Warhol On Warhol

Andy Warhol Self-Portrait, 1986
© Andy Warhol Foundation / Corbis
Between the 12th of February and the 2nd of May 2005 The Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art in Edinburgh hosted the only UK showing of a unique collection of self-portraits by the pop artist Andy Warhol.

Hand Pict Producer, Kerry Cathro negotiated exclusive access to the exhibition for a forty-minute arts documentary for Five. The documentary reviewed self-portraits Warhol made throughout his life - from his early pencil drawings - through his iconic silk screens of the sixties - to the last set of images made months before his unexpected death in 1987 after a routine operation in a New York Hospital.

Hand Pict filmed with a range of participants from the contemporary art world which took the production to New York to interview people who knew and had worked with Warhol - not all of them found him an easy person to be with. The photographer Nat Finklestein commenting that Warhol was "living proof that in order to be a great artist you don't have to be decent human being..."

His self portraits in the exhibition were as enigmatic and controversial as he was in real life. His legacy is undeniable - Curator Keith Hartley observing that "modern art would not be in the place it currently occupies without the influence of Andy Warhol"

The New York shoot was facilitated by Atlantic Television - Hand Pict hiring both gear and crew from Atlantic avoided the extra hassle of the carnet process in what was already a very tight schedule. The New York crew travelled from location to location with the director George Cathro in a New York taxi - a very Warholian thing to do. George even kept some receipts...

The programme was on air twice during the life of the exhibition. The first transmission was on Five on March 2nd at 7.15pm and once again in late April.

Director - George Cathro
Research - Claire Buchanan
UK Camera - Dave Miller
UK Sound - Richard Paterson
New York camera - Howard Krupa
New York Sound - Ivo Hanak
Editor - Simon Blakeley
Sound Dub - Paul Wilson
Producer - Kerry Cathro



Adoption Stories observes the emotional and complicated subject of adoption through they eyes of those directly involved in the process.

The series tells the stories of children in care and how they are fostered and adopted through to whole adopted families looking back at their experiences of what it was like.

Birth mothers and fathers tell of what it was like to have their children taken away from them or to have given them up voluntarily.

Adoption Stories follows the preparation process which prospective adopters and fosterers must go through before being assessed by a panel which decides on their suitability and matching to a child.

Adoption and fostering is all about finding the perfect match for the child. Although there are many children now in the care of local authorities and large numbers of people willing to foster and adopt it is the match of the two which takes the time and must be in the child’s best interest.

As one of our interviewees said, “Adoption and fostering is about finding families for children, not finding children for families”.The series also looks at the perspective of adult adoptees looking back many years on from their adoption and how they go about tracing their past.

The series has taken almost two years to make and tells stories from all over Scotland.
Narrrator - Alison Craig
Graphics - Kerry Cathro
On Line Edit - Simon Hamilton
Sound Dub - Paul Wilson
Camera - Ian FT Young
Sound - Richard Paterson
Production Manager - Nicki Young
Research - Tamsin Walker
Off Line Edit - Ian Stroud
Producer/Director - George Cathro

The Nymph, The Booby and the Seven Lame Ducks

High in the mountains of Wales, teams from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales compete in an annual sporting contest, but those taking part have more than just the challenges of the sport to contend with.

Hand Pict’s latest commission was to follow Scotland’s disabled fly-fishing team “The Lame Ducks” to compete in a fishing international at Llyn Brenig in North Wales. The competition posed difficulties for the competitors but also for the production team. How do you film fourteen boats on 920 acres of water when the competition rules don’t allow other boats close to the fishermen?

The programme starts on the road with the team as they travel together to Wales. This is the part of the trip most of them dread the most due to the discomfort which travelling causes them. Six hours cramped up in a hot minibus is not something anyone would welcome, but for them with the additional challenges caused by their disabilities it has an added dread.

The Lame Ducks comprise of 7 fishermen, a manager and 2 helpers. All of who live within the central belt, Ayrshire and the Kingdom of Fife.

We gain an insight into the challenges they face as individuals and how they establish their team spirit and camaraderie, which will be a key to their success or failure in the competition.

Join seven Scotsmen on their quest to bring glory to their country, enjoy their camaraderie and inescapable humour, observe the fierceness of the competition, the rivalry with the other teams but above all the determination of the competitors to overcome all obstacles in their pursuit of victory.

The programme was on air Monday 19th September '05 -

A Hand Pict Production for BBC Scotland

Narrated by
Music by
Camera
Sound Recordist
On Line Editor
Dubbing Mixer
Executive Producer for BBC
Avid Editor
Producer/Camera
Director
Fenella Kerr
Colin MacFarlane
Dave Miller
Richard Paterson
Ian Ballantyne
Paul Wilson
Ewan Angus
Simon Blakeley
George Cathro
Graeme Spencer

Gretna's Field of Dreams

Hand Pict gained exclusive access to Gretna Football Club to follow their fairytale season of 2005/2006 - Their promotion to the 1st Division and their historic place in the final of the Scottish cup.

The two documentaries also show the club’s unique involvement with their community – giving free football coaching to over 100 schools and playing a strong role in a drugs awareness campaign in Dumfries and Galloway.

Gretna's Field of Dreams was on air:
Tuesday 9th May 2006 and
Tuesday 16th May 2006

Narrated by
Production

Ricky Callan
Julie Carver
Eilleen Aitchison
Chris Archer
Paul Wilson
Ian Ballantyne
Simon Blakeley
Richard Paterson
George Cathro
Dubbing Mixer
Online Edit
Offline Edit
Sound
Camera/Director

Jute, Jam & Islam

Whatever perceptions we had of Islam and Muslims changed after 9/11 and 7/7. Can a year spent with the Muslim community of Dundee change our prejudices and misconceptions and show us what the life of a Scots Muslim is really about? Jute Jam and Islam centres on Tony Hussain, a Dundee businessman and entrepreneur. Tony had a difficult start in life - given away as a baby and brought up on one of the hardest estates in Dundee. He has learnt, in many ways, to fight to survive.

Jute Jam and Islam was on air Sunday 5th February 9pm BBC2 Scotland

Music
Dubbing Mixer
Edit Box
Avid Editor
Sound
Camera/Director
Headless
Paul Wilson
Ian Ballantyne
Ian Stroud
Richard Paterson
George Cathro
A Hand Pict Production for BBC Scotland
Jute, Jam & Islam