Behind the Scenes, Author at THIS IS ALPHA from Transdiffusion

The Television Centre at Aston

Behind the Scenes — Thu, 01 Sep 1960 22:20:38 +0000

…and Future

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Looking around Alpha – 1

Behind the Scenes — Thu, 01 Sep 1960 22:00:39 +0000

THE RECEPTION HALL — and the receptionists who are the first people to greet the artistes and put them at their ease.

‘YOU NAME IT — WE’VE GOT IT’! is the proud boast of the Property Department where all the ‘odds and ends’ for a television production are purchased and stored for future use. Bottles, pots and pans, old gramophones, even elephants and banana trees can be provided by ‘Props’.

INSIDE WARDROBE DEPARTMENT where costumes are provided and last minute alterations and adjustments, pressing and running repairs are carried out at a moments notice.

IN THE STORAGE BAYS, scenery is stored away for next week’s programme, when it will be touched up and repainted where necessary, and reset.

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Looking around Alpha – 2

Behind the Scenes — Thu, 01 Sep 1960 21:50:32 +0000

THE TELECINE SUITE — where filmed programmes and the commercials are transmitted by equipment very similar to cinema projectors. There are five telecine projectors at Alpha.

IN THE LIGHTING GALLERY, high up in the roof lighting electricians set up the powerful studio lights.

SCENIC artists and painters work on scenery in their workshop.

A CORNER of the ‘make-up’ room.

SOUND engineers at work in one of the studio control rooms.

THE CONSOLE of the lighting switchboard looks like an organ console. Over 120 lights may be switched on and off during one programme – and all by finger tip control.

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ATV programmes and personalities – 1

Behind the Scenes — Thu, 01 Sep 1960 21:40:25 +0000

Godfrey Winn, who was born in Birmingham, returned to present his series of programmes “Godfrey Winn Speaking Personally”. His sincere approach to personal problems brought him a flood of letters from appreciative viewers.

Shaw Taylor {left) with the producer, John Irwin discuss a point during rehearsal of “Dotto” the popular quiz programme. Many Midland viewers have had an opportunity to join in this programme as members of the audience in the Television Theatre, Aston.

Bringing a tang of the sea to Aston, The Bosun (Gerald Cuff) appears each Monday in the childrens hour. He introduces the Popeye cartoon films and gives young viewers the answers to their queries about seafaring matters. Special films on lifeboats, the Royal Navy, Shipbuilding, the Merchant Navy and the launching of ships have been made for showing in these programmes.

One of the memorable television broadcasts was the concert given by the Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Eugene Ormandy. Hilde Gueden, who was the soloist, congratulates the Leader of the orchestra, Jocob Krechnalnik.

Noele Gordon seated on a Canberra bomber at the R.A.F. Station, Gaydon in Warwickshire. This was during the last of the 1959 series of Outside Broadcasts of “Lunch Box”. Noele has been the star of this mid-day television show which has now been running for three years and which pioneered the way for T.V. at this time of the day.

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ATV programmes and personalities – 2

Behind the Scenes — Thu, 01 Sep 1960 21:30:01 +0000

Noele Gordon, star of “Lunch Box”, “Tea With Noele Gordon“, “Noele Gordon Takes the Air” and other T.V. shows. She is a qualified television producer and joined A.T.V. as Advisor on Woman’s Programmes. However, her wide show business experience soon brought her before the T.V. cameras and her popularity with Midland viewers grows every day.

Ward Bond and Robert Horton who, as Major Seth Adams and Scout Flint McCullogh, thrill Midland viewers each Monday night.

“Midland Montage” produced by Kit Plant, brings interesting people to the studios each week. Here, Leslie Dunn, who introduces the items, is chatting to Peters Sellars (centre) and film producer (right) John Boulting.

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ATV programmes and personalities – 3

Behind the Scenes — Thu, 01 Sep 1960 21:20:41 +0000

One of the items for “Midland Farming” is filmed in Herefordshire. This specialist programme for the farmer has a very large non-farming following. It is introduced by Leslie Thomas, the National Farmers Union Information officer in the West Midlands, who also acts as programme adviser.

Canon Charles Crowson of Yardley, Birmingham receives the expert attention of make-up girl Felicity Leadham-Green in preparation for the opening of A.T.V.’s daily programmes. Each day begins with “A Thought For The Day” from a clergyman of one of the three main denominations and the day closes with the “Epilogue.”

Patrick Astley, A.T.V’s announcer who also contributes to “Midland Montage”. He was selected for the post from 823 applicants.

Jean Morton. A.T.V.’s popular announcer. She was the first female T.V. announcer to be appointed in the Midlands and she has taken part in other programmes such as “Rainbow Room” and “Midland News”.

Patricia Cox is seen by Midland viewers * every evening when she reads the News. She has been the Newscaster since the beginning of “Midland News”, the first regular regional T.V. news service.

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ABC programmes and personalities – 1

Behind the Scenes — Thu, 01 Sep 1960 21:10:55 +0000

The only television programme in Britain to be devoted to the literary world is “The Bookman”, A.B.C.’s weekly programme about books and the authors who write them. The first ‘Bookman programme was produced at Aston over two years ago. A recent visitor to the programme was the Russian author Vladimir Nabokov seen here discussing his controversial book ‘Lolita’ with producer Guy Verney.

