BBC Merlin Filming Locations

As we all know by now, our heroic cast and crew film the Merlin episodes in blocks of three (give or take) along with any pick–ups that are needed for earlier episodes. All of which is complicated by the fact that filming is moved from Wales to France and back again three times each season.

This presents challenges to everyone involved. One full scene might be filmed in segments spread over a number of weeks and in different counties. Actors need to recreate and maintain the same emotions and pace; the director and DoP need to do the same for the lighting, camera angles and overall feel of the shots; costumes and props need to be coordinated; the editor needs to string all this together into a coherent story. Some continuity errors do creep in, it’s true, but the wonder to me is that there aren’t a whole lot more!

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Speech House Lake is a small narrow lake in the Forest of Dean, not overly attractive in itself, but transformed by the magic of filming into a mystical place…

how it's used in Merlin

In the episode The Gates of Avalon, Speech House Lake stands in for the other-worldly Avalon, home of the Sidhe. In reality the Lake itself is a fairly drab place, but it is truly transformed in the night-time scene where an enthralled Merlin witnesses Aulfric bargaining with the exotic tiny blue winged Sidhe. (Oops, exceeded my adjective quota there!) The shots of Arthur actually sinking through the water were filmed in a tank in Battersea, London. A much more hygenic way to treat a star!

In the episode Excalibur, the location was also used as a more prosaic unnamed lake - though enhanced by dramatic CGI mountains in the background - where Merlin ends up hiding the magical sword that he, Tom and the Great Dragon have created between them.

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