Nearly on TV!

[veggiechicken]

Walking the dogs in the nearby woods today I wandered into the filming of the BBC series "Merlin"! A very polite young man asked me to clear off as I was in the camera line
How was I to know that they had taken over my usual walking route to play about on horseback in fancy dress.
Its surprising how many times I've been in the wrong place when film crews have been around
Have you been on TV unintentionally? - or even intentionally?

[zazen999]

I've been on unintentionally - we were asked to go to head office one day to sit in on a Q&A in 'women in construction' shortly after I joined the organisation and stupidly I asked a few questions. They were recording it but I just thought it was for internal training. They would play this out every time a 'women in construction' issue came up on Sky News and although I've never seen it, I would get people calling me up every few months telling me they had just seen me on Sky TV.

Sigh.

[greenishfing]

Just as a matter of interest (not being a fan of the BBC) can they actually make you get out of their way?

[zazen999]

Oh and the BBC come to work quite often to film things for GW and other gardening and foodie programmes; once they were filming Frances doing a bit on Green Manures for GW and I was at the same time doing a workshop on Worms about 10 ft from where they were filming and was waltzing over with 18 people, most of them kids. So they had to stop filming as the workshop was part of our 'summer season fun' and wait patiently for me to do 20 minutes on worms.

The kids were there with the families all day and I kept seeing the film crew flying around asking them to shush it a bit as they were still filming. *Snigger.

[dominic10]

So the story goes: as my cousin sank in the mud in her wellies up to her knees - by the time the camera crew had got the light right, etc. two burly workmen waded in and rescued her and ruined the take.....leaving the wellies behind but a very grateful construction manager.

[veggiechicken]

I don't suppose so as its a public park but it made no difference to me - I just went further into the woods, instead of across the open area where they were filming. Its a popular location for Dr Who and Torchwood as well so I've seen film crews there many times. I can walk there everyday if I please - I'm happy to share it

[zazen999]

I don't suppose so as its a public park but it made no difference to me - I just went further into the woods, instead of across the open area where they were filming. Its a popular location for Dr Who and Torchwood as well so I've seen film crews there many times. I can walk there everyday if I please - I'm happy to share it

My SIL's best mate is regularly in both those as an extra - I think this time she is in a 'higher food chain' type role, and she started filming this week so it might have been her you came across in the woods. If there were any damsels there, of course...

[veggiechicken]

There were damsels, Zaz, although I didn't get too close to the action! There were 3 horses, ridden by 2 blokes who may have been in chainmail and a female, whose horse was being led by a groom, and a lady in a long white dress. - and a lot of smoke (but that could have been from their lunch)!
One Torchwood time, the wood was full of really spooky mist - very odd because it was a sunny day - then I spotted the smoke machine!!

[Potstubsdustbins]

No they can't make you move if your on public land, they can ask or bribe but that is all.

I was out on location filming the Upper Hand (is anyone that old) with Central TV some years ago. Wonderful sunny day, we were next to the Grantham canal and in the next field a farmer was combining. The noise was interfering with the sound crew, off goes a little runner and askes the farmer to desist. Farmer refuses on the grounds that if he does not get his crop in rain could ruin it, the production buyer bribed him with a wedge of money. As we left the village the farmer returned and combined his field. Double bubble as they say.

So next time VC hold your hand out.

Colin

[singleseeder]

Many moons ago, I was an extra in Witchfinder General. Filmed in Norfolk/Suffolk. There had been an ad in the local paper asking if anyone with horses fancied it.

It was the day the QE2 was launched and Rupert Davies has brought a tiny portable TV that we could watch it on. Everyone was holidng their breath to hear the name of this new liner and 'QE2' was a bit of an anticlimax. Oh so long ago!

[veggiechicken]

I'll be up there tomorrow in case they come back, Potty. Maybe I'll camp out tonight so I won't miss them
I was paid subsistence once when I spoke about a charity in an advert for Secret Millionaire. Watched the whole flipping series and they didn't show me once!! Maybe it had something to do with my facetious curtsey to the cameras at the end

[veggiechicken]

Potty, I forgot to say that my first thought was of you when they told me they were filming "Merlin". I did look out for you.........

[Potstubsdustbins]

It must be remembered that these people live in a rarified atmosphere, they can be very clever at what they do, but they arn't very street wise.

Another example was when we were filming Boon (thats an oldie too). Boons office was on a small industrial estate off Trent Lane full of small working garages. If Central were going to be filming on say a Saturday or Sunday they would write to each garage informing them of the schedule.

They were then left scratching their heads as to why every garage had an urgent, noisy job on that must be finnished for Monday or the owner would loose money. Out came the production buyer again bribes in hand.

Colin

[veggiechicken]

How were you involved Potty?

[Potstubsdustbins]

I was a contract armourer, never in front of the camera I would have broke the lens.

When ever you saw a gun being used in one of Central's local productions it was one of my guns. It was my job to supply the guns, ammo and any other bits and bobs required. Then to teach the actors how to use it both safely and so as to look realistic. And finaly to make sure they didn't hurt themselves or any one else.

It was a sideline but very lucrative and very easy work 90% sitting around waiting to be called, I read a lot of books LOL. Then Central closed their Nottingham studio in the early 90s and it was back to plumbing full time.

I must say it was a experience to say the least. I worked with some quite famous people but its different when they are at work. Everyone is on first name terms no one as any side to them, they just get on with the job. All in all, good fun and a bit like a well paid holiday.

The one major job I missed out on was Sharp, my mate William (Billy) Whitlam ended up with that job. That was shot mainly in the Crimea so it was a few months away and then the rest of the year with his feet up and he did get in front of the camera.

Colin