About Me

Biography

Hamish MacLeod is a British actor, armourer and production designer. He is best known as an actor for his role as Drogo, in the television series 1066 and for his leading role as William Craigh in the BBC drama The Saint and The hanged Man. As an armourer, his credits include Black Sails, The Hollow Crown, The Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall, The Relief Of Belsen and David Starkey's Monarchy. As a Stage Armourer Hamish has worked for both Trevor Nunn and Camereron Mackintosh. As one of the foremost theatrical military consultants in the UK, his work is often associated with military history and historical drama.

Hamish is the middle of three sons born to Norman and Grace Margaret MacLeod. He studied Art and Design at Portsmouth College of Art (now part of the University of Portsmouth), were he graduated with Diploma membership to the Chartered Society of Designers. In 1992, Hamish established History in the Making, a company specialising in the hire of military uniforms for film, television and theatre, and became its full-time director. He was granted status in 2003 as a Registered Firearms Dealer for Film, TV and Theatre, which was extended by the Home Office to cover Section 5 (i.e. prohibited weapons) authority in 2008. Hamish is a full member of the Gun Trade Association. In 2015 Hamish founded History in the Making Films Ltd.

Hamish is still a resident of Portsmouth where he lives with his long term partner, Jean Arthur. He has one son Max MacLeod.

Personal Info

What I Do


Armourer & Weapons Master

I am a fully licensed and insured Armourer with Section 5 approval from the Home Office. I have access to the full stock of muskets, rifles, pistols and machine-guns owned by my company History in the Making Ltd. With years of practical experience I can also provide swords, daggers and all other edged weapons for film and theatrical performance. I design and produce my own stocks of both costume and stunt action swords and daggers. I teach at the University of Chichester where I regularly train actors and supporting artists on the safe use of all types of weapons. I have recently designed and written the training module for members of the British Stunt Register delivering safe practice for blank fining firearms.


Historian &
Military Advisor

My life long passion for Military History has been combined with the majority of my Film, Theatre and television work. I now regularly consult with script writers and producers and I am frequently asked to oversee all military, uniform and equipment aspects of the projects I am involved with. I am often asked to deliver pieces to camera describing and demonstrating specific Firearms. 


Designer & Director

I have been involved with production design since graduating from Art School, both assisting designers and being commissioned to lead the design department for Film production. My many years of working both in front and behind the camera as a technical director has now led to me accepting Directing engagements specifically for Military and Historical projects. I am the Director for History in the Making Films Ltd.

Gallery

Contact

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Resumé

Qualifications

  • Managing Director, History in the Making Ltd, 1994 - present
  • Registered Firearms Dealer for Film and Theatre, 2003 - present
  • Section 5 Authority, 2009 - present
  • Full Member of the Gun Trade Association
  • Lecturer/Module Manager- Chichester University
  • BBC Armourer

Skills Profile

  • Project Management for Film and Theatre Design and Production
  • Project Manager for Live Events
  • Firearms Use and Management
  • Edged weapons
  • Military history
  • Warfare Techniques
  • University Lecturing for Degree and MA qualifications

Work History

Producer/Director Main Arena Battle Displays- Tank Fest- Bovington Tank Museum- June 2024.

Director/ Script Writer- "Ghosts of Tabor" Live Action Performance/ games launch. June 2024.

Battle Director/ Script Writer- Live Action Performance- Tiger Tank- Bovington Tank Museum. April 2024.

Director/Script Writer- Advert- Pontoonworks- 2024.

Armourer- The Shamrock Spitfire- Feature Film- Pixel Revolution Films-2024.

Director/ Script Writer- Advert- Firearms in Film- Steen Young/HitM Films Ltd. 2024.

Head Armourer- Hostile Environment Training- The Pangolin group. 2024.

Lecturer- Production Design- University of Chichester. 2024.

Course Director- Combat Training- MA students- University of Chichester. 2024.

WW2 Battle Display Director/Script Writer- Bovington Tank Fest- 2024.

Course Director- Practical Theatrical Firearms Course (PTFC) 2024.

Lecturer- Production Design- University of Chichester. 2023.

Course Director- Combat Training- MA students- University of Chichester. 2023.

WW2 Battle Display Director- Bovington Tank Fest- 2023.

Course Director- Practical Theatrical Firearms Course (PTFC) 2023.

Head Armourer- Hostile Environment Training- The Pangolin group. 2023.

Lecturer- Production Design- University of Chichester. 2022.

Course Director- Combat Training- MA students- University of Chichester. 2022.

