Making flags for the big screen - a highlight of working with flags

Flags for film and TV - there are two types of flags which most enquiries fall into.  Firstly, the make believe ‘Cinderella’ flags, mythical flags made to the film producer’s imagination and made for special productions and never to be seen again (most like given away as trophies to the cast). You will see examples of these Cinderella flags in the sections below (Dr Who and Endeavour for example).

The second type are those flags to be flown is historical productions and this type of flag, national or military (or even personal) must be accurate to the period in which the flag is set.  For these historical flags we usually avoid researching on the internet, as experience has shown us that you can’t be sure of the accuracy of the information. We have an extensive library of flag and heraldry books (possibly the largest in private hands) to refer to (click here to access).

Period films, documentaries and events

Period events sometimes require regular issue national flags, made new and then ‘distressed’ back to show wear.  In the 1970s when Admiralty bunting (bunting is the term used for flag fabric) was made with a combination of nylon and wool fibres this was relatively easy to do as the natural fibres would take discolourants and bleaching well.  The modern woven polyester MOD spec fabrics are harder to change (which is great if you want your flag to last but not so great if you want to age the fabric).  With this in mind, we have become peculiarly specialist in the margination of flags in good old fashioned NAAFI (or these days - builder’s) tea which works a treat!

When a production focuses on a specific historical period, the flags and standards can be complicated, fairly expensive but beautiful and accurate and in no small part due to a good degree of research.  We hold what is probably the largest flag reference library in private hands (some 2000 books) and are able to reference and put our hands on the details of the appropriate flags for the right time in history which otherwise might not be available through conventional library and internet research.

We do try and make to rent flags where possible which keeps the cost of props down for the film and TV company and as an example we were contacted by a film producer asking for flags relevant to a period of conflict between France and Britain in 1792 in the Caribbean.  The scene was for British Naval Forces against French land forces defending the island in question and we were asked which French Land forces would have been involved and could we make the required regimental standard.

Having discovered that the French forces in question were Republican (as the period covered the early years of the French revolution) the flag bearers could have been supporters of King Louis VI and we advised that the colours of the Fifth Battalion of the Republican Army would be the most likely candidate to fit the bill.  We were trusted on this information and fixed a price for the hire of the flag which would send back after the making of the film going on to make a beautiful French Military revolutionary standard.  The film producers were pleased with what we produced and the the flag played exactly the right part in the context of the film.

Filming over – the flag arrived back through the post and was still on my office floor in a semi unwrapped state when the phone rang and another film company making a film era c.1810 (this time based in Warsaw) asked for the exact same flag.  Napoleon was having trouble with the countries of Austria and Russia on his eastern borders a bit before his 1812 invasion of Russia and we knew that the French units under the flag we had already made would have been appropriate and so we hired the same flags out again.

The standard in question duly was returned and is in our stockroom to this day.  With a bit of luck Napoleon will attack on screen again soon and it can be pulled out to fly once again!

Whilst we make flags for film, TV and theatre all around the world, its especially poignant and meaningful when we make them for productions made in Wales. 

The rise of Wales as a filming location has been fantastic for Wales and is now a big part of our business. The film production network in Wales is growing all the time which is helping Welsh businesses employ and up-skill local people.

Click here to read the article.

What have we been working on lately....? No spoilers here.

We're usually working on a film project at any given time but we have to wait for it to go public before we can share images and too much information on the film.... so no spoilers here!

Airhead, Scandal Productions

Display flag for 'Balmoral' set of this 2023/24 production on a member of the UK Royal family....

Ridley Scott's Napolean

Our micro Welsh business spent seven months recreating all of the sea and land and regimental battle flags for the film. We're fortunate to have one of the largest libraries of books on flags and heraldry in private hands anywhere which proved essential for research and historical information not found on the Web.

SAS Rogues, BBC

Did you catch the SAS Rogues BBC TV series?

Yes, you've guessed it, we made all the flags for this film, some tasteful, some contentious, some which were purposely wrecked for 'battle worn' effect.

George Clooney's BOYS IN THE BOAT

Marvel's BLADE

Fantastic Beasts, The Secrets of Dumbledore

Pennyworth - Batman's Butler

Cursed - Netflix

Downton Abbey - the movie

The Crown

We made the original flags for the investiture of Prince Charles at Caernarfon Castle in 1969 and 50 years on the TV series The Crown asked us to remake them to adorn the castle set and for the funeral scene depicting the funeral of George VI, Queen Elizabeth II's father.

Vanity Fair

Les Miserables

Jerusalem, Channel 4 

Endeavour

Drum covers and applique flags for the 2017 TV series of Endeavour

The client sent us these pictures on set and wrote:  All is well with the flags; the director and everyone are really really happy with them. Here are some pics of them dressed in to the set, they've been aged down and had a few bullet holes added!

Sex Education, Series 1-5

Anthropoid 2016

We made several WWII German banners and flags, historically these flags are sent up in smoke, so we are called upon to make these design of flags more than most.

Look out for The 43 on your screens (2016) (http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/the-43-story-of-how-uk-jews-fought-a-wave-of-post-war-anti-semitism-to-be-subject-of-new-tv-series-a6677751.html) for examples of the flags we make for docu dramas.

We're not able to show pictures of WWII German war flags but check out Youtube for trailers of those we made for the 2016 film 'Anthropoid'. Likewise for the UK TV series SSGB.

Endeavour

Dr Who