Throughout the 1980s and early 90s I was a production assistant/manager and, later, director at the BBC. Mostly in the Music & Arts Department in Kensington House, London W12. These were the high-days of documentary film-making. We travelled the world light, not, with 35 large silver cases of film equipment, big square maroon boxes of precious film stock strapped down every which way, and a clapperboard. Our crews were usually made up of a director, a cameraman, an assistant cameraman (very occasionally, a woman), a sound recordist (never a woman) and the production assistant (moi, & always a woman). Sometimes there'd be a sparks (lighting man), sometimes a researcher. Sometimes we'd hire local film crews. My job covered budgeting, contracts, copyright, paying contributors, booking visas, permits, flights, hotels, local transport; logging the shots, watching for continuity and, yes, getting the coffees. I really wanted to be a camerawoman, but that wasn't...
