It is with great sadness that I share with you that Bernie died [on the 17th August 2023]. He had been ill for some time, but was able to spend his last few months at home where he wanted to be.
Thank you to the friends who kept in touch over the years.
If you don’t know me, I’m his wife and we’d been together for 41 years. If you didn’t know Bernie, then you missed out.
Gary Critcher
Very sad news coming in overnight that Bernie Newnham has passed away. When I worked in VT Current Ops he was the director of “Points Of View”. I lost contact with him but was back in contact about 10 years ago, he was the same person as he was back at TV Centre in the 1980s, always willing to help and to chat. I’m very sorry to hear this.
Alec Bray
Very sad news to hear that Bernie Newnham has sadly passed away. Thank you to his wife Pauline for letting people know, and our condolences go out to Pauline and to Bernie’s family at large.
Amongst all his professional work for the BBC, Bernie set up the BBC TV Tech Ops website. Perhaps initially it was just a place to capture those few photographs of studio technical operations work in the late 1960s and later, under Bernie’s tutelage and guidance the Tech Ops website developed into a storehouse of pictures, stories – and gossip – of technical operations work in the latter half of the twentieth century – a sort of “folk history” of broadcasting in the “golden years” of television, including the opening of BBC 2 and the introduction of colour television, when theatrical style multicamera live or “as live” television broadcasting was the norm. It offered a balance to those academical histories of broadcasting. I never knew Bernie when he worked for the BBC : I found his web site by chance after retirement and when Bernie asked for a volunteer to review, collate and condense a backlog of emails sent to him by BBC Technical operators, as I was recovering from a major operation, I took on that job. That job grew and grew – with Bernie’s blessing: he had a light hand to guide – and gently rebuke, where necessary, and I have been really pleased to have been associated with Bernie’s website. I always had at the forefront of my mind that it was Bernie’s site – and how he would want it to be. It was an absolute pleasure to “work” for Bernie – but now, like parts of Television Centre, the beating heart has gone. So, Goodbye, Bernie – trouble is, we will now never know your stories of working with Ann Robinson on “Points Of View” (how we were looking forward to that!). Cut to “The End” caption, fade down to black. Thank you, Studio…
Paul Thackray
Please see the Message [as above, forwarded by Paul] about Bernie from his wife. As you may be aware the Tech Ops announce system is currently unreliable, so I have forwarded this directly as an email to all those who have emails registered with this group. (I have also copied this to Tech Ops as a few emails occasionally get through.)
Personally I find this very sad news, my thoughts are with those left behind.
Mike Giles
Thank you Paul for relaying Pauline’s sad message about Bernie.
Yet another unwanted milestone.
Bernie Newnham
Tribute to Bernie
Alan Dedicoat’s Eulogy at Bernie’s Funeral Service
Many of the Tech Ops people sent email tributes directly to Bernie’s family. A selection of these, together with many messages from other groups of people with whom Bernie worked with or played with, were put together and formed a lovely tribute – or Eulogy – read by Alan Dedicoat at Bernie’s funeral.
With the permission of Bernie’s family and permission from Alan Dedicoat, here is the Eulogy based on your fond thoughts.
When the clip has finished, please click your Browser’s BACK button to return to this page
(a lower resolution version, which may be quicker to load from YouTube,
is available here:)
Currently, Bernie’s Funeral Service can be seen in full here.
What a joyous delight to see Paddington Bear at tea with the Queen – and eating marmalade sandwiches.
There was a rumour that the Queen herself was to be nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the Oscars.
It was Mike Bond, of course, late of this parish, who created the lovable bear.
Fiction to Fact – and Fact to Fiction
March 1919 … One hundred and three years ago … they knew what personal phones would be do to our lives …
All the drama series on TV and many films have been set in London – but where would their tube stations be?
Guns In Productions
Halyna Hutchins was shot while working on the set of the 19th Century western “Rust” as director of photography when actor Alec Baldwin fired a prop gun on this New Mexico film set
There were guns and gunshots in many TV productions over the years – here are your comments.
BBC News New Look
BBC News moved to a new studio in New Broadcasting House with new robotic cameras and a new wide screed and also adopted a new style of presentation. There were comments…
And there was a new distraction: what shoes are the weatherperson wearing today?
Betting Slips
What are the odds on your reading this?
