I was invited to shoot publicity stills for a brand new BBC comedy production called Bleak Little Shop of Stuff. It's a Dickensian spoof, based on the successful Radio 4 show 'Bleak Expectations' written by Mark Evans. The Beeb have assembled an all-star cast including Stephen Fry, David Mitchell, Robert Webb and Johnny Vegas, as well as Tim McInnerny, Kevin Eldon, Sarah Hadland and Derek Griffiths. Yes THAT Derek Griffiths!
Contractually I'm unable to show you any publicity stills at the moment, but I can blog a few shots taken behind the scenes and around the studio:
The gaffers like to keep a well-ordered ship.
A Victorian setting, with the brilliant John Sorapure as DoP, there was always bound to be tons of smoke and sculpted light.
Street urchins biding their time between scenes
The Art Department have had a lot of fun with the props and set-dressing. Everywhere you look the details are amazingly authentic, and very amusing.
The level of detail is extraordinary. This pile of legal tomes, just one of many, painstakingly crafted, may or may not make it into shot.
Kevin Eldon rehearsing his lines between takes
Director Ben Gosling-Fuller in his element
Tomorrow this space will be full of props and lights and actors and drama
I love the feverish busyness and action one side of a plywood wall, and complete stillness the other.
The Production Manager, Francis Gilson, is roped into playing a butler for the afternoon. Ace sideburns.
It's all being shot on the spanking new Arri Alexa HD system, using prime lenses, which will give the production an incredibly 'cinematic' look.
The opening episode airs at Christmas, with three episodes to follow in 2012.