Armourer. Headcorn Combined Ops - Military Vehicle Rally, Kent

Contributor, Armourer. "Queen Victoria's Assassins"- BBC Podcast.

Armourer. "Dakota" Film- Apple TV- 2022

WW2 Battle Display Director- Bovington Tank Fest- 2022

Armourer. Live theatre event-'Peaky Blinders, the rising'- Camden, London. 2022

Production Designer. Music Video. TV Priest- "One East Thing"- Agile Films. 2022.

Head Armourer- Hostile Environment Training- The Pangolin group. 2022.

Armourer. Music Video.  Joy Crookes "Trouble"- Nono X Partizan. 2021

Armourer. Pangolin. Hazard Environment training. 2021.

Course Director- Combat Training- MA students- University of Chichester. 2021.

Armourer- SFX- 'Inside Number 9' TV Comedy. BBC, 2021.

Battle Display Director- Bovington Tank fest 2021. 

Armourer- 'Ivan'. Opera at the Grange. 2021

Armourer- "Indiana Jones-5"- UK unit- Anti Aircraft Guns. Feature Film. 2021.

Production Designer- UK Unit- "Canyon Del Muerto". Feature Film. 2021.

Course Director/lecturer. Production design for film. University of Chichester. 2021.

Armourer- section 5. 'Sliced'. TV Comedy. Channel 5, 2021

Producer/Director. 'The Old man of Waterloo'. Feature Film. HitM Films Ltd. 2021

Course Director/Lecturer. Firearms for film and Theatre training module. Chichester University. 2020

Course Director/Lecturer. Advanced Performance Skills. Chichester University. 2020.

1st AD / set designer. 'Lost Pirate Kingdom'. Netflix. 2020.

Costume and Armour designer. Siege of Malta. Drama. 2020.

Armourer. Pangolin. Hazard Environment training. 2020.

Production Designer. '20 Marks'. Short Film. 2020.

Armourer/ Presenter. 'Combat Ships'. Mauser Rifle. TV Drama Doc. 2020.

Armourer/ Presenter. Combat Ships. Armada. TV drama Doc. 2019.

Course Director/Lecturer. Advanced Performance Skills. Chichester University. 2019.

Show Director. Headcorn Combined Airshow. Live Battle reenactment. 2019

Supervising Armourer. Royal Armoury. Fort Nelson. 2019-2020 season.

Armourer. Pangolin. Hostile Environment training. Multiple events. 2019.

Show Director. Capel Military Show. Live Battle reenactment. 2019

Fight Director/Armourer. Troy. TV Drama Doc. 2019.

Fight Director/Armourer. Spartans. TV Drama Doc. 2019.

Show Director. Devon D-Day. Live Battle reenactment of D-Day. 2019.

Armourer. Zomboat! TV series. 2019.

Armourer. Wolf. Feature. 2019.

Armourer. Pangolin. Hazard Environment training. 2018.

Supervising Armourer. Royal Armoury. Fort Nelson. 2018-2019 season.

Armourer. The Windsors. TV. 2017.

Armourer. Pangolin. Hazard Environment training. 2017.

Second Unit Director / Armourer. War Above the Trenches. TV. 2017.

Armourer / SFX. Fanged Up. Feature Film. 2016.

Armourer/ Action Vehicle/ Special Skills performers. Outnumbered Christmas Special. Television. 2016.

Production Designer. History Bombs! Television. 2016.

Armourer. Beacon: A New World. Film. The Met Film School. 2016.

Armourer. Headcorn Air Show. Public Event. 2016.

Armourer. The SAS Story. BBC Television. 2016.

Armourer. Don Carlo. Grange Park Opera. 2016.

Armourer. Oliver! Grange Park Opera. 2016.

Armourer. 1066. BBC television. 2016.

Armourer. Pangolin. Hazard Environment training. 2016.

Armourer. Secret Cinema, London. Live show 2016.

Co Producer/Armourer. Between the Lies. Short Film 2016.

Sword Master and Military Advisor, Black Sails, Season 4 (TV Series) 2016
Starz Entertainment / Film Afrika / Platinum Dunes

Co Producer/Production Designer. Jerusalem. Short Film. 2015.

Armourer, Royal Wives at War, BBC. Television. 2015.

Armourer, The Goodwood Revival, Duchess of Richmonds Ball. Corporate. 2015.

Armourer, Battle of Britain Show, Public event. 2015.

Armourer, Headcorn Air Show. Public event. Headcorn Arodrome/IMPS.

Armourer, Pangolin Group, Hostile Environment Training. 2015.

