In the mid to late 1960\u2019s there were very few zoom lenses in use in the BBC Television studios.\u00a0 Some productions were allowed one zoom lens\u00a0 (and only one zoom lens, at that), which had to be collected from stores during rigging \u2013 and returned after derigging, of course \u2013 but that is another story\u2026<\/p>\n
The upshot was that if you needed to make the shot closer or looser \u201con shot\u201d the only thing to do was to track in or out.\u00a0 So that the dolly operator had some sort of clue as to where the crane should be positioned, the general practice was to lay down a \u201cladder\u201d using wax crayon on the lino floor.\u00a0 The ladder had a long line along the left or right side of the camera crane with marks at right angles to this at approximately one foot intervals and labelled typically \u201cA\u201d, \u201cB\u201d \u201cC\u201d and so on.\u00a0 (see\u00a0http:\/\/tech-ops.co.uk\/next\/2010\/08\/page-172\/?replytocom=38<\/a>).<\/p>\n If you were on a Mole crane, any slight changes to position to the left or right of the tracking line could be manage by the \u201cswinger\u201d moving the crane arm to the left or right: with the Vinten Heron, you either had to mark up on the cue cards that you were actually not on the tracking line \u2013 or draw a new ladder.\u00a0 In a complex production with the Heron, you could easily end up with lots of parallel ladders as they were very difficult to rub out (in a hurry) if no longer needed.<\/p>\n Well, on one of the crews came there a senior cameraman, name of A*****, originally from Outside Broadcasts.\u00a0 We used to joke that he was overjoyed about being able to move a camera, because he fussed over every shot.\u00a0 To the left, he\u2019d signal.\u00a0 To the right, he\u2019d signal.\u00a0 Finally, he\u2019d be satisfied.\u00a0 Off the Heron, put down a ladder \u2013 and then to the left, he\u2019d signal, to the right, he\u2019d signal.\u00a0 The floor just became a maze of ladders, and it was nigh on impossible to work out which one was the right one!<\/p>\n A number of trackers (unofficially) refused to work with A*****, and I ended up tracking him most of the time \u2013 on the Heron.\u00a0 We would get into each camera position, and generally we\u2019d work properly, getting the shot lined up nicely.\u00a0 But then A***** would start \u201cfussing\u201d.\u00a0 To the left, he\u2019d signal. I\u2019d put my foot on the “safety” platform, other foot firmly on the brake and then ram the hand quadrant into full forward.\u00a0 The result was that the Heron jerked.\u00a0 It usually jerked enough to convince A***** that we had tracked a gnats to the left.\u00a0 The hand went up signalling \u201cthat\u2019s it\u201d.\u00a0\u00a0 And so we went on our merry way through the stagger through \u2026<\/p>\n A Dalek in D<\/span><\/p>\n The early series of \u201cDoctor Who\u201d were produced in Studio D, Lime Grove.<\/p>\n Studio D, and its companion, Studio E, felt antiquated even in 1963, as the lights were suspended from block and tackle, the lights themselves controlled from a number of free standing large dimmer \u201ctrucks\u201d.\u00a0 The cameras were EMI CPS Emitron cameras, big, unwieldy things (but which gave much nicer flesh tones than the image orthicons used in TVC).\u00a0 The soundproofing around the walls looked like dirty old cotton wool held in place by chicken netting.<\/span><\/p>\n Between Studios D and E there were some toilets (well, certainly the \u201cgents\u201d) and so it was quite an easy matter to slip out of one studio into the other through the soundproof doors from each studio to the toilets.<\/p>\n One day, I slipped away from Studio E \u2013 probably working on \u201c24 Hours\u201d \u2013 and into Studio D, where \u201cDoctor Who\u201d was rehearsing.<\/p>\n I was standing behind a Dalek \u2013 and in front of the Dalek, but with her back to it, was one of the makeup girls.\u00a0 Makeup girls in those days wore light blue uniform \u201cdresses\u201d and often came into the studios \u2013 on live drama transmissions they would often have cloths soaked in Eau de Cologne which they would wave round and round like fans.<\/p>\n Anyway, the makeup girl was standing with her back to the Dalek, unaware of what was behind her.<\/p>\n The Dalek slowly extended the right hand \u201csink plunger\u201d and cupped her backside.\u00a0 The makeup girl quickly turned around \u2013 the plunger was as quickly withdrawn \u2013 and as the makeup girl glowered at the Dalek, it calmly looked her up and down with its eye stalk.<\/p>\n And a Christmas card from Crew 7 – click for big….<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Alec Bray was in tech-ops \u00a0from Jan 1963 \u2013 May 1967 on Crews\u00a07 and 13 (and occasionally others) . \u00a0Here are some stories and a card…. The Vinten Heron In the mid to late 1960\u2019s there were very few zoom … Continue reading ![\"crew](\"http:\/\/tech-ops.co.uk\/next\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/crew-7-xmas-card-1-1024x487.png\")
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