Grumble grumble grumble … A Game of Moans …<\/p>\n
Old practitioners of the “Game of Tones” – sound supervisors, gram ops, boom ops, and all the myriad people in the old sound transmission chain – continue with discussions about poor sound in today’s television programmes: sound level jumps at programme junctions, different sound levels between SD and HD transmissions, mumbling actors and the poor placement of personal mics.<\/p>\n
Those of us on the old pictures side of things think it’s turning into a “Game of Phones” – smart phone footage (er, really should we call it footage ..?) used in news broadcasts and even in standard television production. No one seems to care, it seems, about reverse cuts, jump cuts, shot framing, steady shots: wobbilicam shots really annoy and add nothing to the production.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile two outstanding productions were not mentioned in our discussions. The third series of “Broadchurch” on ITV returned to the cliff edge suspense of the original first series: the fourth series of “Line of Duty” on BBC was nailbiting in its twists and turns. However, there was plenty to say about other productions.<\/p>\n
Here are the Tech Ops (and Tech Ops history) topics that we talked about. To help make the pages quicker to load on smart phones or tablets, all the pictures in this set of conversations (unless otherwise noted) are shown in a default size \u2013 300 pixels wide or 300 pixels high (whichever dimension is the larger).<\/p>\n
All the pictures can be seen full size by clicking on the picture itself.<\/p>\n
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An update to a previous conversation about the Iranian Embassy siege in 1980.<\/p>\n
What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n A very fine picture of OB vehicles and the crews that manned them.<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n This was a two-studio production from Riverside in the late 1950s entitled “A Town Has Turned To Dust”, starring Lee Montague, Rod Steiger and directed by Sam Wanamaker. At the time, it was a prestige production, and still probably the only Western ever to be attempted on British television.<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n in 1938 he invented VIE: Visual Indicating Equipment. VIE used two microphones to listen for approaching aircraft and display their positions on a CRT. This then became the basis of the display for radar.<\/p>\n The BBC R4 news described Alan Blumlein as the man who invented stereo radio.<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n In the late 1960s, a BBC Appointments Department leaflet included a photograph of an OB cameraman.<\/p>\n Although the leaflet says that technical appointments were dealt with by Engineering Recruitment Department, they did include this shot for illustration of the type of technical job available.<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n Rosa Rudnicka… Legendary bar counting.<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n One of the most memorable and popular productions in the \u201cFrancis Durbridge Presents\u201d series, \u201cBat Out of Hell\u201d commenced transmission on 26th November 1966.<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n Battery-driven Mercedes AA class – and how to clean up those corroded batteries!<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n What’s in a name? Confusing isn\u2019t it?<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n The developers of the Television Centre set up a bee colony on the roof of TC1<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n Do you keep falling asleep in meetings? Here\u2019s something to change all of that.<\/p>\n Simply tick off 5 words from the list in one meeting and shout out “BINGO!”<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n OK Studio, break for lunch! Now, where to go…?<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n SatNav with traffic module, a Pure Highway Dab RBR, dash mounted cameras – isn’t technology marvellous?<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n Christmas shows past and present.<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n Chris was a real Gent who did not suffer fools.<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n On location, the local fixer saw an opportunity to take the crew on a circuitous return route to the location via his brother\u2019s vineyard – but unfortunately there are no photos of what happened next…<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n This page redirect you to a video, in German, which shows the Fernseh, Telefunken and Indirect Film units of Nazi Television at various events including the Berlin Olympics.<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n JFK was shot on 22nd November in 1963 – everyone remembers where they were when they heard the news.<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n Two big events on the same day: Live Aid at Wembley and Handel’s Music for the Royal Fireworks in Hyde Park. And other fireworks-related anecdotes.<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n The BBC\u2019s first female camera operator was Barbara Franc, recruited in the mid 1970s and worked in studios, initially with Crew 5.