A Century of Cinema and Cinema Plaques
Dave Newbitt visited Fishguard, and he found a plaque identifying the town as the setting for a 1971 film of “Under Milk Wood”, set in a large irregular block of stone at the head of the Quay. It turns out that the plaque is one of 126 erected by the British Film Institute (BFI).
Comics
The comics we read as children.
Where is the …. Found!
Bernie found lots and lots of stuff at the back of a cupboard, and here is just one photo – Bernie thinks that it is at Evesham…
More Eurovision Memories
Whenever it is time for the Eurovision Song Contest, it’s impossible for the British media to cover it without mentioning ABBA winning in 1974 – and Alan Taylor was there, scanning for suitable washers to get his mic stands vertical.
Mike Jordan was at Wembley Conference Centre 1n 1977 with, yes, Stewart Morris producing.
Bernie blazed the trial for Bucks Fizz in 1988, when the juries took no time in making their minds up – and of course, the BBC had to host Eurovision the next year, 1982, and Colin Hassell was there.
Glastonbury 2022 and Outside Broadcasts
And so we will go directly from one set of music outside broadcasts to another music festival outside broadcast event and discussions as to scanners and their placements.
Exciting Important Historic Outside Broadcasts
A picture came by way of Facebook of a cameraman perched on the control tower at Farnborough Air Show in 1953 – and by the looks of it, it had a zoom lens.
Of course, there was an historic, more famous outside broadcast in June 1953 – the Coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Another picture came our way: this is MCR 21 at Wembley for the 1966 World Cup. MCR 21 has been restored: Wembley has been completely rebuilt.
More about “Gemini”
“Gemini” (or the similar 35mm film version “Add-A-Vision” ) was a system that aimed to combine the speed and ease of video recording with the quality of 16mm film. Essentially, a 16mm film camera was mounted alongside a standard television electronic camera. Edit marks were automatically added to the film by a remote feed from the vision mixer’s desk, enabling a film editor to exactly match the video version of the show. This page discusses the Beeb’s cautious approach to this technology and the TO response to it.
Life after the Beeb
Some tales of some people’s life after leaving the BBC.
Yet more about “Our World”
we now have TWO numbered photographs Of the crew in TC1 and TC2 for the live transmission of “Our World”, but still less than half of the people in the photos have bEen identified as yet. This is the latest list!
Roger Bunce’s 1981 Calendar for Crew 6
More of Roger Bunce’s art and wit! Beware, it is of it’s time …
Triumphs and failures
Triumph Heralds and Courier vans, moonlighting and more.
Wimbledon – but When?
John Howell (Hibou) set a puzzle: which year was this photograph taken at Wimbledon?
There should be enough information in the picture for you to make a decision. There are (unfortunately) no prizes for a correct answer – but the topic provoked some lively discussion.
My First Electronic Build
The first electronic builds made by some BBC Technical Operators, and discussion abut the first tape recorders that they used.
The Wrong Job
Some of us felt that we had been assigned to the wrong job when we first joined the Beeb, and then were able to transfer within the BBC to a position which seemed correct for us.
Also, when we look to see what money others were making using the skills we possessed – well, we were definitely in the wrong job!
[Ed: sometimes it takes until later in life before you fall into a job which simply is just made for you …]
Roger Bunce – Taking aim at Management and at Models
A page of two halves. The first is Roger taking the mickey out of Management. The seconf half is a collection of pictures found by his son, Robin, showing Roger at work with a model set.
As one of our correspondents says, “…[Roger] was clearly in a class of his own for inventiveness, use of language, sharp observation and all-round ability to make a point in an incredibly effective way. It is humbling to see such ability..”
Remembering NICAM
Back in the mid nineteen-eighties BBC research invented a digital sound system – NICAM. France and Italy produced similar stereo line transmission systems at the same time, and they were all to do with digital transmission of audio.
The Blue Peter Book of Television
Following a lot of discussion about “The Blue Peter Book of Television” on a Facebook group (and not all very accurate), comments centred on who was on the front of the camera crane.
Some Aspects of Technical Operations
After some nearly 55 years, it is tricky to remember everything that was part of Technical Operations inthe studioes when going live with a weekly theatrical style, multicamera drama seriessuch as “Z Cars”, “Dixon” or “Softly Softly”, Here are some responses to a quick questionnaire sent out to te Tech Ops group.
