Next month we will be returning to The Hospital Club, for the latest in our long-running series of TV Networking events. On Thursday 11th October we will be joined by Derek McLean, Managing Director of Bandicoot TV, who will be discussing his career to date.
Derek McLean
Derek’s first job after graduating from university was working as a lawyer in America on the infamous Death Row, a job he believes gave him a “grounding for a career in television”.
What is a Script Supervisor?
Script Supervisors unite the production team. They oversee all filming and ensure that each scene can be easily edited together during post-production.
Sounds easy? Think again. The majority of film and TV productions are not shot in chronological order due to huge cost and efficiency boundaries. Although, there are some Directors who have braved the logistical nightmare: Stanley Kubrik (The Shining), Alejandro G. Iñárritu (The Revenant) and John Hughes (The Breakfast Club).
Next month we will be returning to The Hospital Club, for the latest in our long-running series of TV Networking events. On Thursday 11th October we will be joined by Neil Crombie, who will be discussing the series of documentaries he has worked on with artist Grayson Perry.
Neil Crombie
Neil Crombie is both the Co-Founder and Creative Director of Swan Films, where he works across all of the company’s productions. He has extensive credits as a Director, Producer and Executive Producer, and is a double BAFTA-winner. Aside from his work with Perry, Neil’s credits include Executive Producer on the landmark six-part series American High School. In 2015 Neil was nominated for Best Factual Director at the BAFTA Craft Awards.
What is a Hair and Make-up Supervisor?
Working to production requirements, the Hair and Make-up Supervisor oversees the continuity of hair and make-up throughout the duration of the production. The Supervisor will also co-ordinate the design, application and the storage of products. Usually, they are employed from pre-production to the end of production.
Key Skills
Hairdressing
The supervisor must be confident in a variety of hairdressing skills and techniques. Basic requirements include the ability to cut, straighten, wave and apply non-permanent colour. Depending on production requirements the Supervisor should also be skilled in applying extensions, facial hair and wig setting.
What is a Wardrobe Supervisor?
There are two parts to a Costume Department, the Running Wardrobe and the Making Wardrobe, all of which is overseen by the Costume Designer. The Making Wardrobe incorporates the design and creation of the costumes during pre-production. The Running Wardrobe, overseen by the Wardrobe Supervisor, includes the maintenance and organisation of the costumes during the production.
Wardrobe Supervisors manage a team of Costume Assistants, Designers, Standbys and Dailies and are responsible for the wardrobe budget. They are also responsible for hiring Costume Dressers and day workers. Consulting the continuity book, they work with the team to decide and discuss details such as which costumes will be needed for each scene and the number of costume changes per shooting day.
What is a Junior Researcher?
Junior Researchers work within the Film Team, usually reporting to the Producer, who in turn reports to the Executive Editor. Junior Researchers are often tasked with creating new concepts and original ideas, and are expected to take initiative, triggering new research proposals. As such, it is imperative that Junior Researchers remain up-to-date with industry news, utilising a variety of media sources. Their remit also includes the writing of briefs for reporters and film makers and reviewing narratives. Researchers must be aware of and understand regulations that impact their work, identifying and assessing sources for legal compliance and copyright requirements.
Next week we will be returning to The Hospital Club, for the latest in our long-running series of TV Networking events. On Thursday 6th September we will be joined by Clare Pizey and Alex Renton, the executive producer and series producer from the nation’s favourite motoring TV series, Top Gear, who will discuss rebooting one the BBC’s biggest global brands. We’ll also be joined on the night by legendary producer Graham Stuart, discussing his work on one of the UK’s best loved prime-time chat shows, The Graham Norton Show.
Clare Pizey
Pizey joined Top Gear as the head of editorial content in 2016, heading up the reboot after the departure of the long running presenting trio of Hammond, Clarkson and May. At the time, she had been with the BBC for seven years working as the Head of Factual Entertainment. Her credits include Children in Need and Sport Relief.
Alex Renton
Alex Renton is best known for his work on Top Gear, Clarkson: Thriller and Clarkson: Duel. Renton has worked on the Top Gear brand for over a decade, joining on series 5, and filling various roles across the production.
Top Gear
The original Top Gear launched in 1977 and was only available on BBC1 Midlands. The 30 minute programme discussed common motoring issues such as holiday touring, insurance and fuel economy. The original Top Gear ran for 24 years, before being relaunched in 2002 with a new format featuring races, celebrities and the studio setting that we have come to know and love.
The Reboot
After the well publicised departure of the show’s presenters, the format was again relaunched in 2016, with a new group of presenters, and host of new segments and features. Although the reboot boasted original and exciting changes, as Renton stated in a 2017 BBC interview, the car is still the foundation. “The programme starts from the car – always, always. We build from that. We combine all the different ingredients and we have got great ambitions.”
And, of course in a trailer that can only be described as quintessentially British, one of those key ingredients is milk.
Give Your Networking Horse Power
So, what does it take to pull off a successful reboot of a globally recognised brand? For a chance to find out first-hand how the duo put the show firmly back into top gear join us on the 6th September at The Hospital Club. For more information and to book your free place, click here.
Next week we will be returning to The Hospital Club for another of our TV Networking events. On Thursday 6th September we will be joined by legendary producer, Graham Stuart, discussing his work on one of the UK’s best loved prime-time chat shows, The Graham Norton Show. We will also be joined by Clare Pizey and Alex Renton, the executive and series producer from the nation’s favourite motoring TV series, Top Gear.
Graham Stuart
Stuart is the co-founder of production company So Television. Established in 2000, the company was founded with the goal of making high quality entertainment television. It was later sold in 2012 to ITV, in a deal that was thought to be worth £17 million.
The Reel Challenge 2018, billed as ‘the ultimate creative adventure’ for aspiring filmmakers, kicks off later this month. After a launch workshop in London, participants travel to Budapest by any means they can, while creating their own short film en-route, supported by a unique community of filmmakers, industry professionals and major sponsors. The events wraps up with a film festival in the Hungarian capital.
We’ve got an amazing last minute opportunity for ProductionBase members: up to five FREE places on The Reel Challenge 2018, with all entry fees paid. If you’d like to find out more, or get your hands on one (or more) of the free tickets, contact co-founder Rob directly on rob@reelfilmchallenge.com. More on the challenge below…
Which shows have been your most talked about in the last year? Whose performances have kept you glued to the screen? Which production companies have been turning out hit after hit?
We want to know your favourites: whether they’re behind the camera or on-screen; established names or breakout stars; from actors to executives and from docs to drama; we want to know who’s made an impression on you in the last 12 months.
Let us know your standout individuals, production companies and shows from across the broadcast sector, and they could be in line for one of the industry’s top awards. For more details or to suggest a name, email the team on info@productionbase.co.uk, or get in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.