<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n Technology has been changing so fast – what can you do to future proof any current recordings?<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n A list of some of the gallery directors, whom we knew, and (sometimes) loved!, with some comment and reminiscences.<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n Odour and\/or ordure.<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n Isn’t it time we got the same content on both HD and SD? It’s not that simple – and very expensive.<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n There are new regional idents on BBC 1: The concept is to show ‘oneness’!<\/p>\n And a new trailer: Every Element of Wonder.<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n When you think back, the cost of a 90 minute reel of 2″ tape was eyewatering.<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n A Google Streetview of inside the telly centre – before its demise.<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n A photo taken before the Count Basie concert 27th October 1968<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n Line tearing on VHS recordings always seems to be at the bottom of frame. Why is this?<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n On digital television? How are we ever to know if anyone achieves lip sync?<\/p>\n There were some interesting differences between SD and HD sound synchronisation on the live transmission of “Strictly Come Dancing” from Blackpool.<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n What’s the best microphone to use for doing a home-based “voice over”? What’s the best method of transferring large quantities of data?<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n Strange, what used to go missing…<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n This time live on \u201cConsumer Watchdog\u201d (21 December 2016).<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n Yet another TV drama have mumbling dialogue: “SS_GB”.<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n It’s the name game – who, in post, edits the sequence of images? You can\u2019t accurately call them either a film or VT editor these days.<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n How many OGWTs were there from Manchester Oxford Road, what were the cameras, and who work on them?<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n Which van was used in the series? There are lots of yellow Reliant vans around the country.<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n Adobe demonstrated Project Voco during November 2016. The software makes it possible to take an audio recording and rapidly alter it to include words and phrases the original speaker never uttered, in what sounds like their voice.<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n Scanned transparencies – taken from the roof of TV Centre.<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n Something for the flight enthusiasts.<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n One moment we are being encouraged to buy ever better performing home equipment such as cinema systems, surround sound, and so on, whereas on the other hand then we are asked to “enjoy” transmissions with falling standards, such as DAB.<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n When radio mics were big and beefy and ladies’ skirts were short and skimpy…<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n The problems of period-piece television programs with anachronistic artefacts: most recently, it started with one drama series, set in the 1940s or early 1950s or so, with London AEC Routemaster buses in shot: the Routemasters were not introduced in service until February 1956. Since the initial complaining letters, there have been many more reports of poor background research on period dramas: such anachronisms have gained the soubriquet “Routemaster Moments” …<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n The correct way to load the telejector – and a discussion of Eidophor projectors.<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n – we won’t miss you …<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n Dave Mundy found a Sound Crew list from January 1965.<\/p>\n Sound Crew List January 1965<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n We’ve all maid mistrakes, so really we should not poin tup those of others …<\/p>\n But hey, why have we got the word Shadenfreude ?<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n Crossing the line (reverse cuts), jump cuts: these seem to becoming more common in recent productions – and these have been seen in recent animations, where there are no problems about camera positioning!. <\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n It seems that The London Studios of ITV are facing the same fate as TVC: and irony of ironies, ITV wants to use the three remaining studios at TVC for its “shiny floor” shows!<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n We all know that song. How many items does the receiver end up with after twelve days?