Copyright resides with the original holder, probably Willoughby Gullachsen.
L to R: Noel Paley (cam), John Greening, Douglas Livingstone (director)
The 1988 Screen Two drama was based on the Penlee lifeboat disaster, seen from the point of view of those left on the shore. It was shot on location on Anglesey. Carol Parks was the producer, and Douglas Livingstone wrote the script and directed it.
Photos from Brian Watkiss, no reproduction without permission.
These photos show the 2″ Video Tape machines in the VT area of Pebble Mill. 2″ video tape was widely used in the 1970s before 1″ tape took over.
The main problem with 2″ tape was that you couldn’t spool in vision, so if you were looking for a clip from a show, you’d have to keep stopping periodically to see if you were on the right item. Pebble Mill kept a 2″ machine right into the 1990s, for viewing and clipping archive tapes.
The photos probably date from the late 1970s.
The first photo shows VT editors Nigel Evans (who now works for Avid) and Tim Savage (now an editor and colourist). I think it is Brian himself in the other photos.
Here are a couple of comments about the Quad machines from the Facebook page:
Pete Simpkin: I remember all the RCA TR22s had a kick dent in the modules near the floor which was the only way to stop video flashing during the run-up!
Steve Dellow: Ah – the old ‘Quad’ machines. As featured extensively in ‘White Powder Christmas’ and ‘Good King Memorex’!
Copyright remains with the original holder, no reproduction without permission.
‘Small Town Gardens’ was a garden design series which ran for three series, from 2001-3. The first series was produced by London and presented by Rachel De Thame, the programme was then handed over to BBC Birmingham. The second and third series were produced at Pebble Mill.
I really enjoyed being the series producer, they were great series to work on. The producer/directors included Mark Scott, Kate Dillon & Paul Vanezis. Sarah Wilkin, and Emily Rusted were researchers, Sarah Costigan and Joanne Gray were PAs.
The second series was presented by garden designer Joe Swift, with the final series presented by James Alexander Sinclair. The premise of the show was to re-design small urban gardens, employing professional garden designers, taking them and the garden owners on inspirational visits, and shopping trips.
The first photo is of Joe Swift with garden designer Annie Guilfoyle, who designed a garden in Brighton for the series.
The second photo shows garden designer Andy Sturgeon with one of the contributors and Joe Swift. The garden Andy designed was in East Sheen, in West London. Both photos date from 2002.
The series went out on BBC 2 at 8pm on Friday nights in autumn 2002.
Vanessa Jackson
Photo from Bhasker Solanki, no reproduction without permission.
The photo shows the delegates on a PSC location lighting course in 1990.
Dave Wilkins and Barry Foster were Pebble Mill PSC cameramen.
The two trainers are Dick Burden on the left and Howard Brooksbank on the right. It’s likely that if you were on a lighting course at Wood Norton in the late 80s/early 90s, you would have run into this double act.
Specially shot video with costume designer, Janice Rider, talking about the 1978 Pebble Mill drama, ‘The Sheik of Pickersgill’.
‘The Sheik of Pickersgill’ was written by Mike Stott. ‘Sheik Fahmi wants to learn to speak English in three weeks in the soccer centre of the world. When he arrives at the Academy, with his supply of banknotes, the residents of Pickersgill cannot believe their luck.’ http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/345272.
The play was directed by Alan Dosser. It starred Anthony Sher, Richard Wilson, Diana Davies, and Eileen O’Brien.
