Freelance television cameraman | location lighting | Live | PSC | Studio | birmingham midlands UK

Big Cat Live

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 18:27:23 +0100

Well, It’s been a while since I’ve updated the blog. It’s been a very busy summer here, involving a couple of pilots for BBC Birmingham, an observational documentary based in a hospital A&E department for Sky (shot on HD using P2 cards), Supersize vs Superskinny for Channel4 and of course lots more To Buy Or Not To Buy for BBC1. So it’s surprising that I’ve managed to find time for all my travel vaccinations. I’m very excited to say that on saturday, I’m flying off to Kenya to work on Big Cat Live. The whole crew will be living in tents along the Mara River, producing 8 live transmissions back to the UK on BBC1 and BBC2 with loads of extra content online and on BBC Breakfast. It’s the BBC Natural History Unit’s most ambitious outside broadcast ever... so wish us luck!

Mike.

PS. Check out my Big Cat Live Blog. I’ll be updating it as often as I can.

Springwatch

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 10:51:10 +0100

Wow, I can’t believe it’s the last day of transmission already. It’s been another great series, catching up with old friends and meeting Springwatch newbies. As Tim Scoones (Executive Producer) says, “It’s not just the brilliant programmes we make, it’s the way in which we make them”. It really has been great fun. Even the waitresses at our hotel commented on how well we all get on, and what a nice bunch we were. I guess that’s why it feels as if the series goes by so quickly. I love this show.

We haven’t had the beautiful weather that we’ve been used to down in Devon over the last few years and the beer is more expensive, however, Norfolk has at least provided us with a few sunny days since we’ve been here (more than Devon has had in the last couple of weeks) and we are very close to the beach. Tennis at Wimbledon is next in the diary for me (so it’s sure to rain that week) no, no, no...positive mental attitude.

Anyway, I can’t stop here chatting all day... Don’t you know I’ve got a live show to do?...

What happened to Spring?

Tue, 13 May 2008 17:10:35 +0100

From the wintery weather in Iceland straight back to gorgeous summer weather was a bit of a shock for Mike. “Having spent 3 days in Reykjavik filming another NikeWomen photoshoot, it was surprising to come back to this gorgeous hot weather. It was so summery, I thought I’d missed Springwatch completely!”

Of course to find out what happened to Spring, we need the help of Bill Oddie, Kate Humble and Simon King, in the form of BBC2’s Springwatch. Mike is heading to the new Springwatch location early next week, to begin rigging and rehearsals. “Although I’m really going to miss the farm in Devon and all the friends we made down there in Hatherleigh and Okehampton over the past 4 years, it’s going to be an enjoyable new challenge, setting up the show as we know it in an entirely new location, and making some new friends in Norfolk.”

The wildlife show produced by BBC Bristol will be transmitted live from a location near Fakenham, in it’s usual time slot, BBC2, 8 o’clock, mondays to thursdays from the 26th May for 3 weeks.

Can you keep a secret?

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 17:48:25 +0100

This week, Mike from tvcameracrew.com was one of five cameramen invited by a global camera accessory manufacturer to provide a practical critique on a number of top secret prototypes they are developing. The company were keen to get a professional cameraman’s perspective on the proposals in terms of functionality and the practicality of the designs.

“It was interesting to see next generation technology and have an input into the design of a product that could very soon be in many cameramen’s kit bags around the world.”

We've got the recipe for success

Mon, 3 Mar 2008 18:08:21 +0000

Recipe For Success starts today at 5:15pm on BBC2. Mike from TVcameracrew.com was lead cameraman on a good portion of the first series of this fast paced restaurant show presented by chef Simon Rimmer. Filmed in Harborne in Birmingham, it was a stones throw from Mike’s front door “It was great to have the opportunity to work so close to home- for the first time ever I could walk to location!”