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How I Got into the Entertainment Industry - Part 2

Other media that I have become involved with is gaming. I had already worked as a consultant and choreographer on a number of action films and so when I was asked by a gaming company to get involved with Battlefield 3, it seemed a no brainer.

I was asked by the development team to help weave together the different storyline strands which make up the levels of the game. I provided ideas on how the action might play out, and just as importantly, giving possible reasons as to why the action might go in a particular way. I gave advice on how soldiers talk, act and think. For example, soldiers within the game needed to have the exact words and inflections to accurately reflect how solders in the real world speak. As most of you know, words like ' maybe', 'we will try to,' or 'we will attempt' don't exist in our military language. We use words like 'you will,' 'I will,' 'we will.' All dialogue is progressive because soldiers in the real world are positive in everything they do. After all, real lives are at stake, so there is no room for failure.

The second part of my role was to work alongside the team's graphic designers to make sure what you see and hear as you play the game, feels 'right'. We would sit for hours talking about how men and machines move tactically, and how they look, even down to making sure that the soles of soldiers' boots were dirty and worn. A desert camp that is attacked by US tanks within the game is an exact replica of a camp on the Iraq / Iran boarder that I flew over four years previously. Authentic detail is so important because our brains are very good at telling us when something isn't quite right.

The third part of my job was to work with the actors and stuntmen in the motion capture studios, to ensure the game's characters moved like men who had been handling weapons and fighting with them for all of their lives. I also explained their lines to them so that they could do their job and display the appropriate emotions like fear, anger and determination, as they carried out the task ahead.

Much of this seems a long way from Hereford or the day to day of army life, but really, none of it would have happened if it hadn't been for my experiences as a serving soldier. I hope that what I have brought to a variety of media, be it film, book or game, is insight and authenticity, so that civilians can see a little bit of what we do, and what we have experienced, every day. And I have managed to make a success of it because of my military training, it is as simple as that. I understand the importance of being on time, with the right kit, doing the best job possible and keeping to core values. We naturally do this in the military, but outside in the real world? It's a quality that is so valued. While working at whatever job I was doing, I learnt what I needed to do to take next step to finally becoming a producer. Even now, I still ensure I'm on time, have the kit, do the best job possible, and always try to keep to our core values because the business knows the work will be on time and the best I can do. And that means I get more work.

Andy McNab CBE, DCM, MM, DArts

Making the UK the best country in the world to be a Veteran