Training

So Its been a couple of rollercoaster months at work.

ITV has plunged a lot of time money and skill bank investment into Daybreak, only for it to proove that when you change too many things at once, especially when the viewers are comfy with the program, that they just can't be won over......Mind you its not helped much by someone at the Daily Mail hating us !

However I have just had a really fullfilling week because I have been training Producers again, on the use of mini dv cameras to film short interviews, chats with the public ( voxpops ) and sequences to set up the background info on guests.

Its all very well running a whole live studio camera dept but its also great to take a bunch of nervous people in a room, all with completely different abilities and after a full day of training, theory and more importantly fun practice with a tv camera, having some very confident people at the end of the day ready to go out and try their best at producing some footage to make it on the air......

Nearly There....

Its a week to go to the launch of Daybreak...
there are a few odds and sods to tidy up ( ! ) before we are ready,
but I'm ALWAYS up for a challenge.

I've got a feeling that its gonna be a long FUN week !
I love Telly....

A Shameless Plug for GTC

So I am now on the Council of the Guild of TV Cameramen, A fine organistion for Professional Television Camera Operators whose aim is to futher the knowledge and quality of camerawork on Television and the Media.

Coupled also with embracing new techniques ,technology and manufacturers developments.

THe GUild Produce a glossy magazine, ZERB and a newsletter type publication INFocus quarterly. They also run workshops regularly and produce an Awards Event Annually.

TV Cameraman ? Not Already a member ?

Click the link to find out more !

www.gtc.org.uk

Slowly but Surely but Heavily :-)

We have Bought a GlideCam at Work, A variant on the Steadicam made in Hollywood and I and a couple of the other camera operators have been playing with it in order to try and get to grips with it...for use on air by September.

Although we do need some proper training I have now become quite familiar with it and on friday I went fo a long walk around the building clocking up 20 minutes....It turns out I'vereally got to work a back muscle for extra endurance it seems, although Pip seems quite at home with it !

A Great Week in Breakfast Telly

Had a good week this week.

The show was extremely busy and we had all 7 cameras out and about the studio or behind the scenes for most of it.

We were advised to stay in town on thursday because of the prospect of deep snow at home ( and they were right, as I sit here posting this there's a good foot of snow outside the door !)

But that meant I was free to attend a retirement party for Peter McHugh our top man at GMTV, and I was surrounded by former and present colleagues from 17 years...It was the best do I have been to for a long time, simply just to catch up with all those super people was great.....

Then on Friday after 3 hours sleep we had a mad morning with Westlife and a prerecord for Fluffy Club before embarking on the Camera Dept Christmas Curry and Drinks.

Once again a good time was had by all and we managed to get together and enjoy good food and company.

However all the trains were delayed out of town and I got two very slow ones back, and then upon arrival at Gillingham decided to walk back home 4 1/2 miles in the snow...Up and down Hills I did it in 50 mins ( I think the booze kept me going !)

Now off for a week to prepare or Christmas !