[Tech1] Memories of old Tech ops.

[Mike Giles]

I would entirely endorse Al’s comments about the complete lack of animosity from those who had been usurped by the likes of myself, and his observations on Gordon Mackie as one of the more worthy managers, who really could offer advice in a totally acceptable manner, based on his personal experience as a leading exponent of the art. And it was the artistic input, not the technical difficulty, which warranted the grade, according to the guys from Grading Department - I think that’s what they were called - I can’t imagine that such a section exists within the Beeb nowadays. 

Mike G

> On 11 Jun 2019, at 11:40, alan machin via Tech1 <tech1 at tech-ops.co.uk> wrote:
> 
> Was it not Des Browning when he became Head of Sound who issued the 'Sound Supervisor by 30 or forget it' edict?
> 
> At the time sound mixing in Presentation studios was carried out by Grade C SA1s, but when, due to union pressure, four(?) Sound Supervisor posts were created and boarded, somewhere near the beginning of 1973 I think, I was one of the lucky ones promoted. To their credit I cannot recall any personal resentment from any of the SA1s who missed out and had every reason to feel unfairly overlooked, but I wasn't a graduate entry having served five years on the floor and four years as a Gram Op.  
> 
> I would exclude Gordon Mackie from recent negative comments on Sound Managers. He had been there, done that and got the T-shirt, or rather golf kit and he was the best mentor I had on my Supervisor training as he let me do his shows. As Chairman of the BBC Club and the Golf section he spent most of the time on the phone, but kept a strict eye on me and the crew, with the occasional monosyllabic grunt to keep us on the right course!
> 
> All the best,
> Alan.
> 
> 
> From: Tech1 <tech1-bounces at tech-ops.co.uk> on behalf of Mike Giles via Tech1 <tech1 at tech-ops.co.uk>
> Sent: 10 June 2019 19:48
> To: Roger E Long; Tech Ops
> Subject: Re: [Tech1] Memories of old Tech ops.
>  
> Are we talking about the same lady which Cliff White named as Mac Hipwood?
> 
> Mike G
> 
> > On 10 Jun 2019, at 17:36, Roger E Long via Tech1 <tech1 at tech-ops.co.uk> wrote:
> > 
> > That was Mavis  Mike
> > She was formidable but eventually we wore her down and she retired, possibly with a breakdown….
> > Roger
> > 
> >> On 8 Jun 2019, at 21:55, Mike Giles via Tech1 <tech1 at tech-ops.co.uk> wrote:
> >> 
> >> We had an equally fearsome, though rather younger lady in Bristol who guarded Aunty’s purse with the same degree of vigour as Pat Jenner, who was still ruling the expenses roost when I moved up to TVC. I quite forget the Bristol dragon’s name, but had many tussles with her over mileage claims and the number of meals that we may or may not have been entitled to. We usually had an SM or two on attachment from BH and she was particularly at odds with them, but she had her Damascus Road moment when she had to go on a three month course in London. The very BH SM’s who she was so at pains to penalise had the good sense to offer her accommodation at a very reasonable rate, using a room that was normally occupied by one of the SM’s who was currently in Bristol on attachment. But, of course, she was claiming Sched “A” and probably other things beside and came back to Bristol with an absolute gleam in her eye and far greater tolerance of the perfectly legitimate expenses claims that she would previously have pared to the bone. We never did establish whether the gleam was inspired by the handsome profit she had made, or her encounter with an equally handsome, very large and very naked Nigerian gent, who was standing full frontal in the bath when she burst in to the bathroom one morning. As an unmarried lady, we gathered that this was a totally new experience for her! But something had pierced her iron shell.
> >> 
> >> Mike G
> >> 
> >> 
> > 
> > 
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