1966 and all that …
It was the time of the World Cup and the new MCR 21 was there to show it. It was also the year of (yet)(another) General Election, and this is the start of the coverage on the Friday morning after the Thursday night before.
Canalside Outside Broadcast 1939
An very interesting picture came Alasdair Lawrance’s way – the problem being to identify the type of Camera in use!
A. P. Herbert
The M.P. , TV interviewer, author – “Misleading Cases” – and some quotes from Winston Churchill and Herbert.
March of Time and Technology Evolution
An interesting idea may not be supported by the existing technology. Only when the technology has evolved sufficiently can the idea find that its time has come, can be implemented, and so improve the experiences for everyone involved.
Operations Contribution to Programmes
Technical Operators used the equipment, and their skills in using that equipment, to help tell a story for the viewers, to communicate an idea, to turn the director’s, actors , authors, designers vision into coherent pictures and sound in the viewers’ living rooms.…
Expenses – and their claims
Expenses – to some, it is petty cash, to some it is pretty cash. Is there anyone who has not, at some time or another, tried it on with the expense claim? Thought not…
Remembering Those who have left us
Martin Eccles
Olivia Newton John
Lance Andrews
Posted inUncategorized|Comments Off on Topics 7 Summer 2022
The Motion Picture Research Council Camera Crane, manufactured by Mole-Richardson under licence, known as the MPRC Crane in official documents but universally known as the Mole Crane, was generally confined to the studios and never saw the light of day. What a surprise to see one in broad daylight in a Sky Atlantic production! Mind you, it was only as a prop!
Crane Training
Most of us learnt how to swing a Mole by watching, learning, and getting it wrong. Later, the BBC establishment instituted some training for the Mole crews, and here are some examples.
There was also a BBC film about Manual Handling – and this shows a Nike Crane and a Vinten ped in use, but there seems to be little in the way of manual handling training.
EastEnders
The episode for Thursday 28th April 2022 showed Jean Slater, who is bipolar, suffering with delusions in a manic phase, and chases round a funfair in Southend and then heads out to sea.
Karl Neilson was the director, and here he shares some insights into how the episode was conceived and shot.
Eidophor
First TO: What’s an Eido for?
Second TO: Ei dunno!
It wasn’t funny then, and certainly isn’t now
In the mid nineteen sixties, scheduled for the theatre, spending all afternoon and evening sitting in the circle next to a great grey-green greasy oily smelly smoky machine while a couple of worthy but dull old ladies are the subject of “This Is Your Life” – memories are made of this…
Hullabaloo and Custard
More in connection with the start of BBC 2.
Lime Grove before the BBC
A booklet about the Gaumont-British studios (previously Gainsborough Studios) at Lime Grove surfaced a second time, this time provoking some interesting comments.
Roger Bunce and The Studio of Earthly Delights
Roger Bunce was a studio cameraman (including on Crew 14) but was also a talented artist, animator and writer of satirical comedy. Roger drew some excellent cartoons for the Guild of Television Cameramen’s early magazine.
Roger was fascinated by the weird and wonderful work of the Dutch artist Hieronymus Bosch (1450-1516), and wondered what he would have made of a TV Studio as source of Earthly Delights
Spot the Error!
Bernie set a quiz question…Spot the Error!
Once again, a piece of historic television equipment was being used as a prop in the new television programme – but could it have worked?
Staff List 1974
Television Technical Operations Staff List for August 1974.
TO 16 course
Mike DuBoulay has found the course schedule for T.O. 16
With this schedule, it is possible to give some sort of idea of what it was like at Wood Norton Hall at the time of T.O. 16. This page gathers together some existing images and material from around the Tech Ops site – and includes the Wood Norton Canteen Menu for the start of the course!
Was I really in the studio with – Yoko Ono?
Yet another day doing something to do with current affairs down in Lime Grove… it was only more than half a century later I realised who we had been working with that day!
Posted inconversations|Comments Off on Topics 6 Spring 2022
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
Here is another issue of the e-zine that YOU write!
Topics 4 comes to you in the midst of the latest English four-week “lockdown” for Covid-19, as this second wave of the Covid-19 infection has hit: Wales has already had a two-week “circuit-breaker”, and Scotland has set up five tiers or restrictions.