John Edmunds voted recently by a Sunday newspaper as the most popular male announcer on television. John is A.B.C. Television’s resident announcer in Birmingham every weekend and apart from normal announcing duties he has taken part in many programmes seen on the national network. John’s specially tailored ‘uniform’ is of lovat green shade, with bottle green lapels and tie, and a stone coloured shirt. These colours have been specially blended to suit the critical eye of the television camera which dislikes black and white in direct contrast.

“Sunday Break” the world’s first religious television programme designed for teenagers has been acclaimed by the Church and by the world press. “Sunday Break” devised by A.B.C. was first produced at the Alpha Television Studios and this picture shows a corner of the club room set up in the studio.

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ABC programmes and personalities – 2

Behind the Scenes — Thu, 01 Sep 1960 21:00:33 +0000

The light blue vans of A.B.C’s Outside Broadcast Unit are a familiar sight in the Midlands. From the Leofric Hotel in Coventry, A.B.C. have presented several programmes. McDonald Hobley is seen introducing ‘Bid for Fame’ from the hotel ballroom.

Consistently the most popular play on television is produced each Sunday in A.B.C. Television’s Armchair Theatre Series. Anthony Quayle, Dorothy Tutin and Neil McCollum rehearse a scene from “The Scent of Fear” produced recently.

Saturday night at 6.30 is the time when “Boy Meets Girls”, and all over Britain popular music fans tune in to see Marty Wilde, The Vernons Girls and the cream of the recording stars in A.B.C’s popular programme. “Boy Meets Girls” is the successor to “Oh Boy!”, the explosion of beat music which gathered the most loyal band of followers any programme ever had. So popular was the series that newspapers all over the country organized special trains to bring fans to the studio to watch the programme in production. This has never happened to any other television programme either before or since.

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ABC programmes and personalities – 3

Behind the Scenes — Thu, 01 Sep 1960 20:50:47 +0000

“Love or Money”, A.B.C. Television’s current quiz programme is produced in Studio A.

Franklin Engelmann and the A.B.C.-TV. Outside Broadcast Unit introduce ‘The Other Man’s Farm’. ‘The Other Man’s Farm’ is the only farming programme in the world to be produced as a live outside broadcast. Here, Franklin Engelmann and Jim Hall interview Mr. Dixon who farms at Grange Farm, Mears Ashby, Northampton.

A.B.C. Television’s Outside Broadcast Unit is the biggest and most widely used in this country, presenting sometimes three or four different broadcasts in one day. One of the travelling camera units is here seen on the promenade at Llandudno televising an insert in ‘Holiday Town Parade’.

Many of the Sunday evening religious programmes are broadcast by A.B.C. from Aston. A recent series “The Least Read Best Seller” was introduced by Dr. William Neil (seated) and Professor Alan Richardson, both of Nottingham University. With director Ben Churchill (left) and religious programmes producer Tom Singleton, they go over the script before the broadcast.

Lights, scenery, cameras, microphones, the Geoff Love Orchestra, pianist Pepe Jaramillo, singer Janie Marden, compere Noel Harrison and studio technicians make up a composite picture of a modern television studio at work. The programme is ‘Sentimental Journey’ seen recently on A.B.C. Television.

“After Hours” — A.B.C.’s late night show was first produced in Studio D at the Alpha Studios. Benny Lee, Dick Emery, Michael Bentine and John Bentley play a light hearted skit on “African Patrol” one of A.B.C.’s filmed programmes.

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Recollections of past programmes

Behind the Scenes — Thu, 01 Sep 1960 20:40:20 +0000

A memorable programme presented by A.B.C. Television to the entire l.T.V. network was ‘Coventry Cathedral Festival of Arts’. Here, Dr. Cuthbert Bardsley, Bishop of Coventry, films a prologue to the programme in the ruins of the old Cathedral.

Studio A was turned into a shooting gallery for ‘Can Do’ in which Lonnie Donnegan showed his prowess as a marksman. Compere John Pertwee stands by to administer first aid!

A.B.C. Television often present a drama serial to the entire I.T.V. network from Aston. Sometimes it is necessary to couple studios to house the tremendous number of sets, cameras and artistes. When this is done, actors and technicians working in separate studios are ‘cut in’ on a cue from the director in the control room linking the two studios. This technique was often adopted when presenting the serial “All Aboard” recently.

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Is it so easy?

Behind the Scenes — Thu, 01 Sep 1960 20:10:41 +0000

WE receive many letters each week from members of the public enquiring into the possibilities of working in television — how to apply and what qualifications are needed.

Many highly skilled crafts and trades are involved, such as camera and sound operating, production lighting and make-up, floor managing, wardrobe, set and costume design, and the operation, maintenance and installation of television equipment, not forgetting the development of new techniques and ideas. This adds up to a host of absorbing occupations and in order to ensure that the high standard required for each is maintained, it will be appreciated that education, academic qualification, and experience in other fields allied to television, such as film making, the theatre, and electronics, helps enormously when applying for a job.

