Kinsey – What Was Pebble Mill?

Spotlight on Graphics 1992

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This article is from Midlands News, the internal BBC newsletter from June 1992. It gives an insight into the work of the Graphics department at Pebble Mill, and mentions a number of the staff and programmes being worked on.

Thanks to Stuart Gandy for sharing the article.

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Kinsey – rubber numbers

This sheet shows the ‘rubber numbers’ for some of the 16mm film rushes for the 1991, Pebble Mill six part drama series, Kinsey. The ‘rubber numbers’ were added to the transferred sound, so that it could be synched up with the frames of film. This log shows how the ‘rubber numbers’ corresponded with the ‘key numbers’ on the film itself. Also included are the slate number, the episode and the scene, and a description of the shot.

Thanks to film editor of Kinsey, Oliver White, for sharing this sheet.

The following comments were left on the Pebble Mill Facebook page:

Adam Trotman: ‘Omg my bad hand writing. Seems I was very lazy with my shot descriptions. Bob Mitchell used to do the rubber numbering. The rubber numbers where added to both the film rushes and the sound after we had synched it up with the clapper boards….. The key numbers were noted down as a double check if we ever need to get new rushes printed for what ever reason. And finally I see a take 11. …. never seem to go beyond 4 these days….’

Dawn Trotman: ‘Is it your writing Adam? Great times at Elliot road.. and don’t forget the black spacing!’

Victoria Trow: ‘Blimey, rubber numbers – Adam, was that you? Oh Bob Mitchell…. And Oh Oliver White and Carol Parks who saved me….. I will never forget Oliver re-cutting a scene on that show that had seemed fairly routine and uninteresting. A master class, A few frames off here, a few added on there…. Memorable.’

Terry Powell: ‘I loved working on this show, looked after Lee Lawson who still to this day, and his wife Twiggy, I see.’

Pete Simpkin: ‘Could someone explain to an essentially radio bloke what on earth you are talking about??’

Adam Trotman: ‘Pete – this is a shot log used in the old film cutting rooms. It was to help assistants and editors keep tabs on what rushes they had and where they were. … rubber numbering was used to help keep the film in sync with the sound.’

‘Kinsey’, ‘Witchcraft’, ‘Olly’s Prison’, ‘Dead Romantic’

This copy of the BBC internal newletter – ‘Midlands News’ from 1992 makes mention of the successful second series of ‘Kinsey’ produced by Carol Parks, and looks forward to the transmission of ‘Witchcraft’. ‘Witchcraft’ was written by Nigel Williams. Both productions were had Barry Hanson as executive producer. ‘Olly’s Prison’ and ‘Dead Romantic’ are also mentioned.

Thanks to Marie Phillips for making this copy of ‘Midlands News’ available.

Kinsey series 2 – photo from John Greening

The photos is from the second ‘Kinsey’ series. It features John Greening (1^st AD) and Anthony Garner (director). It would have been taken from either the third or fourth episodes in the series – ‘Heads and Tails’ or ‘Drop Shot’, as the other episodes were directed by Richard Standeven.

The series was transmitted from 1992/11/03 – 1992/12/08 on BBC 1. It followed the maverick solicitor Neil Kinsey, played by Leigh Lawson. Barry Hanson was the executive producer, Carol Parks the producer, with Peter Gibbs writing the script.

Kinsey, series 2 – photo from John Greening

Photograph from John Greening, no reproduction without permission.

The photo shows production manager, John Greening in the Bull ring in Malaga, Spain in 1992. The Malaga shoot featured in episode 4 of the series, entitled ‘Drop Shot’.

‘Kinsey 2’ was a six part series which went out on BBC 1 in Nov/Dec 1992. It starred Leigh Lawson, Peter Davison and Meera Syal. It was a Pebble Mill drama series about a Birmingham solicitor. Minnie Driver also had a small part in it.

Richard Standeven and Anthony Garner were the directors, Barry Hanson the executive producer and Carol Parks the producer. The script was written by Peter Gibbs.

The following comments were posted on the Pebble Mill Facebook page:

Midlands Today reporter, and now Head of Compliance at BBC Birmingham, Liz Munro remembers having a small part in ‘Kinsey’: ‘I was in Kinsey! Played myself as a tv reporter. Waited around all day to say my lines, but the pay was good. It was fab. I still have a copy of the script.’

Terry Powell (costume): ‘I loved this show, one of the best I worked on. I looked after Leigh Lawson for 2 years and still keep in touch after all these years!’

Ruth Kiosses (costume):’Remember Kinsey costumes very well. Wasn’t Minnie Driver in it before Hollywood beckoned? I bought some clothes she had worn at the end of filming (sure it was Kinsey).’

Dawn Trotman (film editor): ‘Remember Kinsey very well. Its where I meet my husband! But loads of people got sacked as I recall. At Eliot road where we edited it we had tape in the shape of bodies over the floor! As each person went down. Still enjoyed it though and got to know Carol Parks who was lovely. The cast were good as well.’

Ian Barber: ‘I remember sitting in a cottage in front of a log fire with Minnie Driver, whilst shooting Kinsey 2. Mark Williams (fast show & harry potter) was also in it as an office bod.’

Melissa Hallworth (nee Feather): ‘I remember there was an earthquake in LA where Leigh Lawson’s wife was staying (Twiggy) with their friend Dustin Hoffman, so I had to fax Dustin’s house to make sure Twiggy was ok on behalf of Leigh! great series, loved working on it! x’

Mark Heslop (editor): ‘Had fun on Kinsey. Mixed it at the old Ladbrokes theatre in Notting Hill with Aad Wirtz and a young Adrian Rhodes. Remember having a lovely meal with Carol in Covent Garden, had escargot for the first (and last) time. Made a great team with Dawn and Adam Trotman.’

Diana Lester (costume): ‘Kinsey had a very dramatic effect on my life !!! Met my husband whist filming it, and now nearly 20 years later….still happily married!!’