How did they rig the TopGear Bulldog feature?

[d000hg]

The whole "live ammo" thing, and crushing the roof in... did he simply get out before they filmed those bits? Can't remember if the car was moving or if you saw him inside during either?

That giant bulldozer/tank/JCB thing was amazing, like something made up for a film! What was it called again?

[Menelaus]

The whole "live ammo" thing, and crushing the roof in... did he simply get out before they filmed those bits? Can't remember if the car was moving or if you saw him inside during either?

That giant bulldozer/tank/JCB thing was amazing, like something made up for a film! What was it called again?

1. GPMG isn't too accurate at range, it's a suppression-fire weapon (e.g., designed to keep peoples heads down)

2. Here, is Trojan which does, indeed, look like something from Robot Wars!

[chef]

he must have got out and I cant see how firing live ammo at Clarkson driving the car with no safety gear on would ever get passed Health & Safety, especially as it was shown that the rounds pierced the car straight through. It must have been clever camera work.

The car wasnt moving when it was picked up by the claw.

[Moscow Mule]

If they were firing at all, they were firing well over his head when he was in the car.

You didn't see any close ups when he was moving and they were firing which leads me to believe they hit car after he left the it.

Also, you could see he wasn't in the car when the grab got him...

[NotAllThere]

he must have got out and I cant see how firing live ammo at Clarkson driving the car with no safety gear on would ever get passed Health & Safety,...

Easy.

Producers - we're going to have the army firing live rounds at Clarkson
H&SE - make sure you have enough guns, and that they're well maintained. We don't want any of them jamming - a soldier might get hurt. To be really safe, probably best to nuke the site from orbit, but you don't have to.

[Drewster]

The whole "live ammo" thing, and crushing the roof in... did he simply get out before they filmed those bits? Can't remember if the car was moving or if you saw him inside during either?

That giant bulldozer/tank/JCB thing was amazing, like something made up for a film! What was it called again?

Let me think.....
Did the BBC really get the Army to shoot REAL bullets at a human being on Prime TV.....
Did they really use a 'kin great crusher thing while Jezza was still in the car...
or was it staged.....

d00hg - Please either:
a) Confirm you are taking the piss or
b) Confess you are a 'kin numpty

PS - Silence counts as b!!!

[NickFitz]

Let me think.....
Did the BBC really get the Army to shoot REAL bullets at a human being on Prime TV.....
Did they really use a 'kin great crusher thing while Jezza was still in the car...
or was it staged.....

d00hg - Please either:
a) Confirm you are taking the piss or
b) Confess you are a 'kin numpty

PS - Silence counts as b!!!

The producer of Top Gear was asked recently about "misleading the viewers" - it might have been on Radio 4.

His reply was that although they take things like road tests seriously, it should be quite obvious to viewers that in the more light-hearted bits of the show many things (setting fire to that caravan was the example he gave) were staged. He referred to those parts of the show as "factual entertainment", in that they did actually do the races and things, and much of what happened was true, but now and again they'd stage some stunt or other just to make it more interesting to watch.

(IIRC he said something about three middle-aged men in a caravan not making for very good telly if you didn't add some extra laughs )

[d000hg]

Let me think.....
Did the BBC really get the Army to shoot REAL bullets at a human being on Prime TV.....
Did they really use a 'kin great crusher thing while Jezza was still in the car...
or was it staged.....

d00hg - Please either:
a) Confirm you are taking the piss or
b) Confess you are a 'kin numpty

PS - Silence counts as b!!!

I asked how they staged it. I imagined when they mentioned live ammo at the start it was a joke... then when they had the gun-fire I thought maybe they were special bullets which had zero penetration. When they showed the bullet holes it was obvious some trickery was afoot.

[The Lone Gunman]

Its quite clear isnt it? The point of the piece was not whether Jezza was in any danger.
This gave some good PR to the tank regiments.
It also showed off a very well set up car in an environment where it could shine. Only to make a much bigger point.
He then showed drug dealers and other felons what could happen to their pride and joy should they be caught.
It was a spectacular way to show what HMG can do with seized property from crims.

I do hope the cars owner doesnt take it personally. Jezza could have made a real enemy there.

[Drewster]

I asked how they staged it. I imagined when they mentioned live ammo at the start it was a joke... then when they had the gun-fire I thought maybe they were special bullets which had zero penetration. When they showed the bullet holes it was obvious some trickery was afoot.

Fair enough then...... I will let you off being a Numpty...

You do know that when they show stuff on TV (not just TG but lots of things) its not real time don't you... - like when they show all the Laps and Power slides and all that tulip.... they don't just send someone out and film them....

They might file a dozen or so powerslides, several "passing shots", a few dramatic rushes past the tyres and then......
they stick various bits together for dramatic effect..... its called Editing!!!

You know that bit when Jezza is sitting in the car.... and the Huge Metal Claw is decending into him and it smashes the windscreen and Oh my god I think they have killed Jezza........

Well - he didn't have to dive out of the car at the last second you know.....
They filmed his bits.... and then while he went off for a cuppa they filmed the shooting, bangs and crashes etc.

You know in Action Films... you know thats not real as well - don't you? - You know when the Hero survives being on top of a SkyScrapper when it collapses... and the Baddy is firing Rockets at him... its not Real!

I really really wish we had a Sarcasm smilie!!