Shropshire based Spirited Adventure, experts in bushcrafting and survival skills, were called on to share their knowledge with a Hollywood star last summer.

"During the summer of 2023 I had the pleasure of working with James McAvoy as a Bushcraft Advisor and Performance Coach on his latest feature film, Speak No Evil," explained Spirited Adventure founder, James Hehir.

"I was asked by the Oscar and BAFTA winning production designer James Price (Poor Things, The Iron Claw) to act as the bushcraft, friction fire and foraging instructor for cast and crew.

"It was a thrilling experience working with James Price and helping him and his team to realise the director’s vision.

"James from Spirited Adventure's bushcrafting and survival skills knowledge were not only informative to how we created the camp fire set up, as well as what we should be foraging for, but very educational and entertaining on a personal level too," said James Price.

James Hehir explained where his expertise was used in filming: "I worked with the production design, art, greens, props and SFX departments to set up an authentic woodland camp scene with a working fire, pot hangers and pots. This scene involved the cast - Aisling Franciosi, Mackenzie Davis, Scoot McNair and Alix West Lefler, sitting around the camp and being taught by James McAvoy's character, Paddy, how to make a fire by friction, using the bow drill method.

"I had to teach James how to do the bow drill for real, on camera, with no special effects tricks or cheating in the edit.

"On his first attempt, he produced an ember and blew the tinder bundle into flame. Achieving this with such proficiency on a first attempt is an awesome achievement!

"It was an excellent experience working with the cast and the crew," added Mr Hehir. "The talented director James Watkins was very obliging, and it was great to meet the producer Paul Richie and cinematographer Tim Maurice-Jones.

Speak No Evil follows an American family invited to stay at British couple's remote farmhouse, but the guests' limits are soon tested as the situation escalates. The film is in cinemas now.