Copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission
This photo probably dates from the mid 1960s, and shows filming at the canal with a Arriflex 16mm film camera.
The photo was originally posted on the Pebble Mill Engineers’ Facebook group.
Would this have been for news pictures, or a hobby film? Please post a comment if you can add more information.
Thanks to Stuart Gandy for allowing the photo to be shared.
The following comments were left on the Pebble Mill Facebook page:
Malcolm Hickman: ‘Looks like the Worcester Bar at Gas Street Basin. You can see Stanier House and the Town Hall in the distance. No Alpha tower or Central TV. Looks like he has a sound recorder over his shoulder, but I can’t see a mic. Probably professional.’
Jim Knights: ‘Hazard a guess at freelance cameraman from Midlands Today. Certainly a mute cameraman as Arri 16 has no sound box. Could be Ed Mullis? Mid 60’s when I arrived in Broad st news , he was one of 3… Charlie Moody.. Derek Johnston and Ed Mullis. I stand corrected if wrong!’
Keith Brook: ‘I think that’s the battery pack over his shoulder. Years before belt packs.’
Malcolm Hickman: ‘Weren’t those Arris clockwork?’
Steve Saunderson: ‘It’s an Arri ST and it is the battery strap over his shoulder. As Jim says, it’s a mute camera 100 foot loading ( 2mins 30secs at 25fps ) and you can see the battery lead going to the back of the camera.’
It is indeed Ed Mullis, who worked as a freelance from about 1963, together with other freelances like Derek Johnson with whom I worked as his sound recordist for some years, and Charlie Moody. As I recall, Ed worked in Lebanon before relocating to Birmingham. The camera is indeed a silent 16mm Arri (Arriflex), which was very noisy and worked from a 12v battery – seen strapped over his shoulder. Later in the mid to late 70s I employed Ed to work with me on productions in the US and Africa, when I was the Director of Overseas Film Film Production making films for the World Bank. I know Derek passed away, but don’t know about Ed or Charley – I am still very much alive and active, and run my own B&B overlooking the G-S canal just south of Gloucester.
Yes, it is Ed Mullis, I worked as his sound recordist.