The Repair Shop

[Phil Pascoe]

No, not what crepe it is. Did anyone see the music box at about 18.56? I wonder what that would have cost when made - see what a fairly large movement costs now - http://www.njdean.co.uk/musical-movements-mbm72.htm

 

[Robbo3]

Yep, but what's the craze with everything being out of focus. The filming is diabolical. The artisan starts doing something, explaining as he or she goes & the camera shows every nose hair. Then the camera man thinks, oh, I'd better show what's happening & pans down so fast you feel sick. It's still filmed so close that you can't see what's happening because an arm or head is in the way, by which time the interesting bit is finished & the viewer hasn't seen any of it. Don't get me started on the inane questions.

 

[ScaredyCat]

I saw the camera and violin rebuild ones. I thought those were both good but as always they like to flit between them to "keep the viewer interested" .. If I wasn't interested I wouldn't watch. Also, not enough detail for each project.

 

[bourbon]

It's TV. Nuff said

 

[MusicMan]

I'm enjoying the series, as repair and restoration is something I do quite a bit of. I do agree with the production criticisms above, though. As has been remarked on here, I think by Chris T, restoration is often about solving problems, and it would be even more interesting if they could focus still more on the critical problems that needed to be solved on each piece; which, to be fair, they have done a bit of.

Fair enough to flit between problems as the glue sets or the paint dries!

Keith

 

[Brandlin]

The issue with TV shows like this is their target audience.

And that target audience is a wide range of people with interest in owning antiques and the stories behind them. NOT people that are interested in HOW to restore them.

Its aiming for a wider mass market audience, so it focuses on the "stories of the people involved". Whereas most of the people in this forum would be happy never knowing that the grandfather clock was once owned by mrs miggins the royal haberdasher and it was once toppled by king charles launching himself from it onto nell guinn whilst they were both dressed as a pantomime cow. We'd rather see how the guy fixes it and LEARN something.

It simply wasn't made for us.

 

[ScaredyCat]

Fair enough to flit between problems as the glue sets or the paint dries!

It's pre-recorded, paint and glue dry in the real time, that's what edits are for. The technique is a common one these days to keep people watching because they believe we'd get bored watching a longer piece about each. I think Brandlin is right, it's not made for people interested in the how part.

 

[Rorschach]

I don't think any TV is made for me anymore, probably why I don't have one.

 

[MusicMan]

Of course I realise that they all do it and why. I am complaining about yet another dumbing down, and not giving people a chance to learn, or at least learn to appreciate real skill. How on earth can anyone, technically-minded or not, prefer the view of someone's nose whiskers to seeing what they are doing with their hands, showing a skill which they may have taken years to acquire?

 

[Geoff_S]

Of course I realise that they all do it and why. I am complaining about yet another dumbing down, and not giving people a chance to learn, or at least learn to appreciate real skill. How on earth can anyone, technically-minded or not, prefer the view of someone's nose whiskers to seeing what they are doing with their hands, showing a skill which they may have taken years to acquire?

I've watched this program a few times and you're right inasmuch as you learn no skills watching it. A bit like Masterchef, Car SOS etc, you just see snippets of activity and finally the end result.

But in these cases, for me it might spark an interest in a particular thing being done, and as such I will then use my own nouse to investigate more to see how it's done and what's involved.

 

[treeturner123]

Quite right Geoff.

This is as much a 'People Interest' programme as anything else. Would those who are winging prefer to see it all in real time? I have much better thing to do. Like reading posts on this excellent site!

(hammer)

Phil

 

[Robbo3]

As a visual medium I would expect the filming to be in focus all of the time - otherwise there's not much point in watching.
What I don't know is whether the camera man is plain incompetent. I suspect not as it seems to be a trend. I also don't know whether it's a lack of editing to remove the out of focus frames, or whether the director is telling the camera man to start out of focus because he thinks it's artistic.
Amongst my other realism gripes is filming in the dark & dialogue over background music.

 

[thetyreman]

the barn they film it in was nice, that was the only thing I liked about it, I saw the one where this woman was steaming an old pot, then some toff turned up and say 'yaah yaah, thanks yaah' she took it away happy, I need to watch a full episode and see how I cope.

 

[thetyreman]

Yep, but what's the craze with everything being out of focus. The filming is diabolical. The artisan starts doing something, explaining as he or she goes & the camera shows every nose hair. Then the camera man thinks, oh, I'd better show what's happening & pans down so fast you feel sick. It's still filmed so close that you can't see what's happening because an arm or head is in the way, by which time the interesting bit is finished & the viewer hasn't seen any of it. Don't get me started on the inane questions.

maybe he can only afford a canon f/1.2 lens? you'd think they'd know about depth of field and using ND filters wouldn't you? and the rolling shutter speed effect...maybe it's an apprentice?

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Anyone with any knowledge to comment on the OP?