This is an interview Series for the National Film and Sound Archive Aural History Programme.
My name is John Fife (JF) and I have with me Morrie Pilens (MP).
MP: This was channel 0 first up. I insisted for a vehicle, a 2 tonne international van out of which at that stage you had Pro 600 sound cameras, which is a huge bloody camera, runs off 12 volt battery or car battery – you can’t put it in car or station wagon so I insisted on this 2 tonne van.
We’d do alright – you pull up somewhere, open up your window and you’ve got your camera set up and people in front of it and shoot it and boom, off you go. This particular time we turned up at Trades Hall, secretary of the press hall, Mick Jordan, a man’s man – lefty – good, sort of man’s man. I was pretty friendly with him from very beginning.
So, I said to the journalist I had – what was the name? it’ll come to me – I said ‘We’ll do it out in the courtyard here.’ And he said ‘Okay.’
And I said to Mick Jordan ‘Look, instead of lugging all the gear up here I’ve got it all set up in the car, would you mind coming down?’
‘Oh, for you Morrie, I’ll come down.’
So he comes down and I set him up in position and Jim (not that Jim, the other Jim) is here. I said okay, and Jim says ‘Just a minute please.’ And he goes round to the rearvision mirror and starts putting on make up. And Mick Jordan looks at me and I just go ‘I know nothing!’ and he smiled.
Anyway, Jim puts his make up on, I put him in position. Do an interview with Mick Jordan. Finish the interview. ‘Thanks, it’s a take Mick.’ Okay, off you go. Got back in the car, come home.
After the film is processed Jim’s screaming at me ‘How dare you – how dare you to demote me to a mere microphone holder.’
And that’s where that comes in. (Laughter)
JF: Oh, okay. That’s when you walk into a press conference and say ‘where’s my microphone stand’
MP: No, this is mike stand
JF: Aha.
MP: So, that was a good one. He was screaming! Of course I didn’t bloody film him, I shot over his bloody head – I had twin shot and a close up and that was it. And he put all his make up on…