BBC Work Experience

This Summer I had the opportunity to do two weeks work experience with the BBC. I worked within the art department and costume & Props department on a drama called Da Vinci's Demons. 

The experience was truly valuable, It was a fantastic opportunity to gain insight of what its like to work creatively for TV  Just walking around the sets and being able to spend time watching the props teams in their workshops and the members of the art department at work was a real privilege. 

Straight away I was given tasks to complete and was put to work on various tasks as part the existing teams. At times I felt a little out of my comfort zone by what was expected of me. However, I think I completed tasks successfully and was making a useful contribution and not getting in the way!

Throughout my time I tried to be proactive, to say yes, look for more jobs as soon as Id finished what I'd been asked, and ask for advice if I needed it. I think at the end of my time I was left feeling far more confident in myself and my skills, and words of appreciation and thanks from staff I'd been working with helped confirm this.

During the two weeks I got to put to use many techniques and skills I have developed so far from using a sewing machine, to dyeing, to painting. I kept a diary of tasks;

Day one

• Read Script, introduction to staff and their roles.
• Tour of Sets
• First task; cut 20m strips of fabric, and dye black.
• Hang fabric to dry.

Day Two

• Continue cutting and dyeing fabric strips.
• Task two; follow Props manager on meetings with Carpentry/workshop team to decide on the design and creation of "the Pope's Chair." Source and buy fringing for the chair.

Day Three

• Task three; Make a 10" Cushion out of red velvet with a rope and tassel edging.
• Continue with cutting and dyeing fabric strips.

Day Four

• Task four; The next day the Pope's chair had been made from MDF. I worked as part of a team to decorate it. I measured out sections that needed to be covered in leather. I glued on decorative panelling and fringing. 
• I also decorated the top panel again with the decorative embroidery ribbons, and the top by pleating gold silk.

( This was my favourite day, the workshop team were lovely to work with and although we were under pressure to complete on time the atmosphere and mood was really positive. The Olympics was on in the background on the radio. It turned out to be a very successful day for team GB resulting in numerous outbursts of Spandau Ballet's Gold!)

I would love to put photo's up of the chair as it was rather impressive in completion, but I'm not too sure about copyright, maybe I'll put some stills up after the Drama's aired.

Day Five

• Sew all the fabric strips I'd cut and dyed together.
• Sew crest on the back Military jacket, edge with gold rope.
• Hand stitch ties on pinny's.

Week Two

Day One

• Tea stain sketch book pages (props)
• Ink over computer printed drawings to make them look hand drawn (props)

Day Two

• More printing, cutting and inking over sketchbook pages that would be actors props.

Day Three

• Some tea staining of various letters and diagram props. 
• Sewed together more of the dyed fabric.

Day Four

• Cut out a building that was in a tapestry being used that was too modern for the era (continuity is key!)and repaired.

Day Five

• Making book spines look old and dusty with walnut powder, talc and fixative (magic!)