Alec Bray
These are some letters from the BBC during my application to become a BBC Engineering Department Technical Operator.
I had always been interested in Film and Television, and at my Secondary School (Reading School) I had been instrumental in setting up a Film Group – with a clockwork 16mm Bolex donated by one of the teachers.
Following ‘A’ Levels (French and German) – I hated the thought of doing French or German at University! – I had seen various advertisements for BBC personnel. So, off I wrote. (Sorry, there are no copies of the letters from me to the BBC!).
The first letter back stated that there were no vacancies at the time.
The next exchange of letters was about various vacancies at the BBC – including some where I might have been able to use any linguistic abilities – but I was far more interested in the technical side of things (I was a member of the school’s Electronics Club, and Chemistry Club …
Eventually there was an advertisment for BBC Film Cameramen. I applied.
The interview generally went very well. I was asked a number of questions about the techniques of film – one question I clearly remember was : “When do you cut from one shot to another when the actor walks through a door?”
During the course of the interview, it turned out that it was for a NEWS cameraman (this had not been specified in the original advertisement – or perhaps not clearly enough highlighted for me! I was not interested in, nor indeed suited to, that sort of job, and the interviewer, Mr Dunhill – who was very nice and put me at my ease – said that I was certainly competent technically, and suggested that I try BBC Engineering – Television!! – as they were recruiting.
So I applied to BBC Engineering, as suggested.
I wrote off with my acceptance of the job offer. Yes, I did want to become a BBC Technical Operator …
The next letter confirmed my acceptance.
In this last letter – please note:
“… Will you please note that the induction
course will now last for three days and not one
week as stated in my letter of 28th November…”
which explains why I never had some of the experiences that many Technical Operators had on Induction at the BBC, why I was a bit adrift on my first day in the Studios – and why I was always sure that I worked on the following Saturday’s episode of “The Chem Lab Mystery” on my first day in the Studios (LG “E” to be specific, with Mike Bond!)
