Vigil is 'inaccurate beyond belief' says submarine officer

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Vigil, which stars Suranne Jones on BBC One, has already been a claustrophobic and intense journey. Over the first three episodes, fans have been introduced to many suspicious characters and close-quarters dramas. The series has an authenticity to it, with the sets feeling incredibly realistic, leading some viewers to wonder if it was filmed on a real submarine.

Is Vigil filmed on a real submarine?

Vigil has been an immediate success for the BBC, with the chilling new drama exploding in popularity since its debut.

Boasting an impressive cast led by Suranne Jones as DCI Amy Silva, Adam James as Mark Trentice and Rose Leslie as Kirsten Longacre, Vigil has captured the audience’s attention.

While the hook of the series is the mysterious disappearance of a Scottish fishing trawler and a death on a Trident nuclear submarine, it is actually the setting of the series fans have loved most.

The show has a unique style and set of locations, with the bulk of the show taking place inside the submarine.

This has led to the show giving off a claustrophobic and intense atmosphere, with a creeping feeling of dread running throughout.

The set designs look completely authentic to viewers, filled with meticulous details and atmospheric lighting. 

This isn’t the case, however, as the BBC and series creator Tom Edge got to work on designing elaborate and detailed sound studio sets for the show.

Speaking to the Huffington Post, Amy Silva’s Jones went into detail about how the crew filmed the crime thriller.

“[The designers] had to be talked through what was there by people who had first-hand knowledge of submarines,” Jones explained “, and then come up with their own design off the back of that.”

The first-hand knowledge from people who have actually served in submarines has given the show the authenticity fans have loved.

Mark Trentice’s James also told the Huffington Post: “The first couple of days on set were properly jaw-dropping, as the scale and detail of the submarine set that had been built were very impressive.

“It was simply enormous, it gave us such an immediate and accurate feeling of what it might be like to be on an actual sub.”

The production team would have chosen to film on a set rather than a real submarine for a number of reasons, the main one being the added versatility a set would give them.

Creating a set would allow them to design areas that would allow the camera and sound crews to film while retaining the illusion of a tightly contained area.

In a real submarine, it would likely be very difficult to navigate a large camera team in the small corridors and rooms of the vessel.

The other reason is availability, with there being very few military-grade submarine’s sitting idle to be used for filming.

Fans have been busy speculating about the series on social media, with many taking to Twitter to share their thoughts ahead of the next episode.

One fan wrote: “How many of you think there is a much bigger story being told in this programme #BBCVigil????”

“I need more episodes of #Vigil. Why do I need to wait until next Sunday. I’m hooked “, added another.

A third commented: “Another brilliant episode of #Vigil yet again… Amy discovering she has no one she can trust & Kirsten being called in unexpectedly by MI5… Buzzing for next Sunday to see what’s next for these two…”

Vigil continues every Sunday at 9pm on BBC One.

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