{"id":298,"date":"2017-11-28T08:13:35","date_gmt":"2017-11-27T22:13:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pilens.com.au\/modris\/?page_id=298"},"modified":"2017-11-28T08:15:41","modified_gmt":"2017-11-27T22:15:41","slug":"press-conferences","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/pilens.com.au\/modris\/national-film-and-sound-archive\/press-conferences\/","title":{"rendered":"Press Conferences"},"content":{"rendered":"

This is part of an interview Series for the National Film and Sound Archive Aural History Programme by John Fife.<\/strong><\/p>\n

My name is John Fife (JF<\/strong>) and I have with me Morrie Pilens (MP<\/strong><\/p>\n

JF:\u00a0 And that applies back home I guess, with press conferences and things like that?<\/p>\n

MP:\u00a0 Not necessarily, no.\u00a0 Press conferences are different things, because you have a bunch of people trying to get something out of a personality.\u00a0 So the personality has to consistently remain a personality.\u00a0 So whatever the character they portray, it has to be sustained.\u00a0 One to one, it\u2019s a different story altogether.<\/p>\n

JF:\u00a0 But at a press conference, what I was trying to think about, was \u2013 how do you work in as a team between you and all the other camera men in those days.\u00a0 Did one of you say I\u2019ll light it, or mike it, or\u2026<\/p>\n

MP:\u00a0 Whoever was in first would put some lights up or what have you, and as far as the mike was concerned we\u2019d just put them up so we don\u2019t disturb each other.\u00a0 Film cameramen never got into each other\u2019s way.\u00a0 BUT \u2013 oh, tell you a story!<\/p>\n

In Sydney there was a diplomat from one of the Phillipines or somewhere, that had disappeared for two weeks and no one could find him.\u00a0 So they finally found him, apparently he\u2019s been shacked up with some call girls.\u00a0 So there is a press conference scheduled at the airport lounge which has some room for a meeting.<\/p>\n

I got sent to Sydney by myself, so I arrive and set my camera up.\u00a0 The next one arrives and sets up next to me, the next one arrives and sets up, lights are there, and then of course the journalists arrive.\u00a0 And *the press conference has started\u2026\u00a0 Gordon Bennett from 7 was next to me, and his journalist, Brian Joyce, was late.\u00a0 He\u2019s going to be right in front of my camera.\u00a0 If he sits down, there\u2019s no problem.\u00a0 But he decided to be excited, starts getting up.\u00a0 So as he gets up, of course he blocks my view completely.\u00a0 So I just say psst psst Brian, psst psst.\u00a0 Of course, nothing happens.\u00a0 So I got some money.\u00a0 Some two shilling pieces and kept hitting him on the head (laughs).\u00a0 So finally he got the bloody message that he had to sit down!<\/p>\n

With the camera crews, we knew we had to assist each other.\u00a0 It was the journalists and sometimes the still photographers that were interfering.\u00a0 See with a camera, you need a continuation of shots for 30 \u2013 40 seconds or what have you.\u00a0 With a still camera you just take one shot and bang, you\u2019re right.\u00a0 So what they do is take one shot, and then they just turn around walk in front of the person they just fought about, and the cameras can\u2019t get any pictures.\u00a0 That was when we had 25 mil and 60 mil.\u00a0 Once the 10 mil lens was available and we fitted the cameras with them, we thought \u2018FIX YOU!!\u2019\u00a0 So we stand about 3 feet away from the guys and we walk backwards!\u00a0 And of course the still photographers are \u2018Oh oh, we can\u2019t get any pictures.\u2019\u00a0 And we\u2019re like \u2018Stiff, mate!\u2019<\/p>\n

We either working together or not working together.\u00a0 They come to the party eventually.\u00a0 It\u2019s just the sort of thing that\u2019s developing a relationship, that\u2019s all.<\/p>\n

JF:\u00a0 Do you know it still goes on today.<\/p>\n

MP:\u00a0 Oh shit I know that (laughter).<\/p>\n

JF:\u00a0 No change from 50 years ago.\u00a0 Those still photographers \u2013 those buggers\u2026<\/p>\n

MP:\u00a0 Except they haven\u2019t got still cameras now.\u00a0 They\u2019ve got the movie\u2026 Oh, wait a minute, they\u2019re back at digital now aren\u2019t they.\u00a0 Which means they can take ten thousand pictures.\u00a0 And they just take pictures poppoppoppoppoppoppoppoppop\u2026 What are they going to do with them all?<\/p>\n

JF:\u00a0 The cameramen would get to a press conference, and it\u2019s first in best dressed?<\/p>\n

MP: \u00a0Yeah, whoever gets there first sets up in the best spot.\u00a0 And the next one takes the next best.\u00a0 You know.\u00a0 With the movie cameras we never had any problem.\u00a0 Ah, once or twice couple of guys came in and thought they were going to set the world on fire and be the best \u2013 they\u2019re very young or what have you, but they still come to see it\u2019s not working that well.<\/p>\n

JF:\u00a0 And when you\u2019re on the road, would you lend equipment to another crew if need be?\u00a0 For arguments\u2019 sake, is someone forgot some film stock\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This is part of an interview Series for the National Film and Sound Archive Aural History Programme by John Fife. My name is John Fife (JF) and I have with me Morrie Pilens (MP JF:\u00a0 And that applies back home I guess, with press conferences and things like that? MP:\u00a0 Not necessarily, no.\u00a0 Press conferences … <\/p>\n

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