James May: The Reassembler

I think the shaky camera work was because of the small girl with the shoulder cam.
Of course, the bloke with the shoulder cam could not be at fault.
 
We need reaction videos from Clarkson and Hammond, watching this show. :lol:

I think you mean reaction tweets from JC and RH mocking Captain Slow for making a show about slow.

Mind you, 700,000 viewers is pretty good for what was essentially a hobby show on a cable specialty channel, which is what BBC4 essentially is.
 
I liked the telephone one a lot better.
 
Of course, the bloke with the shoulder cam could not be at fault.


She was a small girl, the camera is heavy, and the shoot went for a long time. Yeah, the man could have gotten tired too, but what does common sense tell you?
 

Programme website: http://bbc.in/1V6VJZC James May carefully reassembles an old telephone from 211 pieces whilst reminiscing about mid twentieth century illnesses.


[video=youtube;CleGcQjY-SI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CleGcQjY-SI[/video]

James May is deep into the reassembling of a classic electric guitar - here James explains what makes his guitar electric and not acoustic as he explains how the pickups work.
 
I think the guitar was the weakest of the three because I don't find guitars as interesting but still a good show. Personally I'd like to see more. :)
 
I haven't seen the last one yet, but I tell you what it has done. It has made me want to see the boys together again all the more.

I would like to see more. What is not to like watching James May explain something. For me, he has Like a calming effect somehow.
 
His little asides to the crew and reminisces of childhood encounters with the tech of the era are often more interesting than the actual project at times. He does indeed have a calming effect and I'll try to imagine he's looking over my shoulder next time a tiny spring flies from my finger tips and vanishes in a quantum-like manner :|
 
She was a small girl, the camera is heavy, and the shoot went for a long time. Yeah, the man could have gotten tired too, but what does common sense tell you?
10 years in the film industry tell me that you don't make it to camera operator for a mainstream format, no matter how small, if you can't do your job properly. Competition is much too hard for that.
 
His little asides to the crew and reminisces of childhood encounters with the tech of the era are often more interesting than the actual project at times. He does indeed have a calming effect and I'll try to imagine he's looking over my shoulder next time a tiny spring flies from my finger tips and vanishes in a quantum-like manner :|

If James had not ended up in television, I imagine him ending up a kindly old professor/school teacher, trying to get his students to see the charm in bygone things from a bygone era.
 
I seem to recall he said he had considered teaching, and might do again after Steakgate.
 
I liked the telephone one a lot better.

I liked it better than the lawnmower one. Could be because I'm into steampunk/dieselpunk and I find this technology to be more fascinating. (Mind you I think he needed a bigger tablecloth for his workbench, so that people could see the little bits better.)
 
If this was hosted by anyone else I would never watch it.
James makes everything interesting.
 
I thoroughly enjoyed that. James progammes can be weird but so good. I wish there were more Toy Stories for instance. As a car lover but not a car nut, I think I've even learned some things about engines seeing him assemble one...
 
This is reminds me somewhat of an old BBC show, Connections. I loved that show.

I wonder if there are torrents out there...
 
Very, very relaxing and enjoyable.

Next time I'd like to see James reassembling that "ikea-golf" from the famous photo.
 
Of course, the bloke with the shoulder cam could not be at fault.

In the telephone one you can see it being shaky, then her leaning forward with elbows on table and it stabilises. However, no blame here, long shooting time, camera on shoulder, zoomed in which makes it worse. Probably happened to camera bloke too.
 
Here's the thing:

1. I don't believe the boys' deal with Amazon is exclusive; they could probably do non-car projects with the BBC (Clarkson could do some more military history docs and the panel show circuit, for example). And the fact that the executive who gave JC the most grief is gone (bye-bye Mr. Cohen) means the door for a return is wider.

2. The Reassembler show has got to be the most cost-effective production that BBC4 can do: a space for a parts layout and work area, 3 cameras, a sound man, a director and an editor, and the bravery to find a used electronic or mechanical appliance to be taken apart for reassembly. This equals cheapness at a time when BBC budgets are going to be stretched to their limits.

3. Prediction: BBC4 *will* probably order a second series.
 
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