MovieChat Forums > Robin Hood (1991) Discussion > I was an extra in this movie

I was an extra in this movie

posted 17 years ago by Vidson
18 replies | jump to latest

Filmed at Peckforton Castle in Cheshire, north west England in the middle of a bitter winter. Stood round for ages while Edward Fox geared himself up to sit on a horse (he's apparently petrified of them). Some banter with Owen Wilson about that advert he was in where the milk float tips over. The fires you see in the film are all powered by propane canisters so never really got warm.
Walked away from the film with most of my costumes, they just don't check.
Met Uma Thurman, face to face, stupidly, didn't at least try to chat her up (I guess she was with Gary Oldman at the time, so I wouldn't have had much luck).
I remember the food was excellent which they provided for us, especially the apple crumble.
Anyone else who was on the movie, say hi.

You go inside the cage?
Cage goes in the water, you go in the water. Shark's in the water

[–] 17 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Vidson 17 years ago

Ha ha. :o) No, unfortunately, my stardom will have to wait until the next big thing comes along.

You go inside the cage?
Cage goes in the water, you go in the water. Shark's in the water

[–] Knalle_83 17 years ago

Ohh wow an extra. So what?? Hollywood next for you i guess.

[–] Vidson 17 years ago

No need for sarcasm. I was telling people a little bit about the film for amusement sakes. I'm not exactly fishing for roles.

You go inside the cage?
Cage goes in the water, you go in the water. Shark's in the water

[–] elizabeth_249 17 years ago

Knalle_83, you didn't need to be rude. He was just telling us about his experience on the set, which some people find interesting.

[–] gigasloth 17 years ago

Gah I would have killed for that wardrobe! I like to hear little bits and pieces about the movies I love, it's even cooler when the facts are from the eyes of someone not being paid thousands upon thousands of dollars.
Kudos Vidson.

[–] 17 years ago

[deleted]

[–] RedWheelbarrow 17 years ago

Vidson, thanks for this! Interesting stuff! Tell us more stories, submit some trivia stuff to IMDB! I'm quite envious; I've ALWAYS wanted to be in a costume flick, and "Robin Hood" would've been great, as I love the story and I do like this movie.

[–] andycoopr 17 years ago

Hi Vidson!

I was an Extra in the movie too for pretty much the same scene.
unfortunatly I think it was the day before as none of the stars were there :O(

We arrived like you said one very cold but clear winters morning and started filming pretty much at sun up (Around 7:30-8:00am).

It's cool to see someone else talkin about the same experiance I had.
It was well worth the long day in the cold, it was great fun. Even though
when I finaly saw the scene I am in, its a blink and you miss me!

I'm right in the background of the castle big fight scene for about two seconds and mainly a small silhouette runing into the stables.

My part being that of a peasant. I was told to look as though I were
making a purchase from a stall holder. Then on hearing the revolt starting
behind me turn around run through the stables and head for the main doors into the castle
(This is the end scene where Robin comes to rescue Marion and everyone attacks the soldiers).

The scene even though it only lasted around 30 seconds was reset time and time again over many takes, mainly for differant camera angles.
We had to remember the route we took and repeat the same route running to the doors every take.

The Flames coming from the burning stable roof tops like Vidson is talking about were done (From what I can remember) by gas pipes
cleverly set between the straw roof so nothin caught fire.

As for the Costume I'm gutted! I didnt even think about walking off at the time with the costume but your right they didnt seem to be anyone
watching to closely. Wish I had thought about it now, Oh well :O)

The food was great as Vidson says it was a long day we filmed until it started to go dark. I could have had a chance to go back again
but wasnt able too (can't remember why now).

It was By far a better film than the OTHER ONE! released at the same time. ;o) And no I'm not being even a little biased.
But at least it did get released on to DVD eventualy.

