Friday  : Jul 30  : 2010

Keith Watts

Lighting Cameraman - Outside Broadcast - Studio - Aerial

Education: Harrow College of Art, Degree in Photography, Film & Television

Employment:

National Film Archives:(Two Years). Responsible for selection and processing archive film footage for preservation onto safety film.  Edited library material for production companies.

ATV/Central Television, Elstree Studios:(Six Years).  Completed initial nine months, I.B.A. training as a tea boy, cable basher, pedestal-tracker, crane arm/driver operator...and finally, when a senior cameraman was in a good mood, I operated ped camera!  During my time at Elstree (incidentally, some of the best television days of my career) I worked on a variety of programmes, including:-

Drama:General Hospital, Disraeli, Shine on Harvey Moon, Auf Widersein Pet, Life of Shakespeare
Situation Comedy: Sharp Intake of Breath, The Other 'Arf, Young at Heart
Quiz Shows:Celebrity Squares, Masterspy, Family Fortunes
Children's:Pipkins, The Muppet show
Light Ent:Starburst, Bud 'n' Ches, Giselle

TV-AM; (Five Years). Joined before company went 'on air' and worked on first ever "Good Morning Britain" in Feb 1963.  Worked mainly on ENG, covering all aspects of home and foreign news.  Stories Include;-

  • Aerial shots on TV-AM Title sequence
  • Royal skiing in Klosters
  • Corazon Aquino coming to power in Philippines
  • USA Politics in Washington
  • Two weeks on board press plane covering Thatcher's Election campaign in 1987
  • Riots in Handsworth, Brixton and Tottenham
  • Richard Branson's Atlantic hot air balloon crossing

During my time at TV-AM, I spent one year on attachment to the Director Department and during the latter months, directed the news bulletins and do-it-yourself series on simgle camera.

Freelance: (One Year). In my first spell as a freelance lighting cameraman, I worked on such programmes as:- 

 

Thames News ENG Thames Television
Right to Reply PSC Brook Prods for Channel 4
Rock Concert OB Windmill Prods for Channel 4
Fun Factory Studio Sky Channel
Heart of the Country PSC Central Television
Spots Aid '88 PSC Documentary in Tonga for ITV
Ibiza '92 Rock Concert OB Visage Prods for BBC
Harry Enfield, Hale & Pace Christmas Show PSC/OB White Elephant Prods
Carrot Gold PSC/OB Celedor Prods for BBC


Shots Television: (Three years).  Joined Shots in Jan 1989 as a Company Director and Share Holder.  I worked on the following productions:-

Le Corsaire OB Kirov Ballet in St Petersburg for NVC Arts and BBC
Cosi Fan Tuttie OB/PSC Landseer Films for Channel 4
Media Show PSC Wall to Wall rods for Channel 4
Club X Live OB Channel X Prods for Channel 4
Surprise Surprise PSC LWT
British Touring Cars Series PSC BHP Sports for BBC Grandstand
Disney Club PSC Buena Vista for Children's ITV
As It Happens PSC Barraclough Carey for Channel 4 1992 (Royal Television Society Award)
Giovanna D'Arco OB Opera recorded in Bologna for NVC Art and BBC
Jonathan Ross Tonight OB/PSC Channel X Prods for Channel 4
1991 Rugby World Cup PSC/OB Documentary for Yorkshire TV; OB team for ITV Sport
Nutcracker Suite OB Ballet for Theater de la Monnaie, Brussels for NVC Arts and BBC
My World of Opera PSC Documentary about Dame Kiri Te Kanawa for NVC Arts and BBC


Freelance: (Jan 1992 - Present):

1992/3 Brit Awards OB Carlton Television for BBC
Gardeners World PSC Catalyst Television for BBC
Formula One Grand Prix PSC Covered documentary material for ESPN, USA and FOCCA
Opening EuroDisney PSC/OB Don Micher Prods, NDC and World feed
Bitback PSC Barraclugh Carey for BBC
Clive Anderson Show Studio Hat Trick Prods for Channel 4
Nigel Mansell Documentary PSC Fuji Television
Downtime, Doctor Who PSC Reel Time Pictures for tape distribution
Panorama PSC BBC
As It Happens PSC Barraclough Carey for Channel 4
Spitting Image Studio Spitting Image Prods for ITV
Fantasy Football Studio/PSC Avalon Prods for BBC
BAFTA Awards OB LWT for ITV
Dispatches PSC Channel 4
Moving Pictures Baraclough Carey for BBC
If I Were Prime Minister PSC Fulmar Prods for Channel 4
Record Breakers PSC Children's BBC
Gladiators OB LWT fot ITV
Challenge Anneka PSC Mentorn Films for BBC
Damon Hill Documentary PSC Fuji International - Tape Distribution

 Plus many sport, rock concert OB's, studio shoots, etc...

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