Research

The Maerdy masquerading as the Barry Grand Hotel

All media projects require good research, we were fortunate to be in a position to get 1 of the best forms of research possible. We were permitted to visit the filmset of an episode of the 5th series BBC3 drama series "Being Human." The director gave us a tour of the site and showed us some of the sets that were being used for filming. The main people from the make-up and costume departments gave us a tour of their departments too. All departments were very glad to give us advice for our own production, in particular the health and safety nurse. We were advised about how important it is to follow safety precautions and that in order to be a health and safety nurse on television you had to be a mature person  who was a qualified nurse with at least 10 years experience. We shall be using all this advice when filming our own piece.

This curious machine is essentially a giant torch
 and is used to create the lighting effect of the sun

   One of the most exciting parts of the experience was actually watching a scene being filmed live with Phil Davies portraying a villain in a wheelchair. It was a unique experience and offered an insight into the world of what goes on behind the scenes of television, seeing the professional equipment being used was very interesting. One of the most extraordinary techniques they used in one of the sets (a hotel bedroom.) was a false window with a back drop of the sea fronts of Barry Island, the amazing part of this is, despite looking incredibly like Barry the hotel used is actually a hotel called "The Maerdy" in Pencoed (Suitably renamed as the "Barry Grand Hotel") as there is no suitable pub to be used in Barry, but for continuity shots taken in Barry the team actually constructed a 20 Foot high exact replica of the front of the hotel they are filming in.
     The woman in charge of health and safety was very kind in giving us a portfolio of her work. She has been involved with. the series 3 of "Being Human" a Tesco's advert and a medical advisor for Casualty amongst several others.

An actor being prepared in the make up department

2 of the lorries, these examples are the mobile make up and equipment rooms