If it is not possible to employ fully trained and experienced staff, then trainees with the necessary qualifications are acceptable, and usually their age is somewhere between 20 and 22, although this does not debar older candidates from being selected. In all Departments, a Selection Board is held before a candidate is finally chosen.

All people wishing to apply for technical grades should have as the minimum standard of education, G.C.E. Ordinary Level in at least three subjects, and applicants for the engineering grades should have followed, or be in the process of following, a course of instruction at a Technical College and expect to obtain a Higher National Certificate or its equivalent. For television engineers, the possession of the City and Guilds Final Certificate in Telecommunications is a most useful acquisition.

Finally, television is not for people who like regular 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. hours, with Saturdays and Sundays off. We have to operate a 7-day week programme pattern, 365 days a year, and though the number of hours each person works is between 42/44 per week, they are scattered from early morning until close of transmission, sometimes at midnight, and the weekend could consist of Monday/Tuesday, Wednesday/Thursday, and so on.

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“Let’s Go”

Behind the Scenes — Thu, 01 Sep 1960 18:50:12 +0000

POPULAR I.T.N. newscaster Huw Thomas helped to introduce ‘Let’s Go’ throughout the afternoon, and reads all the sports results at the end of the programme.

EVERY Saturday afternoon Studio ‘A’ at the Alpha Television Theatre becomes the nerve centre for the biggest networking operation attempted on British television.

From one o’clock until five, “Let’s Go” is on the air to all television areas in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Producer Alan Olivers with his director, lead a team of technicians, sound and camera crews, telecommunication engineers and outside broadcast crews who may be stationed anywhere in the country, sending back to Aston sound and vision signals showing the country at work and play.

Every Saturday four or five Outside Broadcast units are out and about covering events which appeal to all members of the family.

For Mother, a fashion show, or Joe Loss playing for lunchtime dancing in Coventry.
Father is taken on a visit to a boxing or wrestling match, a race meeting and perhaps a bathing beauty competition for good measure.
For the youngsters it may be a pantomime, an ice show, or a visit to a busy locomotive depot.

Finally, at 4.30 p.m. “Let’s Go” provides a full service of sports results — football, rugby, racing and summaries of the big sporting events of the afternoon.

IN THE STUDIO, Oscar Heidenstam conducts the weekly Keep Fit classes. A willing guest pupil who appeared in “Let’s Go” recently was Miss Jayne Mansfield, pictured here.

Over twenty cameras, five complete mobile units, and over 400 technicians are working throughout the day in all corners of the country, bringing the world to Aston.

Inside the studio control centre, Alan Chivers and his team work with split second precision, passing on this ambitious kaleidoscope to the viewers at home.

FOCAL POINT of ‘Let’s Go’ is the specially designed control panel which you see from time to time during the actual programme. At this control panel, the production team is in continuous contact with all the Outside Broadcast units based hundreds of miles apart.

AS THE racing results come in, they are marked up on the board ready for the full service of results at 4.30 p.m.

ONE OF the mobile Outside Broadcast units at work outside an hotel in Coventry from which a variety show is being televised. The picture signal is sent back to Aston from the Outside Broadcast point by micro wave radio links.

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Better results from your receiver

Behind the Scenes — Thu, 01 Sep 1960 18:40:02 +0000

From reading this website you will see that a lot of people take a great deal of trouble to see that the picture and sound impulses reaching your aerial are as good as possible. You may feel that the results you are getting are not doing justice to these efforts. We hope you will find the following hints will help you toward the better enjoyment of our programmes.

Picture Shape

Does everyone look tall and thin? Or short and fat? Adjustment of the ‘Height’ and ‘Width’ controls can usually correct this sort of trouble. This is most easily carried out just before the start of the day’s programmes when the test card is transmitted, the aim being to get the circle as round as possible while still retaining the chequered border.

Note: ‘Height’ is sometimes called Vertical Amplitude or Vert. Amp., and ‘Width’ is often Horizontal Amplitude or Hor. Amp.

If the circle persists in being egg-shaped it will be necessary to adjust the linearity (or form) controls, as well as the height and width.

Picture Contrast

The aim here should be to obtain pictures in which all the tones from black (shadow details, folds in clothing, etc.,) to white (shirts, highlights in the hair) are well reproduced. The harsh ‘soot and whitewash’ pictures one often sees can lose just as much detail as the thin, grey, grainy variety. Try to keep in your mind’s eye the last good film you saw, or that photograph which impressed you so much. It should be possible to get that sort of quality by careful adjustment of the brightness and contrast controls, the former for the dark tones and the latter for the face tones and highlights.

The clarity of the picture can also be improved by the setting of the focus control (it is surprising how many blurred pictures one sees!)

SOUND QUALITY

Your receiver is capable of a high standard of sound reproduction. The fine tuning control associated with the station or channel selector should be set for best sound consistent with the sort of pictures discussed above. A wrong setting can produce effects on the screen such as wobbling or vibration, and at the other extreme a loud, harsh buzz in the loudspeaker. Select a compromise setting.

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