Category Archives: 2007

London, U.K. Winter, 1972, 4:30 a.m. The worst thing about filmmaking is getting up before dawn and driving through the slush to a distant, even colder, location. My best client, Herb Kanzell, has landed a job for the Rank Organisation. … Continue reading →

A Family Outing 101 South from Corte Madera, Calif. March, 2002. George, my son-in-law, is driving his ginormous Ford E-350 Super Duty Extended wagon. It’s crammed full of cameras, tripods, lights, lights stands, sand bags, you name it. I’m chattering … Continue reading →

Way back in 1958, Bert Stern had a multicam shoot at the Newport Jazz Festival. Jazz on a Summer’s Day took just a few days to shoot, but six months to sync up the cameras and the sound. It was … Continue reading →

FIRST BLOOD. Sydney, Australia, 1968. “Here’s the deal Stefan. I’ve got this weekly report from the markets which you’ll shoot and edit. It should be $750 a week but I can make it a grand. Send me a credit note for … Continue reading →

London, Soho, February, 1999. 8:00 p.m. Boooom! I’m in my edit room-cum-office at the rear of The Soho Screening Rooms. Derry, the projectionist, is showing the director’s cut of Das Boot. Every time the U-boat is depth-charged, my adjoining wall … Continue reading →

Sydney, Australia, 1963. I’m freelance, but based at TCN Channel 9 in Sydney. I make program titles, inserts for shows, and pop videos for the Australian version of Bandstand. Warwick Freeman, the show’s director goes to see the station manager, … Continue reading →

May 1970, South of France. Tricia and I are driving down to Le Lavandou to shoot a 16 mm film for Mobil Europe. They are planning to announce a new concept in gasoline merchandising. The idea is that you get … Continue reading →

August 2006, San Francisco. My client shows me the budget for a new corporate video. “That’s great. You’re getting an aerial cameraman. Good idea to hire a specialist.” “No, that’s you. You’re our helicopter cameraman. You told me you’ve done … Continue reading →

October 1974, train from London to Wales. We are making a 25-minute corporate film for Acrow Engineering with the catchy title, The Steel Stockholder’s Strongest Supporter. It’s not going to be a visual film. The most exciting thing that happens … Continue reading →