Trivia / Victories

• Acting for Two: Andrew Watson plays both a sergeant at the beginning, and another soldier near the end.
• California Doubling: Northern Ireland doubles for France.
• Cast the Expert:
  • Andrew Watson - who plays Benjamin's sergeant - is an actual army sergeant.
  • Darrell Wilson who plays another of the soldiers previously worked as a World War I re-enactor and was able to act as an on-set consultant.
• Cast the Runner-Up: James Mackenzie was turned down for the role of Benjmain for being too tall, so he took the small role of the sentry at the end.
• Creator Backlash: Bobby Calloway doesn't look too fondly on his performance, finding it to be among his weakest. He does however affirm he loved making the film and thinks it's great.
• Creator's Favorite Episode: Andrew McNeill calls the scene where Benjamin and Otto have a heart-to-heart his favorite that he's acted in so far.
• Dyeing for Your Art:
  • Andrew McNeill normally sports a mustache, and shaved it off for the opening scene.
  • Assistant director Patrick Tazzioli had to jump on camera to play a British soldier - getting a haircut and shaving his beard off for it.
• Enforced Method Acting:
  • Andrew McNeill kept a little separate from everyone else to simulate Otto's feelings of isolation.
  • Thomas Pollock told Bobby Calloway to push Andrew McNeill during their argument scene, to get a genuine reaction out of him.
  • Both actors listened to music in the morning to get into character - Andy to Imperial German music from the period, Bobby to the soundtrack of Darling Lili...
• Fake Brit:
  • James Mackenzie as the sentry at the end. With the exception of Andy Watson (the sergeant), the rest of the soldiers are played by Northern Irish actors too.
  • Downplayed by Bobby Calloway who has Irish parents but was born in England.
• Fake Nationality: Andrew McNeill (Northern Irish) as the German Otto.
• Looping Lines: James Mackenzie had to loop his lines in the final scene, due to audio problems in the footage.
• Meaningful Release Date: The film's first screening was the weekend commemorating the 100th year anniversary of the Armistice.
• Shown Their Work: The artillery did indeed keep firing until 11 o'clock on Armistice Day.
• Throw It In!:
  • Otto was scripted to throw Benjamin his canteen. In rehearsals Andrew McNeill handed it over gently instead, and Bobby Calloway likewise improvised handing it back.
  • Andrew McNeill's coat got torn while filming the final scene. Finding it added to the violence, they drew attention to it in later shots.
  • Bobby Calloway's helmet fell off filming the scene where he trips in the forest. They then set up a shot showing the helmet lying on the ground as he is dragged away.
• Typecasting:
  • The third time Bobby Calloway has played a soldier.
  • Also the third time - after Bloody Secrets and Belfast Calibre 9 - that Andrew McNeill and James Mackenzie have fought in the climax. Each time James wins.
• What Could Have Been:
  • A scene was imagined where Otto would have a hallucination of a burning zeppellin crashing down into the forest. Andrew McNeill quickly realised that would look too weird and didn't include it.
  • The part of Benjamin was written for another actor who moved back to England. James Mackenzie was interested in the part but was deemed too tall and imposing for such a vulnerable character.
  • Alternate ending ideas included Otto in a POW camp with other Germans, some of whom would foreshadow World War II or else reuniting with Emily in England, while still being disrespected by other people.
• Word of Saint Paul: Bobby Calloway named the soldiers in the final scene - Johnny (the one who attacks Otto), Mikey (the one who points his gun looking for other Germans), Steve and Alan (the two who help him onto the stretcher).