All this was after a complete Summer of restricted access, restricted visits, restricted recreation and restricted socialisation. All TV programmes were affected in one way or another, whether in production or scheduling – and some older programmes were retransmitted to brighten up our days.
But there has been a bumper crop of Tech Ops recollections: it’s quite ironic that in these days of restricted travel, so many of the topics are about Outside Broadcasting and freelancing around the world – so enjoy!
Just a couple of notes: some pages may be short, to keep tight to the subject matter. Also, some stories might have appeared elsewhere on this website. Wherever possible, any duplication has been omitted, but there are times when it is easier to repeat the story than to keep cross-referencing to earlier tellings.
1950s and 1960s Adventure Series
Roger Bunce wondered whether other people had been reliving their childhood by watching those old adventure series of the 1950s and 1960s.
1968 BBC TV Production Planning Training Film
This page started with an extract from a BBC staff training film about production planning, moves on to a discussion of who gets a credit and discusses how “our” directors planned productions using matchboxes and string – not the fancy models in the training film!
A game of KIM
There’s more on nicknames elsewhere in this collection. This page concentrates on one person whose nickname was “Kim”. This page can easily be removed and not affect other pages.
An Historic Outside Broadcast
This has been “spun off” from the discussions about the origin of the name “Scanner”. It seems more than probable that the BBC did a live TV OB of the momentous occasion when Chamberlain, having flown between Heston Airfield and Munich for discussions with Hitler, famously returned to wave his piece of paper.
BBC TV Car Park Tickets
Illustrations of BBC TV Car Park Tickets.
Bits of Our History
Bernie’s website – “our” website” – is a collection of personal reminiscences and stories about how we used to work. It’s the sort of history that does not make it into standard academic histories, but it is about the daily activities of people coping with everyday work in a programming-making framework. As Bernie says, it is terribly fragile. People will want to know how we did theatrical style multicamera live or as-live television – and only we can tell it as it was.
Camera Tower
This starts with a picture of a camera tower (?) used in the filming of “The LadyKillers”.
Cameramen at War
Cameramen at war, including pictures of Ronnie Noble.
Cater for the Crew
An Army marches on its stomach – and so do TV crews.
Colin Reid – An Appreciation
A quiet man with a calm demeanour, yet he kept a close watch on ‘youngsters’ with a quiet word after a programme if he thought the younger crew members could improve their performance.
Completely Shocking…
Something to do with that stuff that comes along wires and makes things work – or creates spitz and sparkens. Of course, some of it is static.
Continu….ity?
Sometimes the changeover between programmes is not as smooth as we would expect it to be. Which leads onto Jack Jackson’s Record Roundabout and a problem with a faxed quiz.
Covid 19 and TV
Some snippets on how various TV shows have coped with the restrictions imposed by attempts to limit the spread of the Coronavirus Covid-19.
David Attenborough
More thoughts about the great man…
Director’s Viewfinder
The little device that showed to the director what the shot might look like. More useful in “pure” film than TV, where the director can directly see the camera output.
Ditty Box and Dollies
How did these slang terms come to be used in TV?
Duties Day-by-Day
One requirement of working irregular hours in Tech Ops was the need to keep a diary. Some of us, when we left TV and were freed of the need to keep track of the fortnight’s schedule, jettisoned the diaries ASAP: but those kept diaries can be very useful as well as bringing back memories.
First TV OB from a Theatre
“When We Are Married” by J. B. Priestley from ST Martin’s Theatre was apparently the first Outside Broadcast from a Theatre.
Flight of the Concordes (….and other planes)
Experiences of flying on business or for pleasure, for the Beeb or freelance, all around the world.
Goonhilly
The original Satellite Dish No 1 ‘Arthur’, now 58 years old, has been restored by Goonhilly Earth Station to enjoy a second life in Radio Astronomy rather than Sat Comms.
Headphones
A discussion on the merits of different types of headphones.
How We Got Started In The Entertainment Industry
Stories of how some people got their job at the BBC.
Julie Felix Show
Julie Felix died 5th April 2020: for many of us, she was a part of our youth.
Noise, Loudness and Americans
This page is a bit of a miscellany … it also covers accommodation, crew quarters etc. and working for Americans….
Meccano et al
What we played with in our formative years … with some broadcasting anecdotes interposed.
Memories of Dame Vera Lynn
Dame Vera Lynn died 18th June 2020 at the age of 103.
