Exterior filming in Cathy Gale episodes

[Andrew Pixley]

The film location filming for Esprit De Corps does have sound but before that the soundtrack would be very basic as it was cheaper to just play sound effects over the footage.

If this is the material in the yard at the army camp, I have a feeling that in fact this was recorded on videotape. For some reason, I think there's also a tiny bit of OB recording at Teddington Studios for part of "The Removal Men", but I'd have to check my notes.

All the best

Andrew

[darren]

The film location filming for Esprit De Corps does have sound but before that the soundtrack would be very basic as it was cheaper to just play sound effects over the footage.

If this is the material in the yard at the army camp, I have a feeling that in fact this was recorded on videotape. For some reason, I think there's also a tiny bit of OB recording at Teddington Studios for part of "The Removal Men", but I'd have to check my notes.

All the best

Andrew

You're probably correct there, Andrew. I had a doubt when I typed that. There's also a moment outside the studios in Warlock when Cathy drops Steed off outside his flat.

And the Removal Men does have that nice sequence when Steed is "kidnapping" Nicole Cauvin from the "film studios" - having just looked at it, it does look quite like video (very nicely shot by Don Leaver).

[Rodney]

Yes, it was videotape. Also, quite often what looks like OB sequences were often made in the studio. The graveyard sequences in Mandrake, for example, were actually an interior set, as was the car park bike battle (on film) in Dial a Deadly Number, wonderfully shot by Don Leaver.

[ricardomartins]

When we see the location film inserts on the videotape shows, what we're seeing is a film recording of the original footage. The videotape shows were recorded onto film for keeping (a process called Telerecording - pointing a film camera at a specially built TV screen and recording the output).

I don't understand the technical terms but when film is recording film they have to be properly aligned or you get a smearing effect.

The film work was done very quickly so they didn't always have the time to light them properly especially the night shoots.

The film location filming for Esprit De Corps does have sound but before that the soundtrack would be very basic as it was cheaper to just play sound effects over the footage.

Hopefully one day we'll see some properly restored recordings of the videotape years up to the standard shown for Girl on a Trapeze which looks wonderful. Restoration will certainly help to make the location film a bit clearer.

So the exteriors were filmed in reel isn't it? And the interiors in videotape isn't it?

And the recordings we watch of "The Avengers" on DVD's nowadays were filmed by a film camera pointed to a special TV screen isn't it? And that camera filming another screen is what makes the exteriors look like silent movies isn't it?

I don't think the the fast image happens because of the lack of time for filming exteriors. Because even in classical movies from the big american studios we see accelerated images of the exteriors (I remember seeing it in a gangster movie on TCM not very long ago). Is that due to being a copy from a film copy?

[ricardomartins]

The film location filming for Esprit De Corps does have sound but before that the soundtrack would be very basic as it was cheaper to just play sound effects over the footage.

If this is the material in the yard at the army camp, I have a feeling that in fact this was recorded on videotape. For some reason, I think there's also a tiny bit of OB recording at Teddington Studios for part of "The Removal Men", but I'd have to check my notes.

All the best

Andrew

You're probably correct there, Andrew. I had a doubt when I typed that. There's also a moment outside the studios in Warlock when Cathy drops Steed off outside his flat.

And the Removal Men does have that nice sequence when Steed is "kidnapping" Nicole Cauvin from the "film studios" - having just looked at it, it does look quite like video (very nicely shot by Don Leaver).

Yeah, "The Removal Men" is a very good example. It's easy to see it was filmed on real stairs of a building not on studio. It was recorded on film wasn't it?

[darren]

When we see the location film inserts on the videotape shows, what we're seeing is a film recording of the original footage. The videotape shows were recorded onto film for keeping (a process called Telerecording - pointing a film camera at a specially built TV screen and recording the output).

I don't understand the technical terms but when film is recording film they have to be properly aligned or you get a smearing effect.

The film work was done very quickly so they didn't always have the time to light them properly especially the night shoots.

The film location filming for Esprit De Corps does have sound but before that the soundtrack would be very basic as it was cheaper to just play sound effects over the footage.

Hopefully one day we'll see some properly restored recordings of the videotape years up to the standard shown for Girl on a Trapeze which looks wonderful. Restoration will certainly help to make the location film a bit clearer.

So the exteriors were filmed in reel isn't it? And the interiors in videotape isn't it?

And the recordings we watch of "The Avengers" on DVD's nowadays were filmed by a film camera pointed to a special TV screen isn't it? And that camera filming another screen is what makes the exteriors look like silent movies isn't it?

I don't think the the fast image happens because of the lack of time for filming exteriors. Because even in classical movies from the big american studios we see accelerated images of the exteriors (I remember seeing it in a gangster movie on TCM not very long ago). Is that due to being a copy from a film copy?

It was standard practice in the UK for a long time that series would shoot on video in the studio and on film for location. By the 80's it became either all video or all film for most series. The reason for film on location was because there were no portable video cameras.

The original videotapes that the series was original recorded onto would be wiped not long after broadcast and reused for other shows.

It was easier to store the episodes on film (via the telerecording process) as film allowed the episodes to be sold abroad (video not always being compatible in different countries).

I think we're fairly certain that The Removal Men sequences were shot on video cameras - being in the actual studio premises meant that the camera cables could stretch.

[Boswell]

We know the locations of some of those film/ob shoots, some are obvious like the British Museum in The Sell Out, and others been discovered by Avengerland contributors, but has anyone a clue where they shot the exteriors for episodes like Traitor In Zebra, Conspiracy of Silence?

[Rodney]

Quite often the 'fake' exterior scenes were shot as VTR 'inserts' the day before the rest was taped. The schedule was very tight:
camera rehearsal 10 until 6pm, VTR inserts 7pm until 9pm, then the rest taped the following day from 6.30 until 7.30 pm.

[mousemeat]

The exterior shots in 'Don't Look Behind You' are charming for this very reason, especially when Steed jumps out the Bentley to pick flowers for Cathy The exterior scenes are so brief and scarce in the Blackman epsodes that each one is a little gem when they turn up.

I love those sequences like when they drive passed a pub and the drinkers all cheer, it's really charming.

same here...sorta interesting

[Anthony McKay]

The exterior shots in 'Don't Look Behind You' are charming for this very reason, especially when Steed jumps out the Bentley to pick flowers for Cathy The exterior scenes are so brief and scarce in the Blackman epsodes that each one is a little gem when they turn up.

I love those sequences like when they drive passed a pub and the drinkers all cheer, it's really charming.

I've just got a Dutch DVD set so I went straight to Don't Look Now. It only took five minutes to find the actual pub used - still open too!