[Tech1] BBC Presentation Christmas 1986

[Bernard Newnham]

A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away......

A Pres Control secretary called Fran decided to leave the department, 
back in the days when leaving was pretty much unheard of.  Presentation 
Editor Granville Jenkins had bought himself a video camera, and set out 
to make a video of everyone saying goodbye to Fran.

Somehow, long ago, I was given a copy of the rushes. I don't remember 
what format they were on, probably second or third generation VHS, nor 
do I remember why, but I recently found a DVD copy in amongst much other 
stuff lying around here.  I've done a rather late edit. Much of the 
material was given to "Goodbye Fran" stuff, but Granny often started 
recording early and stopped late. The bits round the edges form lots of 
tiny character vignettes which, much, much later, are fascinating. Some 
people only got to say the goodbye bit - not too relevant now - but I 
still wanted to put them in, so they are slomo-ed.  Granny also covered 
much of the places we worked and the gear we used, and that adds a context.

I don't know if Granny ever did a edit, but his experience must have 
been a lot different to mine. I'm sitting here at home in front of the 
free version of Blackmagic Da Vince Resolve, so reversing the last shot, 
laying multiple audio tracks, trimming a word or sentence, and adding 
titles (in BBC Washington typeface), was the work of seconds. How the 
world has moved on.

Anyway - if you were there, and even if you weren't, please enjoy this 
visit to BBC TV Centre and its presentation department, when, in 
hindsight, it was at its peak.

32 years late - http://www.tech-ops.co.uk/bern/BBC_Pres_Christmas_1986.mp4

Happy Christmas 2018

Bernie
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