Would The Nearest Alien Please Come In

Barrychuckle

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Staff member
I've recently watched this episode again, something strange I noted about the filming...

In the scenes where Kevin is in the Entwhistles pickup when he finds Alvin pretending to be an alien, it looks like some of the scenes are superimposed on film background. I'm not sure if you notice this, but they clearly look different from the other outdoor scenes. I'm wondering whether they forgot to film whilst on location ?

Has anyone else noticed this?
 
I've recently watched this episode again, something strange I noted about the filming...

In the scenes where Kevin is in the Entwhistles pickup when he finds Alvin pretending to be an alien, it looks like some of the scenes are superimposed on film background. I'm not sure if you notice this, but they clearly look different from the other outdoor scenes. I'm wondering whether they forgot to film whilst on location ?

Has anyone else noticed this?

Just had a look, it looks like a classic case of Blue Screen filming
 
I'm intrigued why they had to film it in a studio, they were clearly all out on location as they've had other scenes outside together. It just seems strange that a few brief scenes had to be filmed in front of a screen????
 
I'm intrigued why they had to film it in a studio, they were clearly all out on location as they've had other scenes outside together. It just seems strange that a few brief scenes had to be filmed in front of a screen????

They would sometimes do it at the base camp, if they no longer had the road closure permission, or due to weather at the time, which could make them do it in the studio,I suspect there could be many reasons
 
You may also notice that they are not wearing seat belts. This would be illegal if driving on a public road and dangerous if they were to have an accident. I don't think the seat belt rules would apply if the road was closed to the public but would still be risky for the actors. I don't think Entwistle's pick up has a central seat belt or even a proper seat.
 
I have seen them doing blue screen at the base camp with Barry and Glenda, The Policemen and Miss Davenport, yet in Plenty of room in the back they filmed on a private road, on a really hot day with additional lighting in the hearse
 
One of my biggest regrets is I never went to see filming on location, I did go to Teddington in 2008 and that was an unforgettable experience. My enduring memory was how passionate Alan Bell was to see younger people coming to the show, he clearly wanted to future proof the show. Sadly I suspect the decision was already made at that point of axe the show. :(:(
 
One of my biggest regrets is I never went to see filming on location, I did go to Teddington in 2008 and that was an unforgettable experience. My enduring memory was how passionate Alan Bell was to see younger people coming to the show, he clearly wanted to future proof the show. Sadly I suspect the decision was already made at that point of axe the show. :(:(

I was lucky enough to live not to far from the Holmfirth area and got across as often as I could during filming, I went to two dinners with the cast which was great fun, but never managed to get to a screening night
 
Terry I would be interested to know how you identified where they would have been filming considering that they often do not shoot scenes in order and clearly a lot of scenes, we know , do not take place in Holmfirth itself . I would also love to know how many members of the public , like your good self , rocked up to watch it and how were they received by the cast and crew . Did you witness any so called Prima Donna style strops by members of the cast or arguments between the actors and crew or was it all very much a cordial atmosphere.
 
Terry I would be interested to know how you identified where they would have been filming considering that they often do not shoot scenes in order and clearly a lot of scenes, we know , do not take place in Holmfirth itself . I would also love to know how many members of the public , like your good self , rocked up to watch it and how were they received by the cast and crew . Did you witness any so called Prima Donna style strops by members of the cast or arguments between the actors and crew or was it all very much a cordial atmosphere.

One of the best places to watch them filming was at Aunties, as they would cram a lot of filming there over 2 or 3 days and the chances were you would see most of the cast, even though you could make no sense of what parts they were filming for.
In the early years of me going to track them down I discovered they would put small pointed signs with the letters LOC, if you followed these you would end up where the location for filming was, they stopped doing this I guess as folk were working out what the signs meant. By which time I had a friend on the crew who who tip me of in a text if they new I was heading over.
If you kept out of the way and quiet they left you alone on set, after a couple of years they discovered I was harmless and would let me mingle with the cast but I always made sure not to be a nuisance, often on the short breaks the cast would be running through their lines for the next scene, the last thing they needed was some Barmpot disturbing them.
I also worked out it would be best to keep on the right side of the assistant director who I think Mr Bell kept to do all his dirty work of keeping everybody in check, she could be pretty aggressive and I have seen her reduce crew to a nervous wreck. She did a great job of keeping onlookers in their place and often she would clear them away just with a stare and I would be the only one left close by.
The cast were lovely and I cannot say any of them treated anyone with airs and graces, it was often very full days and by mid pm you could see some cast tiring and they would nod of in a chair if they were not needed for 15 to 30 minutes, setting scenes up could be time consuming.
Most of the cast if not busy doing anything else would be happy to chat and answer general questions, Stephen Lewis was always one for entertaining folk when nothing else was happening.
These days were all happy days for me, to see these wonderful actors in person making a show that millions of people love, I feel really fortunate to of been able to do this for over 6 years and wish I had got there sooner
 
