[Tech1] Len Davis - Glensound

[Alan Taylor]

I did a documentary in Los Angeles as a single camera shoot.  Myself and the cameraman tried to persuade the production team to fly us first class because it would be cheaper than paying for tons of excess baggage.  The production manager decreed that as a team of six people would be travelling, if all the baggage were aggregated between the whole team, there would be very little excess baggage to pay.

I explained that if that scheme was going to work, everybody travelling would need to meet at the airport more than three hours before the flight ( might have even been four hours ) as we needed to deal with Carnets and put our gear through the oversize baggage channel. 

Needless to say, despite insisting that everybody would meet at that time, all but one of them failed to turn up and we were given a massive bill for excess baggage, which exceeded what first class travel would have cost.

We assumed that they might have learned their lesson for the homeward flight, but the same thing happened once again, except the presenter turned up so late that she was denied boarding and had to catch a later flight, which not only meant that the excess baggage charge became greater, but they had to pay extra for her rebooked flight. 

The cameraman wanted lots of legroom on the return flight and got a seat at the front by the door, but was puzzled when I didn’t want to do that too.  He later realised why when he spent the entire journey sat next to a young mother with a fractious child who screamed and kicked for most of the flight, with another grumpy child nearby working as a sort of tag team.  Meanwhile I slept peacefully at the back.

On a different show from Denver Colorado, a fairly large crew were flown out ( gear sent separately ) and we were offered a $15 allowance for the bus from the airport to the hotel. On arrival at the airport, we noticed that you could get a stretch limo for $50, so the crew split into fives, went in the limos and saved $5 each ( if you ignore the tip, which of course you do at your peril in America ). The production team travelled on the airport bus and were surprised that we got to the hotel, had changed and were in the bar before they even arrived.  They were also a bit miffed to see the pictures of us all swanning about in stretched limos.  

After the show was over, the production team announced that they were so delighted with how well it went that instead of the airport bus, they were booking a fleet of stretched limos to take everybody back to the airport.  We knew that they had finally twigged that it was the cheaper option. 

Alan Taylor



> On 7 Nov 2020, at 14:58, Bernard Newnham via Tech1 <tech1 at tech-ops.co.uk> wrote:
> 
>  The best ride I've had was a return trip on Thai Air A380s several years ago, in a business window seat pod.  Lie flat, noise cancelling headphones, excellent food. You didn't turn left at the door, you went up a whole different gangway game. Far better than the BA 787 the next time.
> 
> <mhealmoehnbaeghl.png>
> 
> 
> For once, I was on my own and only had to pay for me. Cost as much as taking the family in steerage.
> 
> B
> 
> 
> 
> On 07/11/2020 13:13, patheigham via Tech1 wrote:
>> No, Dave, an employee!
>> In those days, if a train or plane journey was longer than a certain time, then first class travel was insisted upon – something to do with being pitched into work as soon as one detrained or landed. No mention as to whether we were actually capable after the in flight champers!
>> Mind you, there was an unpleasant incident on an Intercity 125, which didn’t offer breakfast after Carlisle.
>> Happy days!
>> Pat
>>  
>> Sent from Mail for Windows 10
>>  
>> From: Dave Plowman via Tech1
>> Sent: 07 November 2020 12:58
>> To: Barry Bonner; Mike Giles
>> Cc: Tech1 at tech-ops.co.uk
>> Subject: Re: [Tech1] Len Davis - Glensound
>>  
>> I
>>  
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>> 
>>  	
>> This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. 
>> www.avast.com
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
> 
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