Monthly Archives: July 2012

Pebble Mill Auction Viewing

Photos by Tim Savage, no reproduction without permission.

Tim (VT Editor and Colourist), took these photos in the last days of Pebble Mill, during the viewing days for the auction selling off equipment not being taken to the Mailbox.  It was held in autumn 2004.  The photos feature many members of Pebble Mill post production including Chris Rowlands, John Burkill and Colin Fearnley, as well as production staff like Tony Rayner.  The number of bald heads fascinated by various items in the auction is notable!

Please add a comment if you can identify others.

African World Rally

Phil Thickett, African World Rally

Photo by Jim Knights, no reproduction without permission.

The photo is from the first of four World Rally series produced by BBC Pebble Mill.  It was taken on 13 April 1995 in Kenya.

Jim Knights (camera) and Gordon Nightingale (sound), from Magpie were part of the crew on all the World Rallies done at Pebble Mill.

The vehicle was a hired 4 X4 with a wireless intercom, so that Phil Thickett, the task force producer could to talk to other three crews. The four crews produced all the on road material for the World Rally series.

They would shoot during the day and then edited in Niarobi in local production house . The crews wre responsible for 10 mins of world wide rally news each day, which was sent by satellite to Reuters for onward distribution. The production was a co-production between the BBC and Formula 1 Promotions.

There were 10 rounds of the championship – this was the 3rd – the Safari Rally. Each Rally lasted three days. The crews were on location for four days, the first being a Press Day. The recce team came a week in advance.

There were four World Championship teams: Ford, Toyota, Mitsubishi, and Subaru, with rallies taking place in all continents.

Locations included: Monte Carlo, Sweden, Kenya, San Remo, New Zealand, Spain, Portugal, UK, and Corsica.

The production team included Jacque Brown as the base PA, Phil Thicket and Andrew ? co-producers. The editing was done by Pete Shannon.

Gallery A – photo by Sue Robinson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photograph by multicamera director Sue Robinson, no reproduction without permission.

The photo is of the Gallery for Studio A, which was Pebble Mill’s largest television studio, used for dramas as well as entertainment shows, like ‘Pebble Mill’, ‘Going for a Song’, and ‘Call My Bluff’ .

Included are (left to right): Keith Knowles (vision engineer); Dave Bushell (lighting director); Pete Eggleston (vision engineer); Pete Hodges (vision supervisor).

 

David Rudkin talking about the success of Penda’s Fen


Relative success of Penda’s Fen from pebblemill on Vimeo.

Specially shot interview with writer David Rudkin, talking about the relative success of the 1974 Play for Today, ‘Penda’s Fen’, made by BBC Pebble Mill.  Alan Clarke was the director, David Rose the producer, and Tara Prem the script editor.

Caroline Hawkins left the following message on the Pebble Mill Facebook Group: ‘I remember it. I was in it. I was the little girl who had her hands chopped off and my mother was the costume designer (who persuaded me to do it!)’.

Writer, David Rudkin

Doctors filming at Pebble Mill

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photos from John Waldron, no reproduction without permission.

The photos show shoots for the continuing drama, ‘Doctors’, taking place at the rear, and front entrances to Pebble Mill.

The Pebble Mill building proved ideal in providing multiple locations for ‘Doctors’.  With a little dressing the corridors and exterior could be made to look like a hospital or police station.

The photos include: Kenny Ralston (swinging the boom in the second photo), Tabitha Wady, Natalie J. Robb, Tom Butcher, and Corrine Wickes.

The following comments were left on the Pebble Mill Facebook Group:

Andy Walters: ‘The first picture is of the back of Pebble Mill below the WM production office. The other two are of the front.’

Marie Phillips: ‘My Successor at CIN left after a year or so and I was asked to spend time with the next Co-ordinator to show her the ropes so to speak so I was not up to date with current programmes. On my way to the Photocopy Room one morning a very nice, smart gentleman asked me the way to Doctors. I thought “Oh Dear, he must be feeling poorly” and promptly escorted him to the Surgery to Gina the Nurse. “Oh No” he said, “I’m directing it!” I did feel silly and took him up to the set and I could hear raucous laughter as I sped away !!’