1

There was a circular desk area where the presenters were largely based, about two thirds of the way up the
floor space. Because of the singular lack of hanging points within the venue, key lights were inevitably shallow, and
further away than I would like them. Whereas I could compromise many of the other lamp positions, I didnt want to
start with the keys. Some floor lamps would be possible, and after some head scratching, I had a plan that I felt would
work, within the parameters that were not of my making.

Emir, I said with as much authority as I could muster, it is essential that I have a hanging position for two
5Ks that is under that beam. I said, pointing at one of the huge concrete beams that spanned the library about one
third of the way up the room. Agitated discussion with various people followed by much pointing and gesticulation
resulted in an acceptance that it might be possible. Unfortunately, the IT people had already built a data acquisition area
underneath said beam, and they would need to be told to move all their servers and 21 monitors. I snatched a tea
break rather than suffer their outpourings of angst.

The dimmers arrived and were duly installed on the balcony. At least I would be able to achieve some sort of
light balance now. Well, not quite. When powered up there were immediately severe hum problems. On the procube
wall, B.P. units, scanner output, everywhere.

Earth loops are truly international. Many man hours were spent in addressing the problem-which refused to go
away. Plan B emerged. No dimmers. As I was using quite a few narrow angle par cans, this
left me with a problem. I remembered the dungeon full of lighting gels. A car was
despatched. Problem gone away-ish. That took me to the end of Monday. Two full days
left.

That evening, I dined in TRTs own splendid restaurant, just a short walk from my
quarters. The Turkish Minister for Education was dining with his family. To bed with a full
stomach and a busy liver. In the middle of the night my dreams were broken by the quite
unforgettable sound of a wolf. O.K., my only experience of a wolfs cry was via some wild
life programme or other, but then, I was somewhere in the middle of Asia so anything was
possible. The following day, Emir told me that he did not think that a wolf would not be so
close to the city. Not that it definitely wasnt one! I resolved not to explore the grounds
after dark.

Tuesday morning arrived, my key lights were not rigged, the power supply
plagued by constant problems. Hum problem still present, now there was also the
problem of overloading existing circuits. It seemed that the lighting power came from
the same source as the computers. Now even I know that is not a good idea. Emir
constantly assured me that problems would be solved very soon. I never actually got
a definition for very soon, but tomorrow fitted in with the actuality. I must find out
the Turkish for Manyana. The really good news was that the roof windows had been
successfully blacked out with Ruberoid a sort of light weight roofing material. Now
you know what to do when youre on location and run out of black poly!

Rehearsals started in house lights. Not very satisfying for your BBC man. I
tried to utilise the time by finding out more about the positions for the programme presenters. That required
communication with some of the nine Directors who would be working on the programme during its 15 hour duration.

It quickly became clear to me that they all had different ideas as to where the presenters would stand, and as
to which of the nine cameras they would be talking to. One of the directors sensed my frustration and with a loud
guffaw accompanied by dramatic body language said, Mike, you must understand that in Turkey, everybody does their
own thing, the designer, the lighting director, the cameraman, the sound man- nobody works as a team! He smiled and
said it in such a way that clearly was a truism of the way things happened in Turkey. Probably also other Mediterranean
countries.

Accepting this as a modus operandi did not help my professionalism, merely helped me accept that less than
perfect results were OK in this context. But then, I knew that my leaving before transmission would not help, either.


Mondays feast

This folks, is Ruberoid!
2
After lunch, I was happy to see that the two 5Ks had been rigged, and I.T. didnt seem too concerned with
concrete dust in their hard drives. I was getting happier, key lights that worked; presenters that were happy with their
lighting (now thats novel) and B.P.s that could easily be seen, albeit balanced to the wrong colour temperature. By
1700 I was almost there wherever there was. Unfortunately, the designer
was working to a different schedule to the rest of us, in that set elements
were still arriving, and all requiring lighting treatment of some sort. TRTs
lamp depot was getting somewhat depleted. The Jimmy Jib had arrived and
was being rigged with its 5 metre arm. Following my comments, both B.P.s
are finally balanced to 5600K and not 3000K.

As I left the battlefield, I realised that I had lost my room key. The
reception area started giving me the third degree as to where the key might
be. Shrugging of shoulders was clearly not enough. A posse accompanied me
along the corridor to my quarters. Midnight Express came to mind, Turkish
Jails were not for the squeamish; would they let me in without proof of
exactly where I lost it?

The leader of the posse used the master key let me in, and I took a shower to celebrate. There was a knock at
the door. Towel clad, I responded to find that two members of the posse had returned with a closely typed page of
instructions that had clearly got to be obeyed!