More About Lime Grove
This is not a history of the BBC Lime Grove Studios, more a collection of anecdotes about the place.
Note that there are stories about Lime Grove throughout the Tech Ops web site!
More about Mother
Joan Marsden (“Mother”) was a floor manager for the “political” and newsy programmes. She was quite fierce but ran the studio with impeccable discipline.
Please also see other pages on the Tech Ops web site for more about Mother!
More Mole Stories
Remember how the tracker and swinger had to learn how to frame a shot by judging camera distance and angle – just by looking at the camera on the front. Later there was a monitor mounted on the crane, which made life easier.
A short page: but please also see other pages on the Tech Ops web site for more stories about Moles!
Multi-Coloured Swap Shop
One of Brian Dale’s Covid projects has been scanning thousands of 35mm colour slides, and here he shows some pics taken on a “Multi-Coloured Swap Shop”. Bernie also contributes to this page.
Nicknames
This page is not really about Tech Ops techniques – but more about crew cohesion, how we all managed to work together…
Not Everyone Likes “Strictly”
It may surprise many – given the viewing figures for the current season of “Strictly Come Dancing” – but not everybody likes the programme!
“Our World” – yet more about this programme!
David Taylor kicks off this page by writing that he was trying to produce an article about the TV side of the “All You Need Is Love” Beatles BBC TV segment done as part of “Our World”. Bernie Newnham produced a numbered version of the BBC crew photo for the Studio setup for “Our World”, and there are suggestions for the names for the numbers.
Please also see other pages on the Tech Ops web site for more about “Our World”.
Pushing the Wrong Buttons
We all maek mistrakes: Pat Heigham has explicitly confessed to some of his!
(Many of our blunders are recorded throughout this site!)
Radio Microphones
Following on from the tale of the OB of the scaling of the Old Man of Hoy (see below), Alan Taylor thought that these sort of programmes were only viable once there were radio microphones. There then was a long discussion about these – and other – microphones.
Rolling Stones, Beatles and Jimi Hendrix at the BBC
Tales of when these groups appeared on various TV shows.
Ron Peverall at 90
Birthday wishes to Ron on the occasion of his 90th birthday,
Some Things Never Change …
A short page reporting that in 1952 there were complaints about mumbling actors and intrusive music and noises!
Sounds Effective!
Creating Sound effects when there are none – and capturing wild tracks in a timely manner.
Sports Unit Electronic – and Freelancing
Out and about with OBs and with freelancers. Hectic days and days of delay, stories of water and of deserts.
Steam-Powered Tech Ops Part 2
Since we all love steam…
Starring “Flying Scotsman”, “King George V” and “Caerphilly Castle” to name a few…
An Interesting Link to the Design of Television Centre
In connection with Television Centre at 60….
Nigel Norman was a keen pilot and formed a business partnership with Graham Dawbarn. Their company, Norman and Dawbarn designed many aerodrome terminals, such as Heston, Brooklands, Birmingham, Manchester, Jersey and Guernsey. After Sir Nigel’s death, Graham Dawbarn continued the business on his own and was invited to design a building for the BBC.
Early BBC TV OBs
The first BBC TV OB was the Coronation procession of King George VI.
Talk about jumping in at the deep end – having a Coronation as your shakedown programme for the first ever OB van.
The Old Man of Hoy
Perhaps the most ambitious de-rig of a Mobile Control Room that BBC TV OBs undertook was to televise the live climbing, in 1967, of the Old Man of Hoy, a vertical rock in the Orkney archipelago off the north coast of Scotland.
Watership Down
In our previous Topics we had pictures of walks that we had taken in the first lockdown. This walk came after Topics 3 had been issued – but led on to some interesting discussions about the skyline on certain views.
Where Did The BBC Place Job Ads?
Where did we see the Job Adverts for Technical Operators?
Which is Real? Location Shoot or Studio mock up?
Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy?
It’s not just Queen who asks this question! We provide the pictures that other people see: does it matter how those pictures are generated?
(Ed: this discussion actually followed on from some other email conversations, but treated here as a separate topic.)
Why MCRs are called Scanners – part 2
Further discussion on the reasons behind the nickname “Scanner” for a Mobile Control Room (and later derivatives, such as MCCR….)
Work in OBs – and Freelance
Pay, Practices, Personalities, Performance, Problems – a plethora of pertinent partisan paragraphs from participants.
