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Northern Belle: 19/9, 3/10 & 17/10/20 + 16 & 17/12/20

Discussion in 'What's Going On' started by pjhliners, Jun 11, 2020.

  1. Sam 60103

    Sam 60103 Member

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    I watched this and skipped the off train bits. Well done to @sgthompson for filming in the horrendous weather. I also thought that the Contribution from @J Shuttleworth was very good. There is a lot that myself as a purist would complain about but the majority of people watching aren't purists therefore they won't complain in the way that some on here are. Hopefully the effect is more bums on seats. One problem I did have was that they used some shots from the 19th September when the loco did the circuit the other way round which I found confusing. I would also liked to have heard shap and ais gill summits mentioned in the narration.
     
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  2. J Shuttleworth

    J Shuttleworth Member

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    These programmes were commissioned by the broadcaster, in this case Channel 5, so are produced to provide the widest appeal to their mainstream target audience (and advertisers). If you want absolute continuity and commentary that doesn't spoil long tracking shots go to Youtube or buy a DVD.

    When they approached us for this one, I did have some direct input and gave them some options, which they developed in the relatively short window they had for filming. Unfortunately, the weather on the dates chosen was dire, particularly for lineside or go-pros, but that is the way it was. NP did help, in this instance, as I put them in touch with Stephen T for additional footage.

    Anyway, judging by the web responses and personal feedback, it has been well received - even if a few nit-pickers on NP found fault and will no doubt complain to the production company in the strongest possible terms.

    JS
     
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  3. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    That's an interesting sign of the times that a production company is prepared to go to third parties for footage that they wouldn't otherwise have access to. An acknowledgement that you can get half decent footage from 'amateurs'.

    As for 'nit-picking'. For some people it's a matter of honour that they can spot issues with location or continuity - try looking at those who take apart cinema movies! - but to be honest, this particular programme was one of the better ones as they didn't splice in random steam images of different locos, as sometimes happens!
     
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  4. Gladiator 5076

    Gladiator 5076 Part of the furniture

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    I would also suggest they are good for the steam railtour industry as a whole, which at the moment needs all the help it can get. If potential travellers can't afford, or there is not, say a Northern Belle from London on that route, it may attract them to try an RTC CME as an example.
     
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  5. Johnb

    Johnb Nat Pres stalwart

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    Probably the most important aspect is that the Northern Belle, a luxury day out that few viewers will have heard of before, got a free hour long TV advert.
    Careless editing can be forgiven.
     
  6. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

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    You mean like the Jubilee heading north over Ribblehead? ;)
     
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  7. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    That's my point. The public wouldn't have realised what was going on there and it was a clever bit of editing with nothing wrong at a cursory glance. And without the Ribblehead tweak there would have been no atmosphere, no rain and no @sgthompson input..
     
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  8. Enterprise

    Enterprise Part of the furniture

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    In the context of a programme about railways for a general audience the "errors" are not that important. Unfortunately, similar "errors" are found in many other TV programmes in which they are. The programmes which particularly concern me include those about: medicine, politics, history and social science.
     
  9. J Shuttleworth

    J Shuttleworth Member

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    Perhaps, in those cases, you might be confusing factual errors with editorial content........

    All errors may not be the same!
     
  10. D1002

    D1002 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Watched the programme last and quite enjoyed it.
    Not too keen on the ‘Countryfile’ bits, although I guess they were included to appeal to a wider audience.
    Nice to see @sgthompson and @J Shuttleworth in the flesh.
     
    Last edited: Jan 26, 2021
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  11. Enterprise

    Enterprise Part of the furniture

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    On contemporary TV the fine line between factual errors and editorial content is at best fuzzy and too often deliberately obscured.
     
  12. iancawthorne

    iancawthorne Well-Known Member

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    Are you likening @J Shuttleworth to Matt Baker?? :Wideyed:
     
  13. J Shuttleworth

    J Shuttleworth Member

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    I rather think my views on and from the countryside might be a little different to cotton-wool view from Countryfile, as expounded by Matt Baker and his chums!

    JS
     
  14. D1002

    D1002 Resident of Nat Pres

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    One of the good things about Countryfile is Ellie Harrison:).

    867649C2-EA26-4554-BF8A-B2242D1E16EF.jpeg
     
  15. OldGit

    OldGit New Member

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    That's the BEST thing about Countryfile !!
     
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