I reproduce them here, exactly as given to me:

****************
GUEST-HOUSE REGULATIONES

1- Visitors are forbidden to enter the rooms.
2- The guests should care about their behaviors to keep themselves from disturbing
others.
3- The guest must be careful in using the guest-houses furnishing and must keep them
clean.
4- The keys of the rooms must be left in the reception before leaving.
5- The rooms and beds of the guest-house may not be changed without informing.
6- Electric cookers may not be used in te rooms.
7- The guests staying in the guest-house must pay their debts when leaving.
8- Any harm given to the furnishing of the guest-house must be informed.
9- Bringing food, eating or cooking is forbidden in the rooms.
10- Only the guests may use the showers of the guest-house.
11- It is forbidden to get out of the rooms wearingnight-gowns.
12- The guest-house doent take the responsibility of money and valuable goods
which have not been left to the guest-house administration.
13- Games played with money are forbidden within the guest-house.
14- It is forbidden to play radio ant teyp recorders in the rooms after 22.00.
15- On the date of departure, the guests should leave their rooms at 12.00 oclock at the
latest as stated in the guest house regulations.

***********************

James Jib, alive and well in Asia
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Wednesday morning arrived, as it does,
and todays surprise is that the floor lamps have
all been moved, and more set has appeared and
needs to be lit. My sparks spring into action and
the job is soon done. I seem to be communicating
well with them, and they certainly have Mr.
Mike sussed out by now. I note that there is only
one emergency exit from the studio floor and
point that out to the floor manager.

Our electrical problems are still not over.
Breakers keep on breaking. House electricians are
brought in and larger breakers are installed to
cope with Mr. Mikes huge electricity requirements. All is well. I start playing the end game by producing an updated
lighting plan for Tariq, complete with contingency instructions for if it all went pear shaped.

Rehearsals progress during the afternoon and miraculously, the lights
stay on. That evening, my colleagues take
me out to old Ankara, to a restaurant
within the old walls of the city, before it
was a city, if you see what I mean. Through
the pouring rain and the convoluted traffic
we go; finally arriving at a beautifully
restored wooden building that used to be
the British Consulate. Built on many
different levels around a courtyard, we
passed large parties of people enjoying
themselves before we came to our own little corner where I was to enjoy one of the
nicest meals of my short stay. Behind me was a window through which one could see a myriad of lights on the hill
opposite which was the modern city. The wine flowed, and a group of musicians came up and serenaded us. All rather
different to your average MacDonalds.

Thursday morning was about finishing touches and about seeing other parts
of TRT that had so far eluded me. They have a fabulous (and I use that word
advisedly) broadcasting museum which is simply the best that I have ever seen. It has
superb displays of radio and TV equipment from the past six or so decades, including
a workingMarconi-Stille steel tape recorder, and many, many other pieces of
memorabilia to make oldies like me smile with memories of acquaintance. If you
should ever be passing through this part of the world, make sure you call and see it,
its a must. Bradford is good, but Ankara is better! Come on, BBC, why havent you
got something like this that you could open to the public?

I was then taken over to see their
new digital news studio which was receiving
its finishing touches. Eight camera ability, beautifully equipped Production,
sound and lighting galleries, a studio floor of good size and aspect ratio, many
De-Sisti lamps on telescopes, Top cyc lighting, nothing could be faulted. And
then, someone put on a selection of lamps. For once, I was the turkey and
would have quietly cooked had I stayed any longer in their 60 or so five
kilowatt lamps. I could not believe it, but there it was, every fresnel lamp had a
single filament 5K. and the softs too, had 5Ks. Why I asked myself, and then
my guide? As the answer came there was a feeling of Deja Vu. We light to a
level of 2000 lux, because that is the manufacturers specification.

Tariq asked me for my opinions on their new studio. In every respect
it is a good studio, Tarik, but it has one serious shortcoming. I diplomatically informed him that the installation would

More set has appeared.....

...and needs to be lit

Flying the flag

Emir sings for his supper

I remember.... (Quad video
tape machines)

Lots of light, lots of depth of field
4
waste a lot of electricity in both the lamps and the air conditioning unless smaller, dual filament bubbles were installed.
Good depth of field, mind. Ill let you know if anything changes.

Thursday morning was also the time that the G.D. (as opposed to D.G)
and his top team of TRT V.I.P.s came to inspect our work. Lots of suits and
hand held news cameras. It was then time for me for me to say my farewells to
all my new found colleagues. The set designer had shaken me warmly by the
hand and asked me to stay in Turkey and work at TRT. The electricians were
equally flattering in their appreciation of our brief working acquaintance. They
had all treated me with respect, and I hope I had reciprocated. I really did want
to return, the Turkish hospitality and friendship is legendary, and rightly
justified.

The airbus climbed over Istanbul and headed west into a four hour
sunset. I flicked through the English language newspaper that had been
handed out on the plane. The horoscope for my birth sign (I never read them (!)) said the opportunity to travel to an
unusual destination would arise, and should not be missed, as it would lead to other things. Well, well, for the third
time that week it was a case of Deja Vu.

When it was all over, I contacted Tariq and asked him how it had gone. I dreaded his response, but was
delighted to hear that the lighting had been fine, the only problems had been with comms. Now where have I heard that
before!


Mike Baker June 9
th
1999


The General Director and his top men