Live EastEnders www.gtc.org.uk www.gtc.org.uk KosovoLive independence EastEnders Live from Albert Square by Paul Holman Duncan Unsworth and Chris Goor rehearsing a possible ending The cast were allowed to rehearse in ALL PHOTOGRAPHS © BBC warm clothing Day to day life in Walford EastEnders, one of the UK’s most popular serial dramas, is in production 50 weeks of the year, making two hours of drama a week to fill a Shock news directed live television before and walking out of the Queen Vic Pub With just six days to go, the final 52-week schedule. “That won’t look good on the live none of the normal production team onto Albert Square in reality entails a requirements were settled. There were “that there could be more than ten million people Two crews work in 9-day blocks – six days in the studios, each with four show” had long been a standing joke had experience of working live either. three-minute walk between sets. to be 40 full-sized cameras and a switching on didn’t seem overly important, the real cameras, and three days outside on the exterior set, the lot, with three on the set of EastEnders whenever an Fortunately though, the regular As the New Year brought the couple of small effects cameras, to cameras and two assistants for rigging and grip work. artist forgot their lines or some action camera staff on EastEnders all learnt transmission date ever nearer, more be operated by 32 cameramen, some concern was delivering the shots in front of one’s peers” went wrong. So, the announcement their craft at BBC Television Centre details began to emerge. The shock of whom would be moving from the At the time of writing, we work with Phillips LDK 100 cameras with triax last September that the show’s 25th where live work was nothing unusual, revelation was to be ‘who killed studios to the lot during the show, plus call time to be greeted by our resource started, Clive moved on to another backs. There is a multicamera recorded version, cut live by a vision- anniversary, on 19 February 2010, was and it came as no surprise when Archie’, the character whose death further camera moves from location to manager with ‘welcome packs’ – studio. Meanwhile, our crew spent mixer and usually there are extra recorders on each camera’s output for to be marked with a live episode came Duncan Unsworth, who regularly had been the climax of the Christmas location on the lot as well. almost half a ream of paperwork to half an hour sorting out problems with additional options in the final edit. as quite a shock to all of us who work works with Clive, was chosen as Day show. It looked like all the studios The normal EastEnders cameras sift through in 15 minutes. And they the set, negotiating with the lighting regularly on the show. If this wasn’t overall camera supervisor. would be needed, as well as the lot, would be used, supplemented by wondered why we hadn’t read it all department and rerouting cabling. We Location shooting away from the main site is also done regularly with challenging enough already, it was Then we learnt that the writer, so this would imply a minimum of additional Sony BVP950 cameras and kept asking what was happening choreographed amongst ourselves, and smaller teams shooting with DVC Pro recorder backs on the normal also to include a major ‘shock’ plot Simon Ashdown, was to be given no 15 cameras. Plus, we’d need more supplied by SIS and run directly into next! with the sound crew, how we could camera heads. development that would be kept secret special restrictions and that this was cameras than usual if a stunt was their scanner, plus some extra hired in Our studio was the first to start move from set to set and back again in Shooting is usually six to eight weeks ahead of transmission. from both cast and crew until during expected to be a ‘normal’ EastEnders to be involved – and our tame stunt Philips cameras compatible with the rehearsing, with Clive and the cast the time available and then those of us the live broadcast. episode with the usual fast-paced arranger had already been spotted existing infrastructure. To avoid any blocking through the positions and who needed to move outside to the lot In summer 2010 it is planned to move to HD acquisition. Initially, the only thing we knew action including both interior and recceing the roof of the Queen Vic. mismatching, the Philips cameras were action. As we started to move the set off to our next location. for certain was that Clive Arnold exterior scenes. A question for us was As none of the existing studios had to be used in the studios while the SIS peds to their first positions it became actors, stuntmen, stunt arranger, The next position for my camera was would direct. Clive is one of the most whether the technical requirements big enough vision-mixing or sound cameras would be out on the lot. clear that preparations weren’t quite On your marks... first AD arrived to swiftly block out outside where the stunt sequence respected directors at EastEnders could be met from within the existing desks, SIS LIVE would be providing as thorough as they might have been. My first position looked dry at least. It the action, refine shot sizes etc – and would start. This involved dropping the with a reputation for working fast but infrastructure, or whether an outside outside broadcast facilities, with a Day 1 Tx –3 My camera position was blocked by a was inside the Argee Bhajee restaurant then they were gone, off to the next cable to be re-rigged, and carrying the calmly, and with a fantastic ability broadcast unit would have to be large scanner, the DMCCR, for the I was to work with camera supervisor wall. The scene crew managed to strike set shooting outwards through the location. No one seemed to have put camera and head through the back to co-ordinate multicamera. He’s drafted in to provide more facilities. main network vision coverage. Another Kevin Coe’s crew in Studio B, then the offending flat pretty fast, but had door to a taxi. If the taxi failed to any marks down for the taxi, but of the set, down a dark alleyway to a also very well liked by the cast as Very significantly for a live show, the separate audio-mixing truck would move to the lot to operate a second to leave a pillar until later which made stop in position, there’d be no shot. that would all be sorted in the next second preset tripod about 50m away, he gives them wonderful flexibility EastEnders’ studios and sets are spread handle the complex sound mix and camera. We gathered just before the lining up shots less than ideal. Suddenly, the whirlwind of director, in rehearsals. However, he hadn’t over a large area, so a character live dub. Then, almost before we felt we’d rehearsal… wouldn’t it? all without distracting the artists 50 Autumn 2010 ZERB Autumn 2010 ZERB 51 Live EastEnders www.gtc.org.uk www.gtc.org.uk KosovoLive independence EastEnders Steve Roach rehearsing with Perrry Fenwick and Steve MacFadden Duncan briefing the crew in Studio A Kevin Coe trying to warm up! Some of the kit waiting to be rigged Shooting out through the Argee Bhajee doorway Sound background One curiosity of the normal EastEnders cameras is that they aren’t fitted with sound and communication boards, so don’t have normal talkback “with 42 cameras, of two different types, spread over the show. As soon as our scene had tower to enable a close-up of him “most newspapers and comments were very positive, options. This specification decision was made to save costs as everyone finished, we grabbed our outdoor kit shouting, shot from below. Meanwhile, was routinely using radio talkback when the cameras were ordered. four different areas and working via different galleries and moved to our second positions. Joy a big inflatable fall bag had to be and although there were a few mentions of the slip-ups, of joys, it had started to rain. Nothing positioned under the stunt and In recent years, the old radio talkback system has been upgraded to the into a scanner, the end result was delays to some of terrible, just steady drenching drizzle. removed immediately the stunt man it appeared other hiccups weren’t noticed at all” excellent Drake free speak system that allows users to customise their Our first scene worked surprisingly had hit it, all disguised with sound and own talkback mix between production talkback, lighting (engineering) the cue lights” well with the taxi hitting its (non- lighting effects of a passing train to the previous night, and to pass on a scenes still looked a bit chaotic. talkback, production sound and inter-camera talkback. This has proved a existent) marks perfectly. Everything cover the inevitable din of the bag’s few of his own. It was clear he hadn’t Those of us who needed to move, fantastic system with great clear digital sound and robust build quality, playing another scene and, of course, just seeing the character who was rolled on but we could see that the removal. Charlie would then run back missed a thing, also that he wasn’t grabbed our coats and headed for our and the ability for the different technical crews to talk within their own avoiding walking through the back talking was a challenge.