Scene One Take One

The making of a promotional video

I had spent some 25 years working for an Insurance Company and I felt the time had come for me to start working for myself. It was quite an experience to wake up one morning and find that I was self employed but hadn't got any customers. After some time I did in fact manage to do some business, mainly with people whom I had known for a long while, and this was very helpful in getting me established. I felt however that I was not making the progress I should and it was at this stage that I opened an office, and also considered advertising.

The question was how did I go about advertising? What form should it take? It was at this time that I met up with Jonathan Brunton, who lived with his Parents at Flegg Green Wereham. Jonathan had a Cine Camera, which very few people did in those days, and more importantly, he knew how to use it, which I certainly didn't. Jonathan had the answer to my advertising problems. We would make a video which I could distribute thought out the area. It was agreed 'shooting' would commence that forthcoming Saturday afternoon, and dead on time Jonathan arrived at my office looking every inch a Hollywood Director. The only thing he had missing was a huge cigar.

In no time at all Jonathan had all of his gear; lights, the lot, set up and lost no time in giving the command, 'Action.' At least I thought that's what he said. I was at that time sitting behind my desk a complete nervous wreck. I had the foresight to write out a script before 'shooting' started and Jonathan was holding this out of sight of the camera. The problem was I didn't want to come over as some pompous twit type so I took off my homed rimmed glasses. As a result I couldn't read the darned script. After consultations with Jonathan it was agreed that once he had set his camera 'rolling' he would hide up near my desk out of view of the camera holding the script. Now I had to have one eye straight at the camera the other looking at the script, when 'shooting' started again.

What a problem! There I sat, sounding and looking rather important, at least I thought so, and there was this silly billy Jonathan hiding away under my desk laughing his head off. It wasn't long before we both collapsed with laughter. With Jonathan shouting out 'Cut'. After a number of takes' we did manage somehow to finish the video, and what fun it was, and what a pleasure it was to 'work' with Jonathan. What happened to the Video? I can't remember, although I thought we made a good job of producing it. I think one day I made a mistake and taped over it. Facing the camera especially when you are trying to be serious isn't as easy as it seems. It certainly made me feel nervous, so much so that I never did get round to paying Jonathan for all his trouble and, if he will forgive me, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Les Lawrence