A very rogue

It's the day before the first day of our shoot and I feel like I'm sitting on the edge of a precipice. Keith, Paul and I have been running around like blue-arsed flies all day. To be honest, I'm a little nervous. I suppose my mind is attempting to balance the miniscule size of our crew against the many things we need to achieve. At some point tomorrow about 100 elderly people will arrive at the Hattersley community centre for a tea dance, and four of us will have to herd them around.

I continue to be amused and bemused by Media City here in Manchester. Today I discovered that there’s not a single post box on Salford Quays, which feels almost painfully futuristic. In the end I had to give a card I was trying to send to the lady behind the counter in the gift shop at the Lowry theatre. She took pity on me and offered to add my card to the Lowry's official mail.

I'm beginning to get a little frustrated that so few people at the BBC in Manchester seem aware of the films we’re making. I normally have such warm experiences working with staff in the English regions, but feel that we’re really out to pasture on this one. I spent the day working in the cafe at the Lowry because I couldn’t actually access the BBC offices opposite! When I finally got in, a woman became incredibly snippy when I asked if I could have a chat with her boss about the shoot tomorrow. I was stunned into silence when she said, “I’m not sure this is something he’s going to want to be bothered by.” I’m used to walking into BBC buildings and being treated like a long lost friend, often by people I’ve never met before, and yet this woman actually looked down her nose at me and said; “sorry, can I ask who you are?” It was humbling and quite humiliating. I suppose the films themselves are my ultimate trump card, and because no one knows anything about them, I can't feel too insulted that my profile here is presently so low. With any luck, when they finally see the films, they'll know how much work and love has gone into making them and hopefully decide to speak to me with a little more kindness.

Keith, the other cameraman, the wonderful chap who filmed the Metro musical, called me up tonight to wish me luck for the filming tomorrow. He tells me he's very jealous that it's not him filming this one. I must learn to alternate my Keiths in the future! I was very pleased to hear that the Metro film has been nominated in several categories at the RTS Awards in the North East, including as part of Keith’s folio as best cameraman. If he doesn’t get the award, I shall be very angry.

Saturday 15^th February, 1662, and Pepys went with the two Sir Williams to Trinity House where he was sworn in as a Younger Brother, whatever that means. He got to shake the hands of all the Older Brothers, whoever they were, as was, apparently, the custom. Pepys seemed rather thrilled that all the Sir Williams and their various wives had snubbed Robert Waith’s son’s christening. Waith, paymaster to the Navy Treasurer, was, apparently, a “very rogue.” The sins of the father, eh?