The Gaffer - The Complete Series [DVD]

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Organisation: work within budget, schedule the crew and the kit requirements, prioritise and meet deadlines Harry, the shop steward, is at it again - this time he has out-manoeuvred and outgunned Fred to the extent that he is now on strike outside of his own factory ...

Bill Maynard plays Fred to perfection. He may be a rogue and a bit of a conman but he will do anything to keep his little world afloat, even getting his hands dirty on the factory floor. He may the gaffer (i.e., the boss) but he does actually know about engineering. This is what gives the show its heart. We know what a struggle it is to keep a small business going when you're faced with bureaucracy, banks and Bolshie workers (and a shaky economy - has there been a time since about 1973 when the UK economy wasn't shaky?). You laugh at Fred's scheming while recognising he is really just trying to survive as well as he can.

Away from the glare (and the riches) bestowed upon Premier League clubs, but not immune from fierce scrutiny levelled by hardened and knowledgeable fan bases, these multi-skilled managers are fighting for survival on and off the pitch.

While Nicole admits she has worked on more fraught tours, the production on Happier Than Ever, The World Tour is a complex affair.

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Rod Stewart’s influence continues in Nicole’s life, however, as his 2009 tour date in Ireland had life-changing repercussions.

Gaining a solid reputation for her can-do attitude, Nicole was on the end of a call from Craig Finley when he was planning Coldplay’s 2009 European stadium tour – drafting her in as production coordinator. And when Leabody took over for Coldplay’s 2012 world tour, the writing was on the wall. “I ended up telling Rod during a tour of Australia that I was going to work for Coldplay the following year, so I gave him about six-months’ notice.” Electrical knowledge: have an in-depth understanding of circuits, power supplies, motors, cables, fuses, thermal relays, fault current protection switches, heating, lighting, air conditioning and moreIn an attempt to boost his sales overseas, Fred finds his efforts are not welcomed by his staff or his client - and, for his part, the bank manager has a lot to say about proceedings as well. The gaffer is responsible for managing lighting, including associated resources such as labour, lighting instruments and electrical equipment under the direction of the director of photography (DP, DOP or Cinematographer) or, in television, the lighting director (LD). I had a little breakdown in Dublin,” confesses Nicole. “I was very nervous about a few of the overnighters and worried we weren’t going to make it. So, I got all the crew chiefs together and told them that I needed help. It turned out to be a good moment for me as a production manager – just to gather all the people who I know are really good at their jobs, so we could figure it out together.”

The affable 47-year-old who cleaned Gary Lineker’s boots when he was an apprentice at Tottenham became manager of his hometown club when he was promoted from the coaching staff in 2016. Growing up surrounded by adult actors and performers may have helped instil self-confidence in the young Nicole, too, because when she had the chance to compete for a dance scholarship across the country in Dallas, Texas, she persuaded her parents to let her undertake the trip on her own. Needless to say, she won the scholarship. Advocating that more tours consider elevating women to production chief, Nicole observes, “We’re multitaskers and organisers. There are lots of amazing female leaders out there – we have Emma Reynolds-Taylor running the production for Glastonbury; Duchess [Sue Iredale] has been running productions forever; Bianca Mauro runs a stage at Austin City Limits. So, we have all these women that are running big festivals and stages and events, and while it just hasn’t happened as much on the road, there are still plenty of amazing women out there, day after day, delivering shows to fans. There just needs to be more, in the crew chief roles and upwards, but also just more women in touring, in general. Free e-learning: diversity, equity and inclusion Regardless of your role, learning about diversity, equity and inclusion is essential for working in the screen industries. Get work experience with a kit rental company. Look for companies that supply equipment to the theatre, film, TV and events industries. Get to know the best boys coming in and ask if they would take you on as a trainee. See our advice on approaching employers for how to do this. You might also be interested in…One possibility is that the term originally referred to the moving of overhead equipment, or before electricity and in Shakespeare-era play theatres, lighting louvers to control lighting levels using a long pole with a wide grappling hook on its end, called a gaff. [1]