One of the best places to watch them filming was at Aunties, as they would cram a lot of filming there over 2 or 3 days and the chances were you would see most of the cast, even though you could make no sense of what parts they were filming for.
In the early years of me going to track them down I discovered they would put small pointed signs with the letters LOC, if you followed these you would end up where the location for filming was, they stopped doing this I guess as folk were working out what the signs meant. By which time I had a friend on the crew who who tip me of in a text if they new I was heading over.
If you kept out of the way and quiet they left you alone on set, after a couple of years they discovered I was harmless and would let me mingle with the cast but I always made sure not to be a nuisance, often on the short breaks the cast would be running through their lines for the next scene, the last thing they needed was some Barmpot disturbing them.
I also worked out it would be best to keep on the right side of the assistant director who I think Mr Bell kept to do all his dirty work of keeping everybody in check, she could be pretty aggressive and I have seen her reduce crew to a nervous wreck. She did a great job of keeping onlookers in their place and often she would clear them away just with a stare and I would be the only one left close by.
The cast were lovely and I cannot say any of them treated anyone with airs and graces, it was often very full days and by mid pm you could see some cast tiring and they would nod of in a chair if they were not needed for 15 to 30 minutes, setting scenes up could be time consuming.
Most of the cast if not busy doing anything else would be happy to chat and answer general questions, Stephen Lewis was always one for entertaining folk when nothing else was happening.
These days were all happy days for me, to see these wonderful actors in person making a show that millions of people love, I feel really fortunate to of been able to do this for over 6 years and wish I had got there sooner
Terry what an absolutely lovely and interesting post, I found it fascinating to read. You really were fortunate to have seen everything in the glory days, I'm really jealous I never went on set!!!!!
I've read Steven Lewis was very like to describe in his obituary, he would often entertain members of the retirement home with impressions of Blakey!!! I'm not sure whether you experienced this yourself.
Did you ever meet Brian Wilde on set? I've heard from various sources he could be very aloof and sometimes a bit of a diva, which is nothing like the characters he portrays.
 
Thank you Terry for answering my questions with a wonderfully informative post it must have been a great experience to visit the sets, watch the mechanics of filming and to mingle with the stars of the show , for an avid fan it must have been one of the most enjoyable times of you life.
 
Terry what an absolutely lovely and interesting post, I found it fascinating to read. You really were fortunate to have seen everything in the glory days, I'm really jealous I never went on set!!!!!
I've read Steven Lewis was very like to describe in his obituary, he would often entertain members of the retirement home with impressions of Blakey!!! I'm not sure whether you experienced this yourself.
Did you ever meet Brian Wilde on set? I've heard from various sources he could be very aloof and sometimes a bit of a diva, which is nothing like the characters he portrays.

Sadly no to Foggy it was the Truly followed by the Hobbo years
 
Thank you Terry for answering my questions with a wonderfully informative post it must have been a great experience to visit the sets, watch the mechanics of filming and to mingle with the stars of the show , for an avid fan it must have been one of the most enjoyable times of you life.

Yes I did enjoy seeing the technical side of things, like when filming at Aunties to the left of the shop doorway they used to put on sticky decorative tape on the windows, as people still lived in this part and they could still move around without being seen on camera, they also used some kind of spray for shiny cars, to stop the reflections of crew when filming, the fake steps outside Aunties, if you look at the steps over the crews they grew, this was to help the aging cast get in and out of the shop, all the fake bus stops and telephone boxes, which were kept in the back of a truck, should they be called for in a scene
 
Wonderful intricate tricks of the trade thank you for sharing , I don't suppose you managed to witness any of the stunts with the doubles filming them especially the dangerous ones which presumably would be Stuart Fell.
 
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