It's really rather nice, actually!
We've just had our seventh night in the caravan, three more to go before it's back to the daily grind - be home early afternoon Monday, get all of the footage uploaded into the editing system, and start the main edit Tuesday.
Wednesday, scuttle up to the NEC in Birmingham to film around a show there, and then in front of the computer on Thursday and Friday, hopefully getting the show complete to go in the overnight on Saturday morning, arriving in London by Monday noon to go on-air on that Wednesday!
The following week, assemble the subsequent show's main sections, which have now been filmed, and try to do some paperwork (like the accounts!), and talk to broadcasters, potential advertisers and others!
No wonder I like being in the caravan!
Friday, April 24, 2009
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Main shooting trip number two!
Off on our second "proper" filming trip for the year - although we've been in the caravan for twenty nights already this year, it's been mostly graft. Our first outing for the year was a week at the NEC temporary site in February, which was okay, but really rather chilly and 'orrible, with only 6 amps of electricity - if we go for that period next year, we'll probably stay elsewhere.
We had five nights in March, at Abbey Wood and Crystal Palace, and that we enjoyed. This was followed by three nights at Newark - one on a CC affiliated site called Milestone, and two at the Newark Showground. At Newark, we didn't have any electric, and again, I don't think we'll be staying on that site again, although I'd like to do the Spring Fair itself.
The bottom line, I suppose, is that in the winter, madam and me need our 16amps, but in the summer, we're fine with less. In the UK, we need enough electricity to run the TV for nice evenings in, and it's nice to have enough to keep the battery charged, and run the kettle etc.
But abroad, I guess having enough to do the (750w) keetle is good . . . honestly, I'm not so worried about the telly . . I didn't have tv for a long time a few years ago, and I'm still as happy as Larry (whoever Larry was) without the box!
I'm still struggling with what to do for the rest of the year. I missed having a trip to France last year, and I do seriously like going there . . . perhaps we'll manage a week or ten days in May or June.
I'm pretty sure we'll get a trip to Scotland this early summer, too - I want to film at a couple more places in Yorkshire, so we can fit that into that trip, with luck . . .
Still won't manage to get a month's trip anywhere, like some people I know!
Finally, If you've very computer keen, don't forget I twitter to keep you up with doings (!) at http://twitter.com/Caravanchannel
We had five nights in March, at Abbey Wood and Crystal Palace, and that we enjoyed. This was followed by three nights at Newark - one on a CC affiliated site called Milestone, and two at the Newark Showground. At Newark, we didn't have any electric, and again, I don't think we'll be staying on that site again, although I'd like to do the Spring Fair itself.
The bottom line, I suppose, is that in the winter, madam and me need our 16amps, but in the summer, we're fine with less. In the UK, we need enough electricity to run the TV for nice evenings in, and it's nice to have enough to keep the battery charged, and run the kettle etc.
But abroad, I guess having enough to do the (750w) keetle is good . . . honestly, I'm not so worried about the telly . . I didn't have tv for a long time a few years ago, and I'm still as happy as Larry (whoever Larry was) without the box!
I'm still struggling with what to do for the rest of the year. I missed having a trip to France last year, and I do seriously like going there . . . perhaps we'll manage a week or ten days in May or June.
I'm pretty sure we'll get a trip to Scotland this early summer, too - I want to film at a couple more places in Yorkshire, so we can fit that into that trip, with luck . . .
Still won't manage to get a month's trip anywhere, like some people I know!
Finally, If you've very computer keen, don't forget I twitter to keep you up with doings (!) at http://twitter.com/Caravanchannel
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
First shooting trip of the season . . .
All things being equal, we'll be off on our first major shooting trip next week. We'll be filming with Swift Group and Explorer, and should be shooting three or four campsites, plus snippets about the areas that the sites are in.
During this run, we're planning to stay at Clumber Park, Rowntree, Grange and Grafham Water Caravan Club sites.
Should be a nice trip!
Incidentally, I don't know what to make of Twitter - have you seen it? I twitter on a regular basis when I spent a lot of time in front of the PC or laptop, and I think some people find it entertaining - if only to see what a dull little life I live! Find the thing at: http://twitter.com/Caravanchannel
During this run, we're planning to stay at Clumber Park, Rowntree, Grange and Grafham Water Caravan Club sites.
Should be a nice trip!