Zooming Around
Who hasn’t used Zoom during the Lockdowns and restricted socialisation? The Broadcast Networks have used it too, to host virtualised television programmes. How would we have coped without it?
This quickly degenerated into a discussion of wine and cheese …
Posted inUncategorized|Comments Off on Topics 4 – Another Lockdown collection
On 23rd March 2020, the United Kingdom – as had happened with many other European countries and other countries Worldwide – was put into lockdown in an unprecedented step to attempt to limit the spread of CoronaVirus and the disease known as Corvid-19. Some closures and restrictions had happened before the 23rd, but on that day, the government directed people to stay at home except for essential purchases, essential work travel (if working from home was not possible), medical needs, one exercise per day (alone or with household members), and providing care for others.
Tech 1 Emails
Bernie Newnham reported on 1st May 2020:
“… I’ve kept all the Tech1 emails from the start. A while back I noticed that we were on 19000 or so, and I thought I’d mention the 20000th. Unfortunately I blinked, and we are now up to 20221 – 20222 including this one…”
Not all of these, your emails, have been included in the various Conversations and Topics as your emails not only cover every aspect of past and present work and working conditions, but more generally cover all aspects of going about our normal daily lives, then and now! In fact, really only a small percentage of your emails have made it into “Topics”, hopefully those which tell particular stories of Technical Operations, and report on techniques that we used. There is one exception this time: Walk Pictures! A response to the lockdown situation, prompted by Bernie.
Coronavirus (Corvid-19) and TV
The need to prevent contact between people to prevent the spread of this strange virus and its totally devastating effects on some people caused profound changes in the way that programme content was originated and delivered. This page notes just some of the effects of the virus on TV.
Walk Pictures
Initiated by Bernie, this is collection of photos taken on our walks during lockdown, highlighting some of the beauty of the British landscape.
Social Distancing
To prevent the spread of the virus, the reproduction number (R number) had to be brought down as low as possible. One way of doing this was to make sure that people kept away from each other.
Ationwid
The early days of “Nationwide” – and why it was known a “Ationwid”. Pictures from the (first) “Nationwide” Yacht Race.
Audience Unparticipation
For many of the BBC shows, there was a clamour for tickets to be in the audience – you had to apply to the ticket unit for the free tickets to see the popular shows.
However, not all shows enjoyed a warm and welcoming audience!
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Boxing Clever
The first of three pages of recollections from the people of sound. This first one talks of rigging sound to get the best sound and atmosphere for boxing matches – particularly from the Albert Hall.
Bright Eyes
Not the title song from “Watership Down” …
Who invented “Bright Eyes” – a check for phantom power in mic lines? Phantom power is DC electric power transmitted through microphone cables to operate microphones that contain active electronic circuitry. It is best known as a convenient power source for condenser microphones, though many active direct boxes also use it.
The Sound of Football
The sound of boot hitting leather, the roar of the crowd, the chanting from the stadium – and the commentator trying to guide the viewer through the interleaving patterns of play on the pitch…
I’m on my way – where are we going?
“Tales of Misheard Directions” has been compiled by Pat Heigham. But it is not only geographical directions that get misheard or misinterpreted…
Programmes We Worked On
Notes on some of the programmes that we worked on.
Reuse, recycle, repair
In May 2020, the BBC published photographs of empty sets from well-k now BBC programmes – sets erected in the studio but before rehearsal. Interesting to see.
Stereoscopic Vision
The stereoscopic pictures shown in the Walks provoked an interesting discussion about stereoscopic vision…
3D Telly
… which led on to some thoughts on three-dimension television production.
Who do you think you are? Stirling Moss?
Actually, yes!
Becoming a T.O. Autumn 1962
The letters from the BBC to an aspiring T.O in the Autumn of 1962.
Wood Norton Hall
Of course there has to be something in the topics about Wood Norton Hall!
More pictures.
Colour Supplement
May is the month of Eurovision.
So there was only one possible candidate for the Colour Supplement: “Eurovision” (as it has become known – officially it’s “The Eurovision Song Contest”): bling and camp combined, but this year cancelled for the first time in its history.
This page collects some pictures past and present, and some background to the 1974 “Eurovision Song Contest” from Brighton – oh, and some cameras in shot.
Posted inUncategorized|Comments Off on Topics 3 – The Coronavirus Issue
