“Don’t leave till tomorrow…”
Paul learns the hard way not to put off till tomorrow what you should have done today!
David Bean “The Original Hopeful Traveller.”
It had been a rough few weeks. Our country series “The Hopeful Traveller” was doing very well, both locally and nationally, the pressure was on to make more episodes.
This was why me; David and the crew were filming in April. Not the best month for weather. To be fair, we had been lucky so far, and David could be relied upon to produce the goods.
While in the middle of a field, miles from anywhere, David was talking to the camera about some fact or other when, over the rise, stampeded several hundred sheep. They made straight for David and penned him in, looking at him with curiosity. Without a second’s pause, David turned to the sheep stretched out his arms and said, “You may wonder why I have gathered you all together.” A great piece of TV and the sign of a true performer.
David had many skills, but he was, at heart, an East End London boy never happier than with a pint of beer in his hand. As can be seen by the photo, he was not the snappiest dresser. With that knowledge, I really don’t know why I thought it a good idea for him to visit a five-star luxury spa resort in the borders of Scotland to sample some of their treatments.
The idea was straightforward. He would have a massage, perhaps a facial, and talk to the manager. To the interview he said yes, but to the massage it was NO, (I didn’t even mention the facial!) Whatever I said he refused, point blank, and had that look I knew so well. This was not going happen!
He did however agree to enter the jacuzzi. So, we set up and David ( in borrowed swimwear ) duly entered the bubbling water.
“Turn over” I said, a common phrase to reset, then “Action” and… “Stop!”.
“David, what are you doing?” “Washing mate” he said. For, as the camera turned over up went David’s arm and he vigorously began to rub his armpits. To David, any form of water had to be for washing or swimming. We had to move on…
I blame this episode on my weakness. It was April 30th in the final week of the shoot, the crew and David were exhausted. The weather had turned foul and the troops were turning just a bit mutinous.
The cameraman approached me with another idea. He suggested that we do all the interviews that we had left today and leave tomorrow, the last day of the shoot, to do ‘pick-up’ shots to cover the interviews. This meant that the last night away would be long, involve copious drink and the final day would be leisurely scenic shots where, to be fair, the cameraman was likely to turn out some of his best work.
I was a touch concerned. Continuity would be an issue as the pick-shots would have to match the interviews but what harm could it do, so I finally agreed. The interviews went well and the night at our hotel was long and let us just say, ‘relaxed’.
The next morning however, slightly worse for wear as I opened the curtains and looked out from my window, I could not believe my eyes. It was the 1st of May and overnight it had snowed. Not just a little bit, a lot! There was no way I could cut in all the shots with yesterday, and I had run out of filming time. I was stuffed!
As I went down to breakfast, my crew had the decency to look sheepish but it was my decision after all, I only had myself to blame. Another filming day, at a later date, would cost hundreds of pounds and I would never be forgiven by those above me.
I need not have worried however. The crew had met beforehand and agreed amongst themselves that they would return to the area at a weekend when the snow cleared and finish the shoot, without pay.
They could be difficult, they certainly liked a bit of overtime, but in the final analysis, we were a team and could it be they actually felt sorry for me? I had certainly learn’t a big lesson. Don’t put off till tomorrow what you really should do today.
Since that day, more than 30 years ago, every 1st of May, I look out of the window first thing in the morning and not once, since that day, has it snowed!