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Starring Ellipse 2V - F3B (11/5/00) |
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Below is an article I wrote last year. It is all about my experience in the filming of a TV commercial. The article has just been published in the LSF newsletter (Australian edition). Unfortunately I have not seen the finished product as it is for use in both USA & Europe, not New Zealand. This is the story of my film shoot experience that took place on October 26, 1999. How it all came about. |
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I was approached by a local film company, Shoot New Zealand, who were working in conjunction with an English/American film company (I think). They were in the process of shooting a TV commercial for the latest BMW 4WD car and had been all over the country at various locations shooting many different scenes. One scene was to have a RC glider as its subject. The art director, Chris Elliot, had been flicking through a copy of QFI magazine doing his research on RC gliders, turned to a page that showed an Ellipse 2V, he new right then that this would be the ideal glider for the shoot along with a Mini Ellipse which was also spotted in the magazine. As it happens, they were looking for an aircraft to reflect the pure excellence of BMW and by crikey they found one. The client (BMW) was delighted to hear that some of the finest airframes were to be associated with their product and used in this shoot. Through many contacts via the Aucklandsoar club including Ted Bealing and Angus MacDonald, Chris Elliot learnt of my collection of various aircraft which includes both Ellipse 2V and Mini Ellipse. It was about 2 minutes into the phone conversation that Chris said they wanted to change the colour of both airframes to silver, matching the car and he asked me to fly them for the commercial. As I had both aircraft sitting there and not currently being used, I agreed to have the film company do as they wished with them and I took up the challenge of the shoot. Sounded like fun to me! The next day, I met with Chris so he could eyeball and photograph both gliders. We discussed further details which included the various aspects of painting them. A car painter was suggested at which point I must say I felt a shiver run down my spine. I immediately thought of masses amounts of paint being applied without a thought of the pending weight penalty. It was then that Chris Tanks name was mentioned and I informed the art director of CT's excellent skills when it comes to painting models, 1 minute later I was on the phone to him organizing things. Chris Tank is the master when it comes to aircraft painting and he did a great job on my Ellipse 2V that suffered an ugly incident with a barbed wire fence whilst at the last Nationals in Carterton. The repair job and finish was excellent! |
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As these film company's don't like to chance anything, they arranged for two more Mini's to be imported from the UK. 4 days later they turned up and Chris Tank was once again kept busy painting them. A number two E2V was also planned but the supplier in the UK that the film company used could not supply one in time so we would have to live with one. My other E2V was not to be touched as it is my pride and joy and also my number one contest model. I spent a couple of late nights installing the gear into all the aircraft with yet another Chris, Kaiser this time, lending a hand in this dept. Thanks to both Chris's for their help. The day of the shoot. I picked up my call sheet on Monday (Labour day) from the Heritage Hotel in downtown Auckland, the timetable said 7 am start, in Mahurangi, 1 hour drive from the CBD. |
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