Broadcasting
Dave started work in the broadcast industry in 1978 as a Trainee Audio
Assistant at BBC Bristol. Being based in an English Region he worked
for network radio and network television both in studios and on outside
broadcasts, with some forays into film dubbing. Programmes covered almost
every genre from drama to sport via religion and children's. Dave
progressed through the BBC training structure to become an Audio Supervisor
in 1982. As the result of cut backs he was made redundant in late 1992.
The BBC training gave Dave considerable expertise and knowledge in broadcast
sound operations. Although that was a good number of years ago now, the
fundamentals haven't changed a great deal. His thorough understanding of
the basic principles allows him to achieve the desired result from the
majority of equipment without detailed instruction.
Redundancy gave Dave the opportunity to back-pack around the world. He
spent most time in China, Thailand, Malaysia and Bali and quickly returned
via Sydney, Hawaii and San Francisco. Since that time he has been
working as a freelance Broadcast Sound Engineer.
Dave spent a few seasons doing the main match coverage for HTV Wales'
Soccer Sunday. This was a 4 camera
OB with single commentator and minimum crew. He was the sole sound
and communications person on the unit. He would rig the pitch
microphones and the commentary position, test with the assistance of the
cameramen and produce a mix and clean FX track during the match.
From the start of his career Dave has operated a Fisher Boom or swung a
pole. At the BBC one of the earliest shows was
Animal Magic, later Casualty from its
beginning way back in 1985 until he moved to the North Pennines in 1999.
More recently programmes such as Emmerdale,
Question Time, My Parents Are Aliens and
Heartbeat have benefited from his skill and experience as a boom
or pole operator.
Swinging a pole or boom is not only about getting the microphone in the
right place at the right time for the right sound. There has to be an
understanding of the visual side as well. Camera angles, shot sizes and
lighting all influence where the microphone, the pole and their operator can
be. Working with the Camera Operator, Grips, Director of Photography
and the Gaffer to reach the best solution for all involved is part and parcel
of a Boom Operator's job.
To illustrate the range of programming Dave has have worked on here are some of the
many programme titles.
Other Interests
Since 1989 Dave ran a computer bulletin board, part of the international
GT-Power network. This gave him a good grounding in personal
computers, modems, data communication standards and protocols. Dave has
also written and released a number of utility programs for the bulletin board.
The internet with the World Wide Web and nearly instant global e-mail
has effectively killed the old BBS networks but they survive now using
the internet rather than modems and long distance telephone calls.
Dave has been on the internet for many years. In a small way he
contributed to the initial provision of cheap internet access in the UK as
a founder member of Demon Internet. Early in 1992 Cliff Stanford
floated an idea on the Compulink Information Exchange of providing internet
access for "a tenner a month". Around 120 other people put their
first year's subscription up front and Demon Internet was born.
As the internet has expanded so has Dave's use of it and the use he makes of
computers. He maintains a small home network based around a Linux
server with OS/2 and Windows work stations. The server logs the
data from the Automatic Weather Station, plots the graphs and uploads the
results to the Howhill
Weather pages. All this is automatically controlled by various
PERL scripts written or adapted by him. Over the years extra
monitoring devices have been built or integrated into the
system. From power consumption and supply voltage through to the
heat demands and sources for the thermal store at the heart of the
heating and hot water system.
As a licensed Radio Amateur, callsign G6ILE, Dave has an interest in radio
frequency communications and electronics. He has built many projects
including a microwave audio transmitter/receiver operating in the 10GHz band
as well as various units for sending and receiving Radio Teletype signals.
Finally Howhill. An ongoing project to refurbish and decorate with
the idea of running a B&B or holiday lets. Dave is doing most of
the work himself, so the skills of tiling, plumbing, electrics, wallpapering
and painting are all being well exercised. Things are progressing,
slowly...
