Filming Locations + Sets

I’ve just finished watching both series of this programme, and had some ideas that I wanted to share here on the boards. I’ll be posting a couple of different threads on different topics.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Roman Mysteries, and anything I have to say about it should not be taken as too harsh of a criticism.
As far as filming locations & sets, there are a couple of things that I would’ve done differently.
During the first series, filming was done primarily on Malta, but also some in Tunisia.
During the second series, filming was done primarily in Bulgaria, but also some on Malta.
On Malta, filming was done at various outdoor locations (beaches, countryside, and forests) and pre-existing structures, including sets built for Gladiator (2000), Julius Caesar (2002), Helen of Troy (2003), and Troy (2004) within the walls of Ft. Ricasoli. Props were also re-used from these productions.
Barely anything (almost nothing) was left from Gladiator (2000), Helen of Troy (2003), or Troy (2004).
The main set used on Malta was a street set (with houses and other buildings) that was originally built for Julius Caesar (2002), possibly with some “left-overs” from Gladiator (2000).
However, a great deal of filming was also done on Malta at various pre-existing (non-set) structures and outdoor locations.
In Tunisia, some filming may have taken place at some outdoor locations, but the overwhelming majority of filming in Tunisia took place at Empire Studios – an outdoor, free-standing reproduction of the Roman Forum and some side-streets (with houses and other buildings) circa the First Century AD/CE, originally built for the Imperium series of made-for-television movies – Augustus (2003), Nero (2004), St. Peter (2005), and Pompeii (2007).
In Bulgaria, filming was done at various outdoor locations (countryside and forests) and outdoor, free-standing sets that – like Empire Studios in Tunisia – reproduce the the Roman Forum and some side-streets (with houses and other buildings) circa the First Century BC/BCE, originally built for the 2004 television miniseries Spartacus.
It should be pointed out that – although the sets in Tunisia and Bulgaria intend to reproduce the same general place – they look very, very different from each other.
I think that the sets in all three of these places should’ve been used for both series (instead of making the changes that were made from the first to the second series).
If done properly, this would’ve given more of an impression of the stories taking place in distinctly different locations, and maintained a visual continuity between the first and second series for those locations that appeared in both (particularly locations in Ostia such as the homes of the main characters).
The sets in Italy originally built for Rome (2005-2007) would’ve been great to use as well, as would various outdoor locations and other pre-existing structures. However, I seriously doubt Roman Mysteries would’ve been allowed to have access to these sets during the first series, and it may have been too expensive (and a little pointless) to try to go shoot there during the second series.
Apparently a second unit crew was sent to do some shooting on the set of the First Century Jewish Temple in Jerusalem, originally built outside of Ouarzazate, Morroco for a series of made-for-television New Testament movies – Jesus (1999), St. Paul (2000), Joseph of Nazareth (2000), Mary Magdalene (2000), Thomas (2001), Judas (2001), and St. John: The Apocalypse (2002).
This footage was used for the brief dreams & flashbacks that the various Jewish characters had of the destruction of Jerusalem.
I think that this could’ve been done much better, with more material for dreams & flashbacks filmed, as the sets outside of Ourzazate include reproductions not only of the Temple, but of other parts of First Century Jerusalem as well.
Portions of some of these sets look very much like buildings that could’ve been seen in First Century Italy as well (particularly the interiors), so – even if it would’ve been too expensive to fly the actors to Morocco to shoot on these sets, maybe some establishing shots or effects backplates & elements for scenes taking place in Italy could’ve been shot on these sets as well.
There is also a set of medieval Jerusalem nearby, originally built for The Kingdom of Heaven (2005), which could’ve been used for the dreams & flashbacks.
The Passion (the 2008 BBC miniseries, not the 2004 Mel Gibson film) also filmed there and built some First Century Jerusalem, but they either weren’t there yet or were being used for The Passion when the second unit filming was done for Roman Mysteries.
Back to Tunisia, various structures in the cities of Monastir and Sousse in Tunisia have been used tou double for First Century Jerusalem in productions such as Life of Brian (1979) and Jesus of Nazareth (1977). Perhaps they could’ve been used for the dreams & flashbacks as well, since some filming was already taking place in Tunisia.
There are also some other fantastic locations around the world where establishing shots and effects backplates & elements could’ve been shot by a second unit crew, including Neoclassical and Greek Revival structures (particularly those in Germany) and the reconstruction of the Parthenon in Nashville, Tennessee (I know that it’s a well-known Greek building and not a Roman one, but I think that it would look great onscreen).
Finally, I think that – as Roman Mysteries is a British programme – much could’ve been filmed in the UK. I’m especially thinking of anything that takes place in a more natural setting (such as the countryside or a forest), away from the city. In particular, I think that the scenes on the shore in the first series should’ve been shot along the coast of Cornwall – it would look great onscreen.
One thing that bothered me about the sets (I don’t know where else to put it, so I’ll stick it on here), was the sets for the home of Jonathan’s family, who is Jewish. There should’ve been nothing in a Jewish home depicting any living things – particularly plants or animals – and especially no art referencing Greco-Roman religion & myth – not on the walls or on the furniture; no statues, sculpture, drawings, or paintings. There also should’ve been mezuzot on the doorframes.
Then again, Jonathan’s family doesn’t seem to be particularly religiously observant (especially in their relationships with non-Jews), so maybe they wouldn’t have adhered to such Jewish observances.