JUMP! Korean combat meets comedy

Tuesday 06/02/07 

Story:   JUMP!  Korean combat meets comedy

Having got back to Gatwick, taken the train to Victoria and a cab to the office we had a five minute turn around time before heading off to the Peacock Theatre, Holborn.

We were all tired and not overly keen on having to attend this filming but were under obligation to do so because our entertainment programme had asked us to film some of this show as our company was brining it to Japan later this year. We had a pre show interview arranged for 1800 with the theatre’s creative director. I then heard that the whole thing was only going to be for flash news, that meant 30 seconds, so I was advised that there would be no chance of them using any interview or post performance vox-pops.

A room had been set aside for the interview but I asked if we could do it in the theatre itself, because to have it in a separate and very bland room would add nothing visually, whereas to have it in the theatre with the performers limbering up on stage in the background would at least add a link.

We now had to wait for the show to begin at 1930 so I went outside to film exterior shots of the Peacock Theatre. It was dark, so dark that it looked like an office building. I got them to turn on the lights, not sure why they were off, and then it looked like an office building with a light up sign on it!

I had been told that it wasn’t necessary to film lots but already knew that I’d end up filming the whole thing. What choice did I have? I hadn’t seen the show before and so did not want to miss the best bits, because those would be what I’d be asked for later in the edit, and if I didn’t have them there’d be no excuse…

 

It was pretty good, very slapstick, silent movie sort of humour. I even found myself chuckling as I filmed. Ideally two cameras would have been good, one on a wide shot to cover everything and the other to follow the action around. But alas it was just me balancing both tasks and trying to pre-empt the performers moves.

Some audience interviews, with very positive responses, on the way out and we ended up sending more than expected to Japan as my correspondent thought it was a fun enough piece to warrant more than a 30 second mention in the entertainment corner.

Finished everything by 0000.