Vigil

BBC acquires John Rebus reimagining following detective’s early days

A man stands outside an open building, perhaps a garage, in which a man sits, out of focus

The book series began in 1987, with Knots & Crosses, and has since been adapted for screen, stage and radio.

The new six-part series takes place during Rebus’s days as a Detective Sergeant in Edinburgh. When his veteran brother Michael turns criminal, John finds his loyalty torn between family and the law.

Produced by Eleventh Hour Films for Swedish streaming service Viaplay, the show was filmed across Edinburgh and Glasgow in 2023.

Vigil series two takes to the skies as new cast enlisted

Gary Lewis and Suranne Jones as DSU Robertson and DCI Amy Silva in series one of Vigil

Whereas the first series saw the duo investigate the death of a crew member on board a Royal Navy submarine, the second six-parter will see them take on the British air force.

Following a number of unexplained fatalities at a Scottish military facility, DCI Silva and DI Longacre set out to reveal the cause. But standing in their way are the hostile and closed ranks of the air force.

Working lives: Director of photography

Vigil (Credit: BBC)

Showing admirable versatility, he is also responsible for the visual look of the same channel’s hit submarine thriller Vigil. 

What does the job involve?

Working closely with the director, production designer and all the creative team to create the visual world and help “frame” the point of view of the story to engage the audience. Sometimes that can be a dynamic world such as Vigil; at other times it can be utilising a more sensitive visual aesthetic to create an emotional engagement, as with Three Girls. 

BBC One has released a first look image for thriller Vigil

Suranne Jones (Credit: BBC)

Created and written by Tom Edge, the six-part thriller follows the mysterious disappearance of a Scottish fishing trawler and a death on board a Trident nuclear submarine.

The resulting chaos leads to a tense conflict between the police, Navy and British security, as they each try to deal with the situation in their own way.