[Tech1] Whoops

[Mike Giles]

The Bristol OB Unit went to Slimbridge in autumn many years ago, particularly to coincide with the return of the Bewick swans from Siberia. Having covered a lot of the other wildlife over a couple of days whilst awaiting the Bewicks, we got word that they were on their way and set up to do an interview with Sir Peter Scott in his studio, which looked out onto the lake where the swans would be arriving in the back of shot. Early days of colour, if I remember rightly, and although there were huge plate glass windows facing the lake it was still necessary to reinforce the incoming daylight, so our lighting EM, jolly Julius Jack Belasco placed tripods on either side of the enormous window, facing into the studio, but very close to the glass. We were just about ready for Sir Peter when there was a loud bang from behind one of the window lamps, with a crack in the glass from top to bottom, clearly visible, but luckily confined to an area close to the side of the window. Great panic ensued as it was an absolute rule that no-one could go on the water side of the glass until after the last of the Bewicks had left in the spring, so Sir Peter was likely to be unimpressed, to say the least, at having a damaged pane in his pride and joy until glass fitters could get out there after a delay of some months! 

The stage manager was despatched to intercept Sir Peter and delay him under some pretext or other, while the lamps were repositioned and a curtain drawn across the offending crack. The interview eventually took place with Sir Peter none the wiser. As soon as we’d finished recording, the whole crew beat a hasty retreat so that Sir Peter could blow his top in relative privacy as a crestfallen JJB and the producer owned up to what had happened. I have no recollection of hearing anything about that encounter, nor about the bill for new glass to be fitted in what amounted to a significant shop window.

Mike G


> On 19 Apr 2024, at 18:12, Hugh Snape via Tech1 <tech1 at tech-ops.co.uk> wrote:
> 
> Thank goodness for LEDs . . .
> 
>> On 19 Apr 2024, at 17:46, PATRICK HEIGHAM via Tech1 <tech1 at tech-ops.co.uk> wrote:
>> 
>> 
>> Whoops indeed!
>> 
>> I have a couple of tales...
>> 
>> Shooting in the Royal Ballet school  which had just installed a new dance floor,
>> the DoP parked a lamp - don't think it was a 10K, maybe a blonde, right under
>> a sensor. It did its job and the sprinklers opened up and flooded the brand new floor.
>> Sound crew did a swift exit, leaving the perpetrators to argue with the production
>> company and the Ballet school.
>> 
>> Second story..
>> "On a Clear Day" - Streisand - shooting at the Brighton Pavilion
>> One scene, in the basement kitchens led to an amusing interruption.
>> The Director of Photography (DoP) used a lot of light, creating quite high temperatures. 
>> What was not known, was that fire sensors communicated directly, and silently to the Fire Station. 
>> Suddenly there were a phalanx of booted and helmeted firemen charging in wanting to know where the fire was!
>> 
>> Pat H
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