Filming in Dunkirk took place at the location of the real evacuation, while the street scenes were shot nearby because most of the buildings in Dunkirk were destroyed in the war. may shots that the production team wanted to achieve cannot be done by CGIs. so, to minimize the need for CGI, cardboard cut-out props of soldiers and military vehicles created the illusion of a large army. Real or scale model fighter aircraft, and real warships and private boats, provided a realism that could not be achieved from CGI. Scale models were created via 3D printing. The mole set was frequently rebuilt after being damaged by bad weather. Because French authorities had prohibited pyrotechnic charges, to protect marine life, air cannons were used instead. Six thousand extras were needed in France. Early scenes of the film were shot at Weymouth harbor and the final scenes at Swanage railway station. Universal Pictures' Falls Lake studio in Los Angeles was used for interior and exterior sets of a sinking ship and plane, with the ship interiors filmed in a water tank using stuntmen. To get acclimatized to the cold water scenes, Styles and Whitehead underwent training sessions at Point Dume in Malibu, California. The principal cast members did their own stunts.