“Crispin turned my actors into soldiers, which was invaluable for the plausibility of the production.
His period knowledge is excellent.” - Kenneth Brannagh

Adviser: Dunkirk scene 'Atonement' watch: http://www.steadishots.org/shots_detail.cfm?shotID=298
Adviser: 'The Magic Flute' watch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEEL-G9dcJU




My name is Crispin Swayne. I am a military historical consultant to the TV and film industry.
From script, through shooting, to project completion, I provide:
- military historical advice from many periods, including contemporary.
- 24/7 phone advice available to writers, producers, directors, art dept and all necessary crew.
- AD coaching and on-set advice on military protocols, weapons and tactics advice, crowd wrangling, marching, contextual behaviour and dress to pricipals and/or background.
Credits include: - Film: 'Dracula Untold', 'Atonement', 'The Golden Age', 'The Magic Flute', 'Children of Men', 'The Da Vinci Code', 'Batman Returns', 'V for Vendetta', 'Shawn of the Dead', 'Shanghai Knights'.
TV: 'Generals at War' (National Geographic 2009),'The Amazing Mrs Pritchard'(BBC), 'People’s War'(BBC), 'Spartacus'(National Geographic), 'Greatest Military Clashes'(5, Discovery), 'Great Battles'(I&II, Discovery).
Radio: 'Where in the World'(x3 with John Simpson, BBCR4).
Print: To read my recent article on military advising published in History Today, see below.
To the right is an article I recently had published in History Today. The articles to the left are selected in order to be a resource and catalyst for creative discussions concerning military history and contemporary military activities, with certain text leading to links. The live news feed is intended to stimulate this process. Please add comments or recommend further links as you see fit. Thanks!

Thursday 8 November 2007

Para Trouble

Paras in Sngin

They're at it again! Will we never learn?
If you want a war, send in the Para's.
We all hope not to be in the kind of bar fight where you have to take the lead off your bull terrior. Once you've slipped 'Rocky' off the chain, before vanishing in the opposite direction, you hope your victim's relatives don't know your home address.
Trouble is, since 1969 and arguably before, the British Government has been slipping 'Rocky' off the leash with disaterous consequences. Northern Ireland, Iraq, Afghanistan. What do these places have in common? The trouble got worse after the Para's came to town.
And now we see three regular Para regiments are getting ready for the Spring Offensive in Afghanistan in '08. Sure, we can rely on these boys to kick arse, but, in these days of 'hearts and minds', without proper reconstruction of the society we are trying to 'improve', the aggresive ripple we throw out there will come bouncing right back to our own front door. Knowing what 'Rocky's' like, what is the Government playing at?

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