COMBINING CREATIVE FLAIR

WITH TECHNICAL EXPERTISE

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THE BRIEF

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When the television industry found itself in unchartered territory during lockdown earlier this year it became essential to make new, relevant content whilst adhering to social-distancing measures, and prioritising the safety of both the crew and the contributors. We therefore couldn’t have been happier to help Swan Films find a solution to filming an exciting new project with artist Grayson Perry at the heart of it. The aim was to “bring the nation together through art” encouraging viewers to unleash their creativity during lockdown.

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THE CHALLENGES

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Swan Films knew they wanted to film the majority of the footage in Grayson’s art studio along with utilising video calls, footage of celebrity guests, famous artists and the general public in their own homes. The challenge we needed to overcome was to rig cameras, microphones, cables and a gallery whilst sticking to the social-distancing rules in place. We needed to work with a skeleton crew, so having access to technicians and operators who are multi-skilled enabled us to achieve this.

Fixed-rig technology was the perfect way to film Grayson’s Art Club because once these measures were in place, the intimacy the remote cameras provided was ideal for the style of the show. We wanted to help Swan create the feeling of the viewers being in Grayson’s studio with him and sharing his process.

Panasonic PTZ cameras covered the space, across the kiln room, the pottery room and the computer room for any Zoom meetings. Once these were rigged and sanitised, the studio became Grayson’s space again and could not be entered by anyone except for him and his wife, Philippa.

 

One of the biggest challenges we faced was the inability to maintain the kit during the shoot. We are usually able to enter the space whenever we need to to adjust cameras, clean lenses, tweak microphones and make changes but on this occasion we had to rely on the contributors to support us as much as they could.

Lockdown also brought challenges in the way the crew had to work as we needed to adapt our methodology without reducing any of our high standards. We built three tents outside the studio; one for the series editor, one for the director and one for our hot-head operator, meaning that the gallery had to be contained in a much smaller space than usual. The hot-head operator would work in there alone and all communication with the series editor and the director was done via walkie talkies.

Grayson and Philippa were also handed a personal microphone and a box of batteries and were relied upon to mic themselves up before each shoot.

 

We were very aware of the short turnaround between recording footage and the transmission dates, meaning we needed to deliver the content even more efficiently. There would be no opportunity to reshoot or fill in any gaps. The increased pressure was challenging but incredibly rewarding.

 

THE RESULTS

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​The result was a heart-warming, humorous and intimate show that gathered a huge following, and it became the network's best-performing program in the #StayAtHome Academy lineup.

It inspired both young and old to get creative, use their imagination in new ways and share their work. A wide range of viewers commented on the positive impact both the show and their newfound love of art was having on their mental health. The CCC were even inspired to do portraits of each other which caused much needed amusement during these times. We hope it continues long after lockdown!​

 

FACTS & FIGURES

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Filmed: Spring/Summer 2022

Aired: Spring/Summer 2022

Channel: Channel 4

Location: London

Viewers: 1.1million