<\/p>\n This certainly doesn\u2019t start off as part of Tech Ops history, but …<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n The railways of Britain, in the guise of Railtrack and latterly Network Rail, famously excused failures to deliver services because of the wrong sort of leaves on the line or the wrong sort of snow. Are broadcasters mow blaming the problems with sound levels on human beings having the wrong sort of ears?<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n Something for the ferroequinologist – and enthusiasts of French buses.<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n JANUARY 2017: President Trump just loves signing Executive Orders – what do you mean, fake news?<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n Photos of Crew 4 in action \u2013 in February 1964 working in TC3 on a play called \u201cThe Happy Ones\u201d.<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n The workers create the wealth of the country and management and the politicians do their best to ruin it – or rather, that’s one opinion…<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n There was a persistent purple blob to the upper left on the “6 O’clock News\u201d weather. The mystery is now solved.<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n Les (Sound) and his brother Cyril (lighting) were two Wilkins working at the Beeb. Was Bert Wilkins (ITV) any relation?<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n 31st January 2017: Actor Peter Capaldi is stepping down from the lead role in Doctor Who at the end of the year. Capaldi made the announcement during an interview with BBC Radio 2 presenter Jo Whiley. “I feel it\u2019s time to move on,” he said. “I feel sad, I love Doctor Who, it is a fantastic programme to work on.” So Who is to be the new Who?<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n Gary Critcher bought some 1960s\u2019 B&W 35mm negs but they all needed a bit of a clean before a proper scan, and he asked what would be the best way to do that?<\/p>\n There were, of course, many suggestions – including nose grease!<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n Tales of Winters past.<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n Yet Another wobblycam production.<\/p>\n The only reason for not plonking the camera on legs or dolly, is for speed of shooting, therefore cost!<\/p>\n But the results are MOST ANNOYING!<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n The redevelopment of the BBC TVC – the advert and brochure.<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n Following a discussion on the use of the Eidophor projector (see Slides, Slide Mounts and Slide Scanners for TV<\/a> – was Eidophor used on \u201cZ-Cars\u201d?<\/p>\n This moved on to a discussion about the various cars used, tales of working on “Z-Cars” – and the use of the PEG.<\/p>\n What people said…<\/a><\/p>\n ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Grumble grumble grumble … A Game of Moans … Old practitioners of the “Game of Tones” – sound supervisors, gram ops, boom ops, and all the myriad people in the old sound transmission chain – continue with discussions about poor … Continue reading 1951 OB Vehicles and Crew<\/h2>\n
A Town Has Turned to Dust<\/h2>\n
Alan Blumlein<\/h2>\n
Appointments Leaflet<\/h2>\n
Bar Counting<\/h2>\n
Bat Out Of Hell<\/h2>\n
Batteries<\/h2>\n
BBC Studios<\/h2>\n
Bees Bees See TV(C)<\/h2>\n
Bingo – Management Speak – version 2<\/h2>\n
Cafe Rest<\/h2>\n
Cars<\/h2>\n
Christmas Shows: 2016 and Yesteryear<\/h2>\n
Christopher Morahan<\/h2>\n
Comments on TV Programmes: January – May 2017<\/h2>\n
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Did you take any schnapps…<\/h2>\n
Early German television<\/h2>\n
Everyone remembers where they were when …<\/h2>\n
Fireworks<\/h2>\n
First Female Cameraperson<\/h2>\n
Future Proof Record and Replay<\/h2>\n
Gallery Directors<\/h2>\n
Green round the Gills<\/h2>\n
HD and the Regions<\/h2>\n
Idents and Trails 2017<\/h2>\n
Days Gone – Ampex<\/h2>\n
Inside the BBC TVC<\/h2>\n
Jazz at the Maltings October 1968<\/h2>\n
Line tearing on VHS<\/h2>\n
Lip-Sync: HD and SD differences<\/h2>\n
Microphones<\/h2>\n
Missing Items<\/h2>\n
More Personalities – the Crew<\/h2>\n
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More Personalities \u2013 The Talent<\/h2>\n
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More Troubles with Sound<\/h2>\n
Mumbleygate – Again<\/h2>\n
Nowadays \u2013 Who does What?<\/h2>\n
OGWT Manchester?<\/h2>\n
Only Fools and Horses – the Van<\/h2>\n
Photoshop approach to audio editing<\/h2>\n
Pictures from TVC Roof around 1964-ish<\/h2>\n
Planes<\/h2>\n
Radio DAB not FAB<\/h2>\n
Radio Mics and What to do with them<\/h2>\n
Routemaster Moments<\/h2>\n
Slides, Slide Mounts and Slide Scanners for TV<\/h2>\n
So long, 3DTV<\/h2>\n
Sound Crew List January 1965<\/h2>\n
Spiel Chuck KO<\/h2>\n
The Grammar of Cinematography<\/h2>\n
The London Studios<\/h2>\n
The Twelve Days of Christmas<\/h2>\n
The wrong type of ears<\/h2>\n
Trainspotting<\/h2>\n
Trump\u2019s First Few Days in Office<\/h2>\n
TVC Memories<\/h2>\n
We are The Management<\/h2>\n
Weather Blob<\/h2>\n
Wilkins in the Industry<\/h2>\n
Who is the Doctor?<\/h2>\n
Who Nose?<\/h2>\n
Winters Past<\/h2>\n
Wobblycam – 2<\/h2>\n
You can call it home<\/h2>\n
Z-Cars \u2013 BP and PEG<\/h2>\n