Series 1 was a combination of studio interiors and filmed exteriors – this was the standard production method for most drama in the 1960s, 70s and 80s. Locations were in and around Birmingham where these episodes were set.
Series 2–3 were shot on location on 16 mm film. Locations were in and around Birmingham where these episodes were set.
Series 4–7 were shot on location on video. Locations were in and around Nottingham where these episodes were set. The only exceptions were a few studio scenes such as the interior of the security vaults in Two Men In A Vault and Thieves Like Us. The majority of the filming was done using a single camera (as for film), with multi-camera shooting being used only for unrepeatable events like big action scenes and stunts. The advantage with single-camera shooting is that the lighting of the same scene can be adjusted for artistic reasons between shots from different angles; the disadvantage is that it takes longer to film a scene. The camera was cabled back to a “monocoque” or LRU – a van in which the Vision Engineer and Sound Director sat, controlling the sound and pictures.
Notes and episode list © Martin Underwood, 2009; some information for Series 4–7 was provided by Louise Berridge
Page last modified: 18 September 2009, 00:55