Incidentally, I don't know what to make of Twitter - have you seen it? I twitter on a regular basis when I spent a lot of time in front of the PC or laptop, and I think some people find it entertaining - if only to see what a dull little life I live! Find the thing at: http://twitter.com/Caravanchannel
Friday, April 10, 2009
Comparisons are . . .
invideous? Someone recently wrote to me, asking a couple of pointed questions about why our programmes sometimes aren't up to what they called "BBC standards" . . .
I had to write back and tell him that essentially, it's because we don't get the same amount of money that the BBC spends on programmes!
I don't think people are aware of the sheer size of the wedge of wonga it takes to make a TV programme. For its cheapest daytime programme content, the beeb reckons to pay out around £10,000. But that rate can easily grow as programme-makers put more into the mix, and using higher profile presenters can quickly stack extra thousands into the costs.
The 7pm evening slot that Yhe Caravan Channel occupies, on the BBC, would be worth probably around £20,000 to make . .
The Caravan Channel, however, creeps along on between a tenth and a fifth of what the mighty beeb would pay for a daytime schedule spot, if they were convinced that the caravan and motorhome community were worth the interest - which they rarely seem to consider the case.
If we had the money, I'd be delighted to spend it on improving the show - probably, in response to some popular demand, I'd replace me, a caravanner on their third van, who can actually reverse into a pitch with only one or two shunts, with a dolly bird or a comedian who wouldn't be seen dead in a caravan or motorhome. I'd put in some soporific background music, strings and oboes, in response to the people who call what I think is our present quite suitable boppy music, "hard rock".
There'd be loads of other things to do that would spend the dosh. It would probably be a much slicker, snazzier programme . . . but all it would be to me, would be another of those shows made by TV pros without the vaguest interest in the topic.
Smooth and with arty camera angles.
But without the genuine interest, enthusiasm, and real-life action of the original Caravan Channel - which is why I really rather tend to disregard the opinions of the people who constantly talk about style.
Content first, I say.
I had to write back and tell him that essentially, it's because we don't get the same amount of money that the BBC spends on programmes!
I don't think people are aware of the sheer size of the wedge of wonga it takes to make a TV programme. For its cheapest daytime programme content, the beeb reckons to pay out around £10,000. But that rate can easily grow as programme-makers put more into the mix, and using higher profile presenters can quickly stack extra thousands into the costs.
The 7pm evening slot that Yhe Caravan Channel occupies, on the BBC, would be worth probably around £20,000 to make . .
The Caravan Channel, however, creeps along on between a tenth and a fifth of what the mighty beeb would pay for a daytime schedule spot, if they were convinced that the caravan and motorhome community were worth the interest - which they rarely seem to consider the case.
If we had the money, I'd be delighted to spend it on improving the show - probably, in response to some popular demand, I'd replace me, a caravanner on their third van, who can actually reverse into a pitch with only one or two shunts, with a dolly bird or a comedian who wouldn't be seen dead in a caravan or motorhome. I'd put in some soporific background music, strings and oboes, in response to the people who call what I think is our present quite suitable boppy music, "hard rock".
There'd be loads of other things to do that would spend the dosh. It would probably be a much slicker, snazzier programme . . . but all it would be to me, would be another of those shows made by TV pros without the vaguest interest in the topic.
Smooth and with arty camera angles.
But without the genuine interest, enthusiasm, and real-life action of the original Caravan Channel - which is why I really rather tend to disregard the opinions of the people who constantly talk about style.
Content first, I say.
Sunday, April 05, 2009
Holiday Times . . .
I do like not being bound to conventional holiday periods - like, for instance, this Easter holiday break. We're going off for a couple of days next week, with Dot's grand-daughters, to a site in Norfolk, and I expect we'll all have quite a good time.
But it'll still be nice, after the Easter weekend, to hitch up and meander off on a ten-day trip north, for some shooting and some holiday in the North of England. The plan is to visit Swift, to shoot details of one motorhome and one caravan; to visit Explorer, to shoot something around their factory, and maybe to get as far north as Edinburgh, where Dot spent (or mis-spent) her youth!
This will also give us the chance to visit a couple of additional places, and to do several site reviews. As ever, it'll be busy but enjoyable!
But it'll still be nice, after the Easter weekend, to hitch up and meander off on a ten-day trip north, for some shooting and some holiday in the North of England. The plan is to visit Swift, to shoot details of one motorhome and one caravan; to visit Explorer, to shoot something around their factory, and maybe to get as far north as Edinburgh, where Dot spent (or mis-spent) her youth!
This will also give us the chance to visit a couple of additional places, and to do several site reviews. As ever, it'll be busy but enjoyable!
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