So, around May last year, I got a call. I had been in a habit of not answering my phone to numbers I didn't know, due to an increase in scam calls and stuff going around. Thank god I answered this one though.
(Kattegat at around 5:50am. I loved it out here and am looking forward to season 3)
Backstory
I was working with a lad who hadn't been around yet to collect me, so I was expecting a call any minute, the phone rang I answered and it was one of the ADs working for the spin-off to The Vikings, Vikings: Valhalla. Which I had signed up for just as the lockdowns were starting to happen here in Ireland.
The call went something like this. "Hello, I'm calling on behalf of Vikings: Valhalla, which you signed up for. Are you still available?" "Ehhh, yeah." "Brilliant write this date down." Grabs pen starts writing on my arm. "On such and such date. Come in for a fitting and PCR test." "Okay cheers." Hangs up, begins to have a mini panic attack.
I had heard about the tests but never had one before, I knew though that they were nasty. In total I had over 70 PCR tests, it was worth it considering they actually paid us to do them. So a sore nose and the occasional gag were kind of worth it. lol.
Anyway, on with the photos.
This was one of my first days out with them, most days I was out there, the weather was like this. Couldn't have asked for a better time to be out working for them really.
I think this was the first picture I took when I got back home. I was a dead body, as you can tell from the blood. It was horrible as the fake blood is so sticky and everything in the forest stuck to me, I had twigs, bugs, and whatever else all over me. But, I got to see a frog hopping around, so that was cool.
My first days with them were for pick-up shots for Season 1 then we went directly into Season 2. So I have no idea how much I'm in this season as I haven't watched it yet.
Speaking of fake blood, I was in the lineup one morning, waiting to sign in and we were told they were looking for men who didn't mind being topless. So I asked if we'd be outside and they said no we're on the sound stage, so I thought grand, is there extra money? Yep, 50 euro extra. Sound, I'll get my tits out for that. I was a Russian Boxer who'd been in a previous fight. So bit of blood. That's alright I thought.
Nope, they covered me in the stuff. But, between being comfortable and 50 euro extra... I'd always go for the thing that has extra money attached. I was called a whore by some mates of mine, but, I didn't care haha.
Animals
Most days out on Vikings it was like being in a zoo, they had so many different kinds of animals.
Horses were around every day... Bit scary to be fair.
Then there were Rain deer out on the Russian set. They were cute and I pet one. But, I walked behind a bunch of people when I saw it point its head down and scrape its hoof on the ground.
This owl I didn't think was real until I was looking at it and it turned to stare at me.
Lemurs are so cute, I saw these two while on the Kattegat set.
They had kind of working farms on one of the sets, which was cool me and some of the lads just dossed around here for a bit feeding the animals.
These goats, they were out nearly every day with us. They even had babies during the production and even brought them out on set, they were so cute.
They were even climbing the cliffside at one point.
One day we were in the rain and wearing these poncho rain cover things you get at gigs. When all of a sudden I was being tugged. I thought it was one of the lads messing, no, it was the goat and it ate a big chunk out of the back of mine. They were always causing trouble.
The Sets
I can't really remember why we were on this set, but, it was cool. Just a tiny forest kind of settlement. The attention to detail was great while being out with the Vikings. There are so many talented people involved in bringing the Sets and Costumes to life.
We were on the Russian set as a balloon floated on by. Pretty cool, I'd never seen one in real life before.
This was one of my favourite sets, it was a man-made lake, surrounded on all sides by a cliff. I spent so much time out on this one. The only bad thing was there was no cover from the sun. They were good at giving us sunblock but, I didn't get any on my hair and I got sunburnt in my parting. Not fun.
Here's the London set, we were there for a hanging on this day. (It was a fake person but, looked fairly real.) My god, every day. Not joking, every day in the London set it rained, no idea how or why.
The Russian set was cool, they had all this fake snow. Which actually tricked me a few times into thinking it was cold.
I was a fisherman one day and decided to grab this picture in between takes, I love the ships. I heard they are all made down in Wexford. I saw a truck leave the studio one day with a bunch of them on the back of it, bringing them to another set.
This day I went in and was told I was a noble, everyone was getting messed up with the dirty makeup as I was being pampered, they blew dry my hair and gave me a fancy silk shirt.
Little did I know as I laughed, that when everyone got to get sent home at 1 pm that afternoon I was walked down with twenty others to continue shooting inside, I was a servant so I think will be seen in the background of the shot. I didn't mind staying late. Since I got overtime.
Usually, the days were 6 - 6 or 7 so that's what I always expected, sometimes though, we'd get out early and still be paid full. For example, if you go in and for whatever reason, the day doesn't go ahead you'll be sent home and paid in full which is cool. Never happened to me, but, it's good to know.
One of the days while out there I was put in the wool seller stall, so handy, because I got to hide from the sun. We had two weeks of a heatwave and we were all out in all the gear all day. I had about 3 or 4 layers of wool on me, but all of us that went through it all had a bit of comradery.
The Russian Gear was so warm as well, but I thought it was really cool looking and the set was deadly too.
This costume had to be my favourite one, Constantinople. I was one of the guards to the emperor. Which was my second last day, the costume was so heavy. Not only because of all the layers but, also the chest piece, and all were real metal. Coupled with the sword, shield, and spear it was so heavy, but, it was a great way to end the Season.
I have a lot more pictures but, thought I'd share these ones, I'm going to watch season one of Valhalla soon and see if I can spot myself I'll do a review of it and add in any pictures if I see myself.
During my time out with the Vikings, I got to meet a lot of really cool people and even went on to do a short film with a bunch of them after we wrapped, can't wait to see everyone again.
Bring on Season 3, Skol!