Yet again its a month since I've had a chance to keep up to date with Festshopman's comings and goings... there have been many.
The two most significant outings for the camera have been shooting the interview footage for the next Fred Howes programme.
We were a bit better prepared this time and set off for Dduallt Manor and Campbell's Platform. This is a private road so I had asked permission before hand. It is still quite a stomp up from where we parked to the platform but once I'd stopped wheezing and panting we started shooting with a quick catch up on Sophie's career and then it was straight on with the track and the history.
Last time we only had one personal mic but this time both of them had one which will make the editing easier as I won't need to spend so long fiddling about with the sound levels to hear Sophie. I also used the new monitor to help get a better picture and check focusing, it all makes for a heavy pile of kit to cart about but the results are worth it.
We walked up the line from Campbell's to Dduallt and stopped along the way to get some footage. Fred is obviously 'track safe' and was in contact with control the whole time so we were perfectly safe. It would be foolish to do this otherwise as if a surprise train comes along there is nowhere to hide. Fortunately for us the only surprise train was a 'Greasers express' which we knew about and on which we bummed a lift up to the tunnel.
Once we'd talked about the making of the tunnel we walked down to the spiral. Inside the tunnel was damp and unpleasant, also dark so it was worth having put the photoflood and a headlamp in my backpack.
The two most significant outings for the camera have been shooting the interview footage for the next Fred Howes programme.
I used the Zoom stereo recorder to grab some background sounds including trains passing.
Last time we only had one personal mic but this time both of them had one which will make the editing easier as I won't need to spend so long fiddling about with the sound levels to hear Sophie. I also used the new monitor to help get a better picture and check focusing, it all makes for a heavy pile of kit to cart about but the results are worth it.
We walked up the line from Campbell's to Dduallt and stopped along the way to get some footage. Fred is obviously 'track safe' and was in contact with control the whole time so we were perfectly safe. It would be foolish to do this otherwise as if a surprise train comes along there is nowhere to hide. Fortunately for us the only surprise train was a 'Greasers express' which we knew about and on which we bummed a lift up to the tunnel.
Once we'd talked about the making of the tunnel we walked down to the spiral. Inside the tunnel was damp and unpleasant, also dark so it was worth having put the photoflood and a headlamp in my backpack.
An unusual place to get a shot of EoM
After getting some footage at Dragon and Dingle we stomped back to Dduallt to get a closing story and catch the down service train back to Campbell's. Once we got the car out of the mud all was well and we all went our separate ways, tired but happy with a days work. I've subsequently had a quick edit of the basic footage and the results are favourable; all I have to do now is find suitable footage and stills to illustrate Fred's tales. Hopefully the DVD should be out some time in the spring.
The other big video job this month has been Steam 150 - Part 2 - 1863 and all that! I've just finished editing and am reasonably happy with the results. The main part of the 'Year' chapter is the gravity train which I and the cameras rode on on Friday. I used the GoPro clamped on the side of a wagon for a couple of shots on the way up and left it running for most of the down, gravity trip. Sadly the battery gave up just after Cae Mawr but before that it got some very useful shots. Otherwise I had the main camera on a low tripod in a 3 ton wagon about halfway along the train of 60 wagons. It is rather limiting having to sit down and have the camera low but for H&S reasons it is also fair comment. Each wagon has about 1ft of slack in the coupling so as the train slows and accelerates the wagons cannon into each other in addition to bouncing along without any suspension. It all makes for a rather lively ride but is quite exhilarating at speed.
Up
Down
I remembered to take a cushion too.
There was plenty of other action to try to catch too, in fact there was so much its impossible to get everything with only one of me.
Nice new Mk1 quarryman's coach - need a go on that
I tried to get to some locations about the line rather than just stations as you get a more interesting picture and also there are less people getting in my way. This weekend has seen some fantastic instances of spatial unawareness but people, they just wander straight in front of the camera. Never mind.
Just down from Rhiw Goch
Above 3 gates crossing
Hafod y Llyn
This is a quick and dirty edit of a few bits slung together
This is the short version of the slate train
And this made me laugh
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