Nice to hear about your Day as an extra Vidson :O) A trip down memory
lane for me :O)

Andy

[–] Vidson 17 years ago

The scenes I took part in were the dye shop, were the sherrif gets soaked (this took ages to shoot and must've been done about 15 times!). The hanging scene, with the two small boys on the gibbet round the back of the castle (I seem to remeber this was one of the only sunny days), a scene at the front of the castle when I think Robin and John enter. I was on the roof being a stonemason. Finally, the scene at the end when the procession enters the castle gates on Mayday. i was annoyed as my big cheesy grinning face is palinly visible as I sat atop a mound of earth and the procession goes past me in the cinema version and then on the subsequent video/TV edit i'm nowhere to be seen. Als, I ended up on the cutting room floor.
I have a vague feeling Andy, that i knew a guy called Andy on the set, who had an enormous black beard attached. I can't remember if it was yours or make up.
I have some pictures which i'll scan and put on myspace. Check back here soon and I'll put myspace address on with a link to the pics.

You go inside the cage?
Cage goes in the water, you go in the water. Shark's in the water

[–] andycoopr 17 years ago

Noooo! definatly not me then with the black beard.

I remember them saying to us about a week before filming not to shave if we didnt mind, must have wanted the rough peasant look.
Thing is I'm not a particuly hairy person and dont think I had enough facial hair for their liking so they painted some extra stubble on me! lol

I'll have to watch the DVD again now to see if I can spot you! :O)

[–] Vidson 17 years ago

Actually, his name was Paul. It dawned on me after i'd posted. I'll put a link to the photos I've got on here soon though. Keep watching...

You go inside the cage?
Cage goes in the water, you go in the water. Shark's in the water

[–] trilateral_insignia 16 years ago

LOL.

I must ask you this, how do you go about becoming an extra ?

I have always wanted to be a screenwriter or an actor but have only ever been in my primary school play (about 8 years ago).

I originally found you (not intentionally) in the ricky gervais forum where you were saying he wasn't funny. I was going to reply to it but decided to find out what other posts you made and came across this.

So could you tell me, have you been in many plays or what? Or was it a spur of the moment thing with Robin Hood ?

You snooze you lose. To the Jews !

[–] parrotdice1 16 years ago

I thought that was a cool story.

We are the People, Our Parents Warned Us About

[–] eyeofmaul 16 years ago

I was also an extra in this film, I was on set for about three months, I started of as an extra )after seeing an ad in a job centre window for 'people with long hair and martial arts training), then after a month or so of running past the camera, or up and down stairs! they had a big 'casting call' for extras who could fight, nick hobbs and martin grace would show a sequence of moves, then we would copy them, gradually they had got rid of enough people so that only four of us were left, myself, a marine, and two guys who worked at 'camelot', we were then sent to spend the rest of our time on the shoot, working with nick hobbs doing the sword fights. the marine had to leave the shoot, and one of the other guys was asked to work with the horses, as not many of the stunt guys were trained riders, which left the two of us, we can be seen in the film in several sword fights, each time wearing different outfits.
my college let me have the time off to be on set as long as I took back plenty of drawings and photographs (including one of uma thurman and I getting served our cooked breakfast on set..perk of being in the fight team!)

Elliott

[–] anna-272 15 years ago

Thanks to all of the extras for sharing your experiences! I enjoyed reading them and getting a little glimpse of the production side of things.

[–] Vidson 12 years ago

@trilateral_insignia
Hello. Sorry to have waited three years to reply. I'd forgotten about this post and wasn't notified by IMDB.

This was the first extra work I'd done. I recall a mate telling me they were filming at the castle (i used to frequent it in the ealy 80s - another story). I was unemployed at the time and discovered they were hiring extras. I went to the Jobcentre in williamson Square, Liverpool, enquired, filled out a form and gave them a couple of passport photos, which are kept on file (they did get me a couple of other jobs on In the Name of the Father http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107207/
and Resurrection Man
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0140508/ as they were both filmed in Liverpool and Manchester respectively.
Not done any since the late 90s.

You go inside the cage?
Cage goes in the water, you go in the water. Shark's in the water

[–] Vidson 10 years ago

I've replied to your post, a little belatedly mind you.

You go inside the cage?
Cage goes in the water, you go in the water. Shark's in the water