Hurry up and Wait

  I only wanted a macro lens, but this  Apexel lens kit for mobile phone  comes with all sorts of other goodies. Mine's an Android MotoG7, but I imagine the clip system will work on most phones.  I've abandoned the Kodak App and am now just using the macro lens with my phone camera and light box.  Still a way to go to get the best light and focus, hopefully I'll have mastered the mini-tripod by next time.  So, back to the lucky dip. Next up, Crew: Assistant Cameraman with silver box & stock bag & Director, Papua New Guinea Director & villagers, Papua New Guinea Assistant Producer & Director, Papua New Guinea Fixer, Japan Assistant Camerawoman, Ponape, Micronesia Happy crew days. And a rare assistant camerawoman, yay. I remember she and I sneaking off for a cheeky swim after we'd arrived at our hotel, a series of huts beside a lagoon. That evening as we sat on the thatched terrace sipping the best Pina Coladas ever, the hotel owners told...

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...