Armourer, Eton College CCF Waterloo Tattoo. 2015.

Sword Master & Battle Advisor, Black Sails, Season 3 (TV Series) 2015
Starz Entertainment / Film Africa / Platinum Dunes

Director, The Old Man of Waterloo. (Feature Film) 2015
History in the Making Films Ltd.

Armourer, Brot. (Short Film) 2015
Jered Paysnor, Producer

Armourer, The Hollow Crown (TV Series) 2015
Neal Street Productions/Shakespeare Productions, BBC

Writer / Producer / Director, The Men Of Waterloo (Film Trailer) 2014
History in the Making Productions / Jack in the Box Films

Director / Production designer, Magna Carta Uncovered (TV Series) 2014
Sceptered Isles Productions

Armourer, Lymington D-Day Anniversary Event (Live Performance) 2014
Corporate Entertainment

Armourer / Uniform Supplier, Eton College CCF Tatoo (Live Performance) 2014
Eton College Private Event

Armourer, Uncle Vanya (West End Theatre) 2014
Wyndam Theatre, London

Armourer, The Hampshire Highwayman (Short Film) 2014

Sword Master, Black Sails, Season 2 (TV Series) 2014
Starz Entertainment / Film Afrika / Platinum Dunes

Armourer / Uniform Supplier / Action Vehicles, What Manner of Men (Short Film) 2013
Director Jed Fortune

Armourer, The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui (West End Theatre) 2013
The Duchess Theatre, London

Armourer, Maxim Live Fire filming (TV) 2013
BBC

Armourer, The Last Guard (Short Film) 2013

Work History Archive  
   
Sword Master Black Sails (TV series) (pre-production) 2012
Film Afrika / Starz Entertainment / Platinum Dunes
Armourer Last Heroes of D-Day (TV) 2012
BBC
Production Designer On Hungry Hill (Movie) 2012
Pursued by a Bear Productions / English Heritage
Armourer War On The Line (Live performance) 2012
Peak Rail Heritage
Armourer Arturo Ui (Theatre) 2012
Chichester Festival Theatre
Armourer Uncle Vanya (Theatre) 2012
Chichester Festival Theatre
Production Designer Galahad (TV) 2012
Barefoot Rascals / BBC Wales
Armourer Explosions, 1940's event (Live performance) 2012
Hampshire County Council
Armourer Falklands War Medics (TV) 2012
Barefoot Rascals / History Channel
Armourer Hazard Environment Training (Live performance) 2012
TOR International /  BBC
Sword Master Labyrinth (TV mini-series) 2011
Film Afrika / Scott Free Productions
Armourer Death and the Maiden (Theatre) 2011
Harold Pinter Theatre, London
Armourer Phantom of the Opera (Theatre) 2011
Cameron Mackintosh
Armourer DSEi Show, London (Live performance) 2011
Private client
Armourer Stahlhelm (Short) 2011
Ivory Towers Productions
Sword Master / Armourer The Lost Emperor 2011
JTA Media Productions
Actor 7 Welcome to London 2011
Ex-Army Guy Iconic Productions UK
Armourer The Syndicate (Theatre) 2011
Chichester Festival Theatre
Armourer Hazard Environment Training (Live performance) 2011
TOR International /  BBC
Armourer / Swords Hamlet (Theatre) 2010
Wyndham Theatre
Armourer Cyrano De Bergerac (Theatre) 2010
Chichester Festival Theatre
Armourer / Swords Wallenstein (Theatre) 2010
Chichester Festival Theatre
Armourer Tosca (Opera) 2010
Grange Park Opera
Armourer House of Special Purpose (Theatre) 2010
Chichester Festival Theatre
Armoury Supply Ironclad 2010
Crown Tower
Sword Supply Celebrity Big Brother (TV) 2010
Remarkable Pictures
Sword Supply McDonald’s (TV advert) 2010
Outsider
Actor 1066: The Battle for Middle Earth (TV movie) 2009
Drogo Hardy Pictures
Armourer Marguerite (Theatre) 2009
Theatre Royal Haymarket
Armourer Swimming with Sharks (Theatre) 2009
Vaudeville Theatre
Armourer Churchill’s Darkest Decision (TV) 2009
Furnace / Channel 4
Military Costumier / Props Atlantic Convoys: War at Sea (TV) 2009
Darlow Smithson
Actor The Saint and the Hanged Man (TV movie) 2008
William Cragh Hardy Pictures / BBC4
Armourer Banged Up Abroad (TV) 2008
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