines are part of the UK’s controversial Trident programme.

Armed with nuclear weapons, they act as a deterrent. Vigil’s designers were not allowed to work from real submarine blueprints because the documents are top secret.

Instead, the team was talked to about what it would look like by experts and came up with their designs based on that.

According to designer Tom Sayer, the team used “a kilometer of pipe of various diameters, enough gray paint to fill the pool, 600 yards of aluminum tape, 50 yards of staircases and ladders, and 100 square yards of metal mesh pavers” to make the impressive set.

“There was a lot to build,” explained lead manager James Strong of the 490-foot Vanguard replica.

“We had to create an area big enough to contain the movement and be big enough to work in it while still retaining all the claustrophobia of a real submarine. It felt totally real.”

The staff agree that the submarine felt real. “As an actor, it’s a great help when the sets are really good,” Martin says. “You really feel claustrophobic and how close it is to a submarine.”

On set, a former submarine advised the cast of practical items, such as where they should stand to ensure accuracy.

Amazing Stunts Stunts were a big job (

picture:

BBC / World Productions)

Vigil includes several death-defying stunts, including a scene in the first episode where Amy falls from a helicopter.

Director James says this was one of the most “complex” scenes he’s ever had to shoot.

“We had to film a boat sinking in the middle of the North Sea and then Amy’s helicopter on a moving submarine 200 miles off the Scottish coast,” he explains.

“It took months and months of planning, breaking it down shot by shot and figuring out how each frame should work, using all the different cinematic tools, tools and techniques available. I am really happy with the end results.”

But while Soran initially thought the stunts sounded “amazing,” she admits there was plenty of practice involved.

She says, “I’ve always shied away from shows that are all-out thrillers, but the script made me hang out in helicopters and do all the stunts, and I thought, ‘Yeah, I’ll do that.'”

Technology was also used. “She has some great shots, with the technology we have now for FX,” Suranne adds. “It’s amazing – some of the scenes, when we filmed them didn’t look like the final product. I was hung over a parking lot on a rope at one point, but it looks completely different and much better on the show.”

Photography and websites

The vigil was first announced in January 2020 – but the coronavirus pandemic has put it on hold. Filming took place in Scotland in August and September last year, with restrictions.

While the purpose-built submarine was located off the west coast of Scotland, some scenes were filmed in Glasgow.

Highlights include the Squinty Bridge, a road bridge that spans the River Clyde, Blythswood Square in the city center and the city’s western end near the Kelvin River.

Rural scenes were filmed on Cumbrae Island, in the Firth of Clyde off the Largs coast, and at Hunterson on the mainland.

Martin Compston says the location is one of the reasons he took on the role of Craig Burke, saying, “The fact that Vigil was filmed about 30 minutes from where I grew up in Greenock – that was really appealing.”

Red Herring Glover (Shawn Evans), Craig Burke (Martin Compston), Prentice (Adam James), Newsom (Patterson Joseph) (

picture:

BBC / World Productions)

Burke’s character, Martin Compston, was killed within the first ten minutes of the first episode. Martin, who plays Steve Arnott in Line of Duty, is a favorite with viewers as there have been complaints about his small role.

However, Martin says he knew the part didn’t last long. “I was having dinner with Simon Heath, Vigil’s executive producer,” Martin says. Suddenly he mentioned this wonderful part of a red herring, and he said to me, ‘Would you like to do that? “.

“When Simon told me the cast was really on board and the idea behind Vigil, it all really appealed to me and I think I said yes there and then. Suranne Jones alone is someone I’ve always wanted to work with.”

* Next episode Sunday BBC1 at 9 pm.

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