“Dr Who” Pilots and Titles
Mike Jordan noted that the BBC Motion Graphics Archive had opened at Ravensbourne College. The Archive shows development of graphics across the BBC and includes examples of opening titles and promotion trailers. The “Dr Who” titles aroused interest, of course, and this led to a discussion about the pilot programmes for the series and the recordings of the versions of the opening episode.
Cleopatra
Did the exemplary cameraman , artist, animator and “Jackanory” director Roger Bunce have his head turned (as so many had) by the Queen of Egypt and turn his hand to writing a radio production about the asp-iring world dominatrix?
Comics and Cutaways
The children’s’ literature and the comics that we read when we were growing up. The cutaway drawings in the “Eagle” may have awakened an interest, but what could we say about “Little Plum your Redskin chum” or Desperate Dan and his cow pie?
Doormen at the BBC – and at other companies
Keeping the riff-raff at bay.
Green Screen
A photograph of actors on set against a green screen for “Coronation Street” led Bernie to try his hand at “CSO”.
Hydrofrolicks
Fun and games in water:
Girls and water
Cameras and water
Microphones and water
Jude the Obscure
The change in television drama production from live studio performances with multiple cameras on theatre-style sets to on-location shot-by-shot shooting and full post-production similar to movie production methods was gradual and driven by developments on the technology of television, particularly in the reduction in size of the image pick up devices and the ability to record those images at broadcast quality. There were many steps along the way, and some memorable productions were created and broadcast. One such was “Jude the Obscure” in 1971.
The Man Outside
Another production using a mix of inserts from outside broadcast television units on location (instead of the previous film camera units) and studio based drama was “The Man Outside”.
Tape Speeds
7.5, 15 30 inches per second…
Who’s the Dummy?
“Educating Archie” – a very popular BBC Light Programme Radio show in the 1950s – a ventriloquist act on the radio! Other dummies include Basil Brush, Roland Rat ….
Going out with a BANG! … or a whimper …
Pyrotechnics inside and outside the studio …
Filming an explosion is not always about making a big bang
Staff List August 1974
Graham Giles